Chapter Ten
Sven
Martin held up a warning finger when Sven walked into the castle infirmary. Two nurses were bent over an exam table, and he could see Eva’s pale face in between them.
He moved up close to Martin and whispered. “How is she?”
“She’s holding her own.” The doctor motioned to the nurses. “They’re finishing up the stitches and I didn’t want you to startle them when you came in.”
“Any idea what happened?”
“Lars was just here asking the same thing.” Martin gave a quick shrug. “Like I told him. Eva hasn’t regained consciousness yet. Her head took some real trauma when her car flipped, and we have to give her brain a chance to heal before we try to get answers out of her.”
Sven squeezed Martin’s arm. “Do your best and keep her safe. We’ll figure it out.”
“I always do my best,” came the reply with no humor. “I really wish Eva had the dragon power of healing.” Eva, while a trusted member of the royal staff who had taken a pledge of confidentiality, was a mere human. “Have you told your grandmother yet? We’ll have to find her a new nurse.”
“Personal assistant,” Sven corrected with a slight grin. “You know how Grandmother hates thinking she needs a full time nurse. And I think I might have a solution for that.”
One of the nurses motioned for Martin. He gave Sven a glance. “Keep me in the loop and I’ll let you know as soon as she wakes up. Just don’t think it’s going to be any time soon.”
Lars walked down the hallway when Sven left the sick bay. From the expression on his face, the news was not going to be pretty.
“We talked to a few people who witnessed Eva’s attack.”
Sven merely nodded and waited.
“To her credit, Eva put up quite a fight. They had to chase her, and she led them away from the castle.”
That surprised Sven. “Away?”
“Best guess is that she didn’t want to lead the enemy to our gates. Another motorist headed the opposite direction said that they fired on the car and finally hit one of the tires. Eva spun into a tree and bounced off which caused the car to flip and roll.”
“Was anyone able to say who was chasing her?”
Lars shook his head. “The motorist couldn’t turn around in time to see. Eva ended up in a field. The rancher couldn’t see who got out of the car on the road because a stand of trees was blocking his view, but…” his voice trailed off.
“But what?”
“He heard a man say that it wasn’t her. They had the wrong woman.”
Sven let the words sink in. He knew exactly what it meant. “We did the right thing bringing Bryn here.”
“Agreed.” Lars held up his hand. “And, before you say it, I was wrong. Bryn is not the enemy.”
He let it slide but slapped Lars on the shoulder. “I have to go back and collect Bryn. She had to finish her shower.” He filled his guard in on how she had arrived at the castle. “I’m taking her to meet my grandmother.”
“Replacement for Eva?”
“I’m hoping. It would solve a couple of problems.”
Lars glanced at his watch. “I’m going to see Coben to see if he found anyone else who may have seen something. I’ll let you know.” He gestured toward Martin’s area. “How is Eva?”
“She’s in good hands. You know if there is any way to save Eva, Martin will figure it out.”
With a curt nod, Lars started to walk away but turned back. “Don’t forget Alitta expects you to pay a little attention to her.”
Dread flooded through Sven. He clenched his fists but knew it was his duty. “Duly noted. Tell her to meet me for dinner.”
He made his way back to Bryn’s room and stood with his back to the wall.
She didn’t strike him as the type that would keep him waiting.
He’d half expected her to bolt as soon as she had dressed.
He honestly wouldn’t have blamed her. She wasn’t a part of this mess but had quickly become collateral damage.
He raked a hand through his hair and exhaled a long, slow breath. What the hell are you doing?
Lars wasn’t completely wrong about Bryn. Sven didn’t really know this woman. And yet, there was something about her that connected with him deep and made him unable to keep his distance.
Sven shifted his weight and leaned harder against the wall. Heat pooled low in his gut as he imagined her in the shower with water sliding down bare skin and steam caressing her body. His groin stirred as he imagined her anger evolving into passion.
He clenched his teeth hard. He couldn’t think like that. Not now. Not when he should be thinking about the mating ritual. About Alitta.
But the same passion didn’t exist with her.
He adjusted his stance. Something deep in his chest told him Bryn belonged where Alitta did not.
A sound behind the door snapped his attention back. He pictured her dropping the towel to step into clothes that would hug the curves of her body. His pulse picked up at the thought.
The door opened and almost startled him. Bryn stepped out with damp hair swinging free around her shoulders, an oversized T-shirt clung to her in the ways he’d imagined, and jeans that hugged in all the right places. She froze when she saw him standing there.
“You’re just going to wait outside the door like some kind of guard dog?”
Sven straightened but didn’t move closer. “I told you I’d meet you here in an hour.”
She glanced at her watch. “It’s only been fifty minutes. Are you early because you’re afraid I’ll disappear?”
Yes. The word sat right on his tongue but remained unspoken. Instead, he smiled. “I believe in being early rather than late. And you didn’t strike me as the type that was ever late.”
She crossed her arms with a small grin. “You would be correct.”
Her T-shirt slipped a bit and exposed more of the smooth skin on her neck and part of her shoulder.
Sven gritted his teeth again. Every part of him wanted to pull her into her room, kiss her until she forgot where she was, and show her exactly how much power she had over him. Power that made absolutely no sense.
He was in trouble. Big trouble.
Instead of acting on his thoughts, he flexed his fingers at his sides. “Ready?” he asked.
She looked up at him and he felt his heart flip flop in a very unflattering dragon king way. “Where are we going?”
“I want you to meet my grandmother.”
Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“My grandmother. To be fair, she needs a new assistant while Eva is recovering. I thought that you might be able to help out.”
“Oh, really?” She straightened her T-shirt. “I haven’t even called my actual employer yet. They’re expecting me tomorrow morning. And you want me to meet your grandmother hours after I was kidnapped from my hotel because her assistant was run off the road?”
He waved with his hand. “You don’t have to call anyone. Arrangements have been taken care of.”
Her brows rose. “Arrangements?”
“Your services won’t be required as an au pair after all.” He held up a hand. “But don’t worry. The crown provided a replacement for the Padusky family for the help they required.”
Her expression went blank even as her cheeks turned red, and she wrapped her arms around her middle.
“So I’ve lost the job before I even started.
” She gave a short, humorless laugh. “That’s a new record.
And yet my record for someone other than myself controlling my life remains intact.
” She pointed at him. “Do you realize that’s why I came here?
So I could make my own decisions for once?
” She almost barked. “So much for that happening.”
Sven’s chest tightened at the pain in her voice.
“Bryn, listen. I know you had nothing to do with any of this. But we can’t risk you being in danger, nor can we put another family in danger if someone is trying to get to you.
I swear, we are not trying to control your life.
” He gave a sheepish shrug. “Not maliciously anyhow. Whoever tried to assassinate me at the airport has already proven they’ll use anyone close to me.
I couldn’t let you just walk around with a target on your back. ”
Her eyes searched his. He could tell that she understood the logic, but he could also see that the logic didn’t erase the sting.
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then she drew in a slow breath and straightened her shoulders.
“Now you’re going to have to wait. There is no way I’m meeting a queen in these clothes. ”
He allowed himself a small smile. “She doesn’t consider herself a queen. And word of warning, don’t say that you’re a nurse. She hates thinking that she needs as much help as she does.”
“That’s perfect. I’m not a nurse, so no worries.” She whirled and went back into her room.
Ten minutes later, he led her down the wide hallway.
Bryn now wore a flattering sweater dress and he noticed she dusted on a bit of makeup.
His chest throbbed with each step and he tried to take shallow breaths.
On a whim, he touched her shoulder as if to guide her.
As soon as his fingers made contact with her, the pain eased and his breathing leveled out.
That has to mean something. He had no idea what, but he appreciated the reprieve from the discomfort. He dropped his hand and instantly felt something deep inside disconnect.
Sven’s steps slowed as they approached a large ornate door near the back of the castle where it overlooked the gardens. He knocked lightly before pushing it open.
Inside, the room was cozy in a way that contrasted with much of the castle.
Soft armchairs, crocheted blankets folded neatly, and shelves filled with both novels and knickknacks collected across decades filled the room.
A vase of fresh carnations sat on the side table.
Seated at a large table off to the side sat Hilda Aftervadee, his grandmother, hunched over as she pieced a puzzle together.
She sat back as they entered with the kind of regal poise that came naturally to her.
Silver hair framed her face, and though her body had grown frailer in recent years, her eyes were still as sharp and assessing as ever.
“Grandmother,” Sven said as he crossed the room to her and gently kissed her cheek. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Hilda’s gaze shifted and fixed on Bryn with immediate curiosity. “So this is the young woman I’ve been hearing so much about.”
Sven fought back a sigh. He often wondered how she found out so much information. “Bryn Matsen.”
Bryn stepped forward and offered her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs.—”
“Hilda,” his grandmother interrupted. “None of that formality. I’ve had enough of titles and stiff manners to last a lifetime. Call me Hilda.”
Bryn’s smile grew warmer. “All right, Hilda.”
Sven watched as the two women sized each other up. There was a spark in Bryn’s eyes that he hadn’t seen since before. “Sven tells me you might need some temporary help,” she said lightly.
“Until my Eva recovers, I suppose.” She questioned Sven for an update. “Horrible that someone would intentionally hurt that girl.”
“Bryn raised her sister, so I suppose if she can handle a teenager, then she can handle you.”
Hilda chuckled and looked at Bryn. “As long as you don’t have fancy letters after your name. Experience counts for more than titles, in my opinion.” She raised one brow. “As long as you’re not a nurse.”
“No, ma’am,” Bryn answered quickly. “Although I have bandaged a knee or two in my day.”
“And no calling me ma’am. I’m old, but not that old.”
Bryn laughed, a sound that Sven wanted to hear forever. “Okay, Hilda. We have a deal.”
Sven’s shoulders eased. This was going better than he’d dared hope. He pulled up a chair beside Bryn and moved a puzzle piece into place. For a moment, it felt almost normal.
They spent the next hour in easy conversation, although Sven knew better than to mistake Hilda’s interest for casual chatter. His grandmother had a way of getting answers without anyone realizing they were being asked questions.
Hilda leaned forward with her attention on the puzzle. “Tell me about your family, dear. Where do you come from?”
Bryn hesitated and twisted her hands together before resting them in her lap. “I grew up in a small town in Alabama. My parents…” She trailed off. “Well, we’re not exactly close. They were tied up in their jobs so I did most of the raising when it came to my younger sister.”
They chatted for a few more minutes, but Bryn’s answers about her home life were always guarded and short. He couldn’t read her face, but Sven knew that she wanted to talk about anything except herself.
Hilda nodded thoughtfully. “Sometimes distance from parents teaches you resilience. It sounds like you’ve had to be strong for longer than most.”
Bryn smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Something like that.”
Sven wondered what Bryn wasn’t saying. It was obvious that she was skirting the questions. He couldn’t tell if her reluctance was about shame, or pain, or something else entirely. Regardless, he wanted to know more.
Instead of continuing with the topic, Hilda reached out and placed her thin hand over Bryn’s. “I like you,” she said simply. “You’ve got grit. If you’re willing, I’d like you to stay.”
Bryn blinked. “Just like that?”
Hilda’s smile deepened. “Just like that.”
Something settled in his chest, solid and certain. Bringing Bryn here had been the right choice.
But his thoughts circled back to the questions left unanswered. And about how, sooner or later, those secrets would matter to both of them.