Page 47 of Third Offense

But that had been a different world.

And it wasn’t exactly a time I wanted to remember, considering how conflicted I was feeling about this new world. However, we’d experienced some good times together.

At least, before Auric had left.

I allowed the memories to turn over in my head as I ate one of the purple flowers.

“You would always eat those first,” Auric mused as he sat on the edge of the bed and handed one of the trays to Novak. “Are they similar?”

“Exact,” I marveled.

Everything tasted the same. Smelled the same, as if we had reverted back to a day in my memories.

I inhaled, closed my eyes, then frowned.

No, something still smelled off.

My nose scrunched.Wrong.

I set the partially eaten flower down, my brow furrowing.

“What is it?” Auric asked as he settled against the headboard beside me. “Do you no longer like those?”

I shook my head. “No. I mean, I do. But…” I trailed off, sniffing again and turning toward him. His wintergreen scent seemed tainted somehow. “Did someone… help make this?” I asked, wondering if that could be the hint of sourness I tasted in the air.

Auric nodded. “Netiri helped me with breakfast since no one else was around. Apparently, there are multiple kitchens, and the one down the hall is reserved for our use whenever we need it, and no servants have been stationed there yet other than to keep it stocked.”

“Oh.” My nose scrunched again.Netiri.

A rival female.Is that why she smells so wrong to me? Why didn’t I notice that at dinner last night?

Maybe she hadn’t been close enough to me.

Which had me wondering how close she’d gotten to my mate if I could smell her on him. “Did she touch you?” I asked.

He snorted. “Unfortunately. She put her hand on my shoulder while helping me open the fridge. I suspect it was meant to soothe me, but it had the opposite effect.” He glanced at me. “Why? Can you scent her?”

“Yes.”

“Rotten eggs?” he guessed.

My eyebrows flew upward. “Yes.”

“Me too.” He made a face as Novak grunted on the other side of me, clearly agreeing with the sentiment. “You can help me wash it off later. After you’re done eating.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I frowned as Novak poked at one of the soft boiled eggs until he broke through the shell.

Golden yolk oozed down the sides and I gently took his hand away. Unable to resist the urge to stick his finger in my mouth, I licked him clean before showing him how to crack the other one with the backside of the spoon.

He only grinned at me as if he already damn well knew he had not been doing it properly and my reaction had been his intent.

Novak wasn’t suited for court life, and I never would want to force him into it. He was perfect exactly as he was.

Those sentiments traveled between us unspoken, another language I was beginning to master with him after so much time together.

After confessing ourlovefor one another.