Brie's POV
The breakfast hall was a whirlwind of scents and sounds. The rich aroma of roasted coffee mingled with the sweet, yeasty smell of freshly baked bread. My brothers and Astrid were all there, and the air was thick with a strange mixture of tension and unspoken words. After the scene last night, I could feel the jealousy and possessiveness warring within them. But Astrid... something was off with Astrid.
I watched her from across the table. Her usual vibrant energy, the bright light that seemed to follow her everywhere, was dimmed. Her skin, which was normally so full of life, had a pallor to it that made my heart pound with unease. She picked at her food, her movements slow and languid.
"Astrid," I said, my voice sharp enough that it cut through the low murmur of conversation.
