Chapter Eight
Sven
Sven watched Bryn exit the room before he dropped back onto his throne. The pain in his chest had eased, and he knew it was because he had touched her. He couldn’t explain it, but whatever power she had was strong.
And she had no idea. He was confident of that now. He also craved her touch more than ever.
Alitta stood in front of him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and lips pressed into a sharp line. The glow of the afternoon sun brightened the tall windows and threw streaks of light across the chamber. Sven finally looked at her after the silence between them grew almost icy.
“You had no business in that meeting,” Sven told her, his voice low but edged with steel. “If she had been the enemy, do you have any idea how much you undermined me by storming in like that?”
Alitta lifted her chin. Sparks flew from her dark eyes. “Undermined you? I saved you from making a mistake.” She snorted. “You were about to kiss her, were you not? That woman is dirty.”
Sven slammed his hand against the arm of the chair hard enough that the sound reverberated across the walls.
“This isn’t about what you saw or didn’t see.
This is about trust and boundaries. You don’t get to barge in here like you own the place.
That was reckless. And it makes me look like I don’t have control of my own people. ”
Alitta’s lips parted as her face flushed. “Your people? Is that what I am? I thought I was more than that to you, Sven. I thought I mattered as the future mother of your children.”
“We’re past that, Lita,” Sven said. “You know very well that you mean nothing to me. We’re mating for the ritual out of obligation.
If there is no offspring, there is no us.
Even if there is a child, we still won’t be a happy couple.
You are well aware of that. This is about the chain of command, and you’re not above it.
You crossed a line, Lita. And if you can’t see that—”
“If I can’t see it?” She cut him off. Her voice trembled from either fury and hurt, he wasn’t sure. “If our mating is successful, you can sit there and tell me that I’ll never mean anything to you?”
Sven exhaled sharply and dragged a hand through his hair. “That’s not fair. You know the arrangement, Lita. It’s been in the works for a year now.”
“No,” Alitta hissed, stepping closer, her eyes burning into his.
“You’re wrong. I don’t care about any arrangement.
When I give you a child, I will be the queen and I will be treated as such, like it or not.
I will not be treated like that, that, commoner that just left here.
What’s not fair is me standing here willing to sacrifice my future to give you an heir, only to be treated like a liability. I am not expendable.”
All the fight drained out of Sven. He reached his hand out to her. “I’m sorry. I really am. It’s been a long couple of days and I shouldn’t be taking it out on you.”
She took his hand and leaned down to kiss his cheek. “That’s better. Now what can I do for you?”
“Right now, just let me rest.” He just needed her to leave. The more he dealt with her, the more exhausted he felt. “Why are you here so early?”
She gave him a sweet smile. “I wanted to see you.” She straightened up and smoothed her dress. “And I heard Erik was here. I haven’t seen my future brother-in-law for quite some time.”
Sven frowned. He didn’t think anyone outside the castle knew of Erik’s return. He made a mental note to ask Lars. “Unfortunately, I don’t know where he is.”
What is she up to?
“Didn’t you pick him up at the airport?”
He gestured to his chest. “I was slightly distracted, and no one seems to know where Erik is.” He wasn’t sure that he would tell her even if he did.
Alitta kissed his cheek again. “I’m just happy that you’re safe. I’m going to let you rest while I go freshen up.”
Before he could respond, she spun on her heel. Lars stepped into the room just as she reached the door. He held it open.
“Lady Alitta.”
“Thank you, Lars. And thank you for taking the trash out.”
For a moment, Sven just sat there and stared at the door. “She’s a lot to deal with.”
“You’re losing her,” Lars replied as he took a seat.
“I’m not losing her,” Sven muttered. He shook his head. “She doesn’t understand where the lines are. That’s all.”
“The Visionary Trust Council will not be pleased if she leaves right before the ritual.”
The Rite of Kaeliteris. A ritual that had ruled most of Sven’s adult life. One that had become the bane of his existence. Of relationships, anyhow.
One night of mating. The ninth moon of the dragon calendar, which occurred every eighteen months. If a baby was conceived on that night, the couple would be mated forever. If there was no conception, the couple had no preconceived obligations to one another.
Sven had found nothing but heartbreak in his first ritual. He hadn’t completely followed the rule that emotions were to be avoided. The Rite was specifically for the survival of their bloodline, and if no heir was produced, it was vital to move on to a more compatible mate the following phase.
Thus far, Sven had failed at producing an heir.
And in just a couple days, he would mate again.
Not out of love or even lust, but because he had to.
The thought depressed him more than gave him anything to look forward to.
Alitta was an alluring woman, as had the others.
He found her attractive enough, but despite his obligations as king, he did not find that enough.
Especially now that he had met Bryn and felt a stirring that he hadn’t felt before.
Lars persisted. “I’m just warning you, we can’t lose Alitta.”
“She’s not leaving,” Sven yelled. “She wants to be queen. And I know all about the quirks of the council. I know my duties. I also know that if there is no heir created at the ritual this season, there will be another. Alitta is not our last hope.”
“But she is our best hope,” Lars reminded him with raised brows. “You’ve had several failures at the mating rituals. Alitta is the most compatible.”
“And you know how I feel about that. Lita and I have never been truly compatible.”
“She just doesn’t like being treated like one of your subordinates. Can’t blame her for that, especially if the ritual is successful. But this isn’t just about Alitta.”
Sven’s shoulders sagged. He crossed to the window and took his routine stance and stared out at the town below where the shadows had begun to stretch long across the ground. “You’re talking about Bryn.”
Lars straightened. “Well, I don’t trust her, Sven. There is too much happening that is coincidental. I never have and I won’t until I’m sure she’s not playing both sides.”
Sven didn’t answer right away. He felt slightly guilty because he had purposely not given her the ring back. He wanted to see if she would ask him for it, or at least about it. He thought back to her voice breaking but insistent. I’ve got you, buddy. Stay with me..
“She saved my life,” Sven repeated from earlier conversations. His attention stayed out the window.
“Maybe,” Lars replied with a skeptical tone.
“And she continues to do so.” He turned back toward Lars and pulled his shirt open. His wound was almost completely healed. “I touched her again. I could feel my body being repaired.”
“Did you figure out what her power is?”
“No.” Sven closed his shirt. “And she has no idea that she’s doing anything out of the ordinary.” He thought of the look in her eyes. “I think she feels something but has no idea what it is.”
“How is that possible?”
“It’s something we need to figure out, especially if she has the ability to neutralize whatever the toxin is. There must be something in her family lineage that explains this, whether she knows it or not.”
“That could pose a whole new danger.”
“No,” Sven disagreed. “If she’s healing my dragon without knowing it, that represents something good in her. She isn’t working with the enemy.”
“I hope you’re right, Sven. I really do.”
Tired of the repeat argument with his guard, Sven rubbed his temples. “Any word on Erik?”
Lars shook his head. “We have people looking everywhere. The stewardess on the flight recognized him from a photograph, so he was on the plane. What happened to him when it landed is anyone’s guess.”
“I need to call Magnus.” It wasn’t an act that Sven wanted to do, but their past friendship held some degree of respect.
“Do you think he’ll tell you if they kidnapped your brother?”
Temper spiked. “Don’t you think if they kidnapped him, they would have a vested interest in me knowing about it? Otherwise, what would be the point?”
Unless they had killed his brother, but that was a situation he didn’t want to address just yet.
“What if Magnus tells you that Erik is a part of the Skelvarns?”
Sven turned on Lars. “I understand that it’s your duty to warn me of possible issues, but damn it. Sometimes you are just the bearer of bad news. I have to wonder if you enjoy it.”
To his credit, Lars laughed. A full belly laugh. “You know me better than that. I simply bring up options that you may not have mentioned.”
“Except for Bryn. You’re convinced she’s an enemy.”
“I try not to be.” Lars softened his stance. “I simply have to watch out for you.”
Sven started to speak, but Lars held up his hand and tapped his ear. Someone was talking through the earpiece.
“Lock down the castle.” Lars’ whole demeanor changed in an instant. “It seems that right now, we have a bigger problem.”
Sven was already alerted at the new tone in Lars’ voice. “What’s wrong?”
“We’ve just received word that Eva was attacked. Her car was run off the road outside the south highway, apparently on her way back from the hotel.”
“Why would anyone do that?” Sven spat out. His blood went cold when the implications hit him. “Is she alive?”
“Barely. She’s en route via ambulance and Martin is waiting, but early word is it doesn’t look good.”
Sven’s hands curled into fists. He felt the walls of his chamber close in, and it scared him. He was normally the picture of calm in a crisis.
But this was different.
“Do we know who?”
Lars shook his head. “Not yet. Until we have a few answers, all we have is an injured girl.”
“The question is, were they after Eva or did they think she was Bryn?” Was Bryn in danger? “Is Bryn being targeted because of me?” He stared Lars. His voice burned with urgency. “Does this quell your suspicion?”
Lars remained silent, but Sven could read the conflict in his features that hadn’t been there before. “Has Bryn left the castle?”
“She has. I watched her leave before I came back here.”
“Find her,” Sven ordered. “Now. I don’t care what it takes to get her back here. She’s to be taken into protective custody before they get to her first.”
Lars nodded once, the hard glint in his eyes matching Sven’s. “Consider it done.” He turned back before he reached the door. “And for what it's worth, I will eat my words against Bryn. I can admit when I was wrong.”
Sven sank into his chair and stared at the empty doorway. The silence pressed in again, but this time it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was suffocating.