Chapter Seven
Bryn
Bryn froze as she entered the room and came face to face with the man on the poster. The man who had haunted her thoughts since she arrived. The King of Stagholt. Her pulse hammered in her ears, as much from nervous energy as from anger.
She had imagined this moment a hundred different ways with no idea of what she might say or if Sven even remembered her face. But none of her scenarios had included her hands being zip tied in front of her or being escorted by guards.
He sat on an elaborate chair, or was it a throne? She wasn’t sure, but he had no expression on his face that she could read. His eyes bore into hers, but he didn’t speak.
Even in the colder temperatures of Stagholt, sweat rolled down the back of her neck.
From embarrassment more than anything, a little temper perhaps.
Despite her protests, not one guard had said anything since they unceremoniously grabbed her off the sidewalk.
She had been too shocked to protest at first, but when she had demanded answers, their response had been to gag her.
Sure, maybe she had been a little lost while circling the castle, but there had to be other tourists who were as curious as she had been. Had been, being past tense. Getting an inside glimpse of the castle under the current circumstances was not worth it.
At least they had removed the gag before they entered the chamber. Her jaw twitched to release some of the tension.
The room was absolutely silent when they stopped in front of Sven. For some reason, that made her angrier. He could have said something. Anything. Her temper reared and she made an exaggerated curtsy.
“Your highness.”
A man stepped from the corner of the room. “Majesty.” He was twice as big as the other guards and the expression on his face would have scared a grizzly bear.
Her head snapped around and her eyes widened. “You’re the man from the…” She recognized Lars from the airport. Her mind tried to wrap around his comment. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
He almost growled. “Your Majesty. You will address him correctly.”
His tone furthered her irritation. “Pardon me. In my neck of the world, gossip about Prince William is about as much royalty as we get.” She turned back to Sven and repeated the curtsy with a bit more flair. “Your Majesty.” She kept her sarcasm strong.
His lips twitched but he still didn’t address her. He motioned to the guard. “Release her.”
Lars stepped forward. “But Your Majesty. That is not wise.”
“Excuse me? I get accosted outside and dragged in here like a common prisoner, but I’m the problem?”
“We have no idea who you are,” Lars snapped, “and until we do, you will be considered a threat.”
Okay, that’s it. Her mouth got ahead of her brain. “Because asking me is too much to consider. Not to mention, there’s a room full of guards to protect the man that I have already helped once. But I’m a threat.” Her nostrils flared at Lars. “Got it.”
Before Lars could respond, Sven’s voice interrupted them, low and gravely. “I said, release her.”
One of the guards moved in front of her and avoided a glare from Lars. With a deft movement, her hands were freed.
“Out.”
The guards immediately turned toward the door. They didn’t need to be told twice.
“I must protest,” Lars started.
“Then protest outside.” Sven’s words ripped through the room like a bullet. “Clear the room.”
Lars threw up his arms and followed the guards out. “We will discuss this later.”
Sven ignored the parting shot and waited until Lars disappeared. He stared at Bryn until the click of the closed door echoed.
His gaze swept over her. “Bryn.”
The way he said her name made her stomach dip.
Her throat tightened. “Sven,” she whispered before she could stop herself.
Sven cleared his throat. “Lars says you helped me.”
“Helped you, but now thinks I’m a threat?” Her nervous giggle was too sharp. “I did what I could. Kept you conscious. It was the first thing that popped into my head.”
“You found Lars for me, to get me to safety.” His tone was clipped.
“Technically, he found us.” She swallowed hard. “You don’t remember?”
His gaze softened for the briefest second. “I remember flashes. The pain. Voices. And you. But it’s all blurred together.”
Her heart squeezed. He did remember. At least enough.
“You look better than you did the last time I saw you.” The last time he’d been slipping away, his breaths ragged, his eyes glazed with pain. Now he sat at attention, perhaps a bit stiff. She frowned. “How are you even out of bed yet?”
He ignored her question. His dark hair was pushed back, tamed but still a little wild. It definitely complimented him. Scruff covered his jaw, rough and handsome in a way that sent a bolt of heat through her.
I never knew kings could look like this.
Their eyes never lost connection, and she could read the curiosity in his. But there was something else.
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Sven spoke again, his voice quieter. “As you’re aware, Lars thinks you might not be what you seem.”
Bryn’s breath caught. “But why? What else could I be?”
“You were present for an assasination attempt. And now you’ve shown up at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Sven said carefully. “You did things most people couldn’t. And then you stayed. That makes him nervous.”
“I did what others wouldn’t do,” she corrected. “Everyone else ran. And by the way, I had no idea that you were a king. Why did no one else help you?” Her chest burned. “And now your bodyguard thinks I’m the enemy? What do you think I did, help you just so I could finish the job later?”
Sven didn’t answer immediately, and the hesitation cut deeper than if he’d said yes.
“I don’t think anything.” He rose slowly and stood in front of her. “Why are you here?” His voice was raspy. “Why were you sneaking around the castle?”
Her cheeks heated up again and she dropped her eyes.
“I wasn’t sneaking. Well, not intentionally.
” She blew out a breath through puffed cheeks.
“I saw your picture on a poster and realized that I had comforted a king.” She looked up at him.
“A king! Me. Nothing exciting ever happens to me. So I came to the castle to see if there was like a tour or something. I couldn’t find anything, so I was just looking around.
Yes, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of you, I’m not going to lie.
But I wasn’t sneaking around like I was casing the joint.
” She giggled. “I mean, who robs a castle?”
“Assassins don’t rob the castle.”
“And I don’t help assassins.”
Something flickered in his eyes. A hunger.
“I owe you for helping me. And as far as the others fleeing, they probably didn’t even recognize me. I’m not often out and about alone.”
“Why were you?” She bit her lip. She wasn’t normally so forward, and it really was none of her business, but something about Sven brought out… something.
“I had my reasons. But unfortunately, a very good example of why Lars, head of my royal guard, is overprotective.”
Heat flooded her face. “Sorry, like I said. I’m not used to royal protocol. Bodyguard is more familiar.”
“Had I listened to him, I never would have been the target of an archer assassin.”
“Makes sense. But I’m not a threat, Sven,” she said softly. Her body leaned a fraction closer. “I’m definitely not here to hurt you.”
The air between them thickened, charged like a storm about to break. His shoulders shifted and his jaw clenched..
And then his hand lifted.
Bryn forgot how to breathe as his fingers brushed her cheek and swept a stray strand of hair away. His light touch was barely there, but it seared her like fire.
She trembled. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Every nerve screamed for more.
“Bryn…” His husky voice was low. “That day. You wouldn’t let me go. You told me to stay with you. You kept me alive.”
Her chest tightened and tears burned her eyes. “I couldn’t let you die.”
His thumb lingered near her cheekbone before it slid to rest on her mouth. The world narrowed to that incredible pull between them. If he leaned in another inch and she rose up on her toes, their lips would meet.
Her body ached for it.
“Sven,” she breathed.
His hand slid and cupped her face. His body leaned forward and closed the space.
She could feel the heat of his breath against her lips.
“Sven!”
The shrilly female voice hit worse than a slap.
They jerked apart and Bryn stumbled back a step as Sven’s hand dropped. His jaw tightened and anger darkened his expression.
A woman swept into the hallway like a whirlwind.
She moved across the chamber and a wave of her perfume arrived before she did.
Perfect red curls bounced around her flawless face, diamonds glittered in her ears, and her dress hugged every flawless curve.
She moved with the ease of someone who belonged in the castle.
“Alitta.” Sven’s tone was droll and unimpressed, but he took another step away from Bryn.
“There you are,” Alitta gushed as she wrapped her arms around Sven’s neck before he could react. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Bryn’s stomach dropped and she was afraid she would retch. Or punch the woman for hurting Sven. She had seen him wince when the red headed bombshell grabbed him without a thought about his injuries.
Sven stiffened before he slowly returned the embrace. His eyes flicked toward Bryn before he settled back on Alitta.
“You should be resting,” he told her, though Alitta didn’t seem to notice his flat tone. “You’ve only just arrived.”
“Rest? After what happened to you?” Alitta pressed a kiss to his jaw and lingered far too long. “I nearly lost you, Sven. I need to be near you.”
Bryn turned her face away as shame mingled with unfair jealousy burned her throat.
You fool. If there’s a way to read a situation wrong, you certainly figure it out. She was an idiot to think even for a second that there had been something real between her and Sven.
Alitta’s laugh tinkled across the room. “And who’s this?” she asked suddenly. Her gaze swept over Bryn as if she hadn’t noticed her until now.
Sven hesitated. “She helped me when I was shot.”
Alitta’s smile faltered and her eyes narrowed. “Oh. Her.”
The way she said it made Bryn’s skin prickle. She couldn’t help but wonder who had been talking about her.
Alitta tightened her hold on Sven’s arm, tight and possessive. “Well. Isn’t that sweet. A Florence Nightingale moment.” Her gaze was sharp and dismissive. “But we won’t be needing your services anymore.”
Bryn ground her teeth and swallowed the retort that burned her tongue.
Alitta turned back to Sven and lowered her voice but not enough to hide her words. “Darling, you should be careful. Some people have motives you can’t see.”
Her words landed with precision and Bryn’s breath stilled. Her gaze snapped to Sven. “Are you going to say anything?”
She was desperate to see if he would defend her, but his expression was unreadable again. He said nothing.
To Bryn, it was worse than rejection. Hot tears welled and before she realized she was doing it, her ‘mom’ finger pointed at the king.
One that she had used for years on her little sister so it just came natural.
“That’s twice today I’ve been accused of being a threat.
” Her voice shook and her throat burned with the unshed tears. “I won’t stand for a third.”
Out of the corner of her eye, something moved.
Lars.
He had entered behind Alitta without a sound, and now his eyes locked on Bryn, cold, sharp, merciless.
“You will not speak to the king like that.”
The weight of that stare pinned her where she stood with the unspoken threat in Lars’s gaze.
You don’t belong here. You’re a danger. And if you try to get close to him again, you’ll regret it.
“Let her be.” Sven finally spoke. “She’s no threat.” No apology, no emotion.
Her body went cold. She straightened up and stiffened her shoulders. “Then if we’re done here, I’m going back to my hotel.” She turned to Lars. “And you have nothing to worry about. None of you will ever see me again.”
When no one said anything, she almost stomped her foot in frustration. “Can someone please show me how to get the hell out of here?”
Lars shot a glare at Sven who simply motioned with his head. Without another word, Bryn followed the brooding man to the door and refused to look back. For the first time since stepping foot in Stagholt, Bryn wondered if she’d be able to stay.