Chapter Nineteen
Bryn
Hilda was thrilled to see them when they stopped by her room on their way back from the gym. Bryn had made Sven promise not to discuss a possible marriage until she had had time to process the idea. Having his family already planning the wedding was not the way she wanted to handle the situation.
Hilda was propped up in her bed when they walked in. She smiled at them and laid the book she was reading off to the side.
“I’m still recovering from overdoing it at the party,” she explained. “I had such a grand time though. I didn’t want the night to end.”
Sven sat down next to her and kissed her cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine. Martin popped in a bit ago to tell me that Eva was healing nicely and would be able to visit in about a week or so. That poor girl has had it rough.”
Bryn took a chair nearby. “I feel so guilty about her getting hurt.”
“If it wasn’t her, dear, it would have been you. And that could have been catastrophic.” She paused. “Assuming everything went well the other night?”
Heat rushed to Bryn’s face and she looked away. She had no idea how to answer a grandmother about something of a sexual nature.
Sven’s lips twitched but he maintained his composure. “Everything went very well, Grandma. Very well indeed.”
Okay, was the ‘indeed’ absolutely necessary? Bryn’s cheeks flamed as she sat silent.
Hilda’s eyes glowed with happiness that the ritual had been performed and hopefully an heir realized. The fact that sex had been involved was a mere detail and Bryn felt more at ease.
“I knew you two were meant for each other the first time I met Bryn.”
“And yet you didn’t say anything to me?” Sven teased.
“You wouldn’t have listened anyhow, but your mother knew. That other woman was horrid.”
Bryn’s temper rose. “She tried to kill Sven.” She ignored the warning look that he sent her. “She put some toxin on his skin that made him collapse.”
Hilda folded her hands. “Yes, I heard. Evil is what she is. And probably part of those nasty Skelvarns. They probably have your brother, too, if you ask me.”
Sven stood and walked back and forth. “They do. Or at least Magnus does. I don’t know about Alitta and how deep her involvement is.”
“You need to protect Bryn, sweetheart. She is in danger. I can feel it in my old bones and her aura is like a magnet for bad people. They want to destroy her.”
“I don’t understand though. Me meeting Bryn is all because they tried to assassinate me. How could they know about her?”
Bryn raised her hand. “I’m right here. I’m curious about the same thing. When I first met Alitta, she didn’t give me the time of day other than to try and stake claim on you.”
Hilda laughed. “Honey, she could see the good in you before she ever walked into the room. My guess would be that’s why she tried to poison Sven. I’m just happy that you were able to heal him so quickly. Martin says that he still doesn’t know what the toxin is.”
“I still don’t understand that,” Bryn admitted. “I don’t understand a lot of things.”
“Come here, dear.” Hilda held out her hand. “Come sit with me.”
Bryn took her hand and sat on the edge of the bed where Sven had been. “Sven thinks I have secrets in my past, or in my family history. I just don’t know.”
Hilda squeezed her hand and then instantly yanked back. It startled Bryn, but her hand was grabbed back before she could move.
Her ring.
Slowly, Hilda straightened out Bryn’s fingers and stared at the ring. “Where did you get this?”
Her grip was strong and Bryn could feel the seriousness of the question. “Did it shock you?”
“You felt it, too.” Hilda stared at her. “It wasn’t a shock, it was an exchange of power.”
Bryn looked at Sven. She was completely confused, again, and hoped that he had some guidance. His expression told her that he did not.
“What power?”
“Where did this ring come from?” Hilda repeated.
Bryn told her the story, with Sven finishing with how she had been drawn to it in his desk drawer. She twisted the ring on her finger as she had for so many years. “So I really don’t know why I was drawn to this ring or what it means.”
Sven knelt down. “What is it? What’s it mean?”
Hilda studied the ring before she answered.
“This is an ancient crest from a bloodline long thought extinct. I can’t remember the specifics, but I remember hearing that they were hunted ruthlessly.
The entire royal family had to scatter in order to protect themselves, and then I believe they just disappeared, never to be known again.
” She pointed at the ring. “I recognize the eyes. No clan has used sapphires since in honor of the lost clan.”
Bryn snorted. “So you’re saying that I descend from an extinct family?”
“I’m just an old woman who felt a jolt of power from long ago. Tell me about your family, dear.”
She closed her eyes. “My grandma was really the only family member I ever knew outside of my own household. No aunts, no uncles, no cousins. Just me and my sister and my parents.”
“Was your grandmother maternal or paternal?”
“Maternal. She was one reason my mother always hated me, for lack of a better description. They never got along and avoided each other as much as she possibly could. It bothered Grandma that Mom always treated me differently than she did Randi, my sister.”
“Did your sister get along with your grandmother?”
Bryn shook her head. “No. Randi was always busy with her own stuff and never really spent any time with Grandma. Mom tried to discourage me from seeing her, so we did a lot of sneaking around. Grandma always told me that I was special and someday I’d know how much.”
“Where is your grandmother now?”
Bryn gave Hilda a sad face. “She died when I was younger. She was in a bad car accident and didn’t make it.”
Sven’s sharp intake of breath made her turn. “What?”
“Like Eva’s car accident?”
Hilda nodded. “It’s possible. They are scavengers who go back generations feeding off the power of others. Just because Magnus is the leader of your generation of the degenerates doesn’t mean that his predecessors couldn’t have hunted Bryn’s grandmother.”
This was all just a bit too much. “Wait. So you’re telling me that my mother's mother was a dragon whose people were hunted to extinction, and she was assassinated much the same way they tried to kill me, and I just randomly found this ring, probably hers, one day when I walked past a store that probably belonged to my bloodline.”
Hilda thought for a moment. “Pretty much.”
“And what about my sister? Does she need to worry about suddenly, I don’t know…” Bryn searched for the words, “sprouting wings and breathing fire?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she clapped her hand to her face. “I am so sorry. I don’t even know if you do those things.”
Sven and Hilda both burst out laughing. He walked over and kissed her gently. “It’s okay. Most fantasy books are pretty accurate about dragons.”
Hilda shifted on her bed. “I know it’s a lot for you to take in.
As far as your sister, I have no way of knowing.
It can skip family members, just like maybe your mother didn’t even know her own heritage.
Your grandmother probably stayed pretty tight lipped about her secret if she was truly hiding.
One wrong word and the news would have spread like wildfire. ”
Bryn thought about her father. “Dad was always more laid back than my mother, but he never seemed overly fond of my grandma.
I spent the most time with her, but we always met somewhere other than my house.
The park, the library, even Walmart. Like I said, we snuck around, so my parents never even knew all the times I hung out with her.
I treasured our time together so I never pushed to include Randi and I was worried that Mom would find out if my sister was involved.
So, I hogged all of my grandma's time for myself.”
“It could be because Randi didn’t have the secret that she sensed in you. That could be what she meant by saying you'd find out just how special you were.”
When they ended their visit with Hilda, Sven was stopped by a guard. “Lars is looking for you, Sire.”
Bryn urged him away. “I think I’m going to take a nap. It’s been a long day and I could use it.” She could already feel the muscles in her body tightening up from the unusual exertion in the gym.
He kissed her soundly. “I’ll come find you later. We’ll have dinner.”
She cupped his cheek. She loved touching him. “I’ll hold you to that.”
About halfway to her room, Bryn passed a side door that led out to the gardens.
As she wandered from flower bed to flower bed, she thought about dinner.
She wanted something special to wear, so when she passed an open gate, she headed down the street.
Treks wasn’t that far, and a visit with Hannah sounded more fun than taking a nap and waking up stiff and sore.
There weren’t many people in the store when she arrived. Hannah greeted her warmly. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Great, actually. I’m having dinner with Sven tonight and thought something nice would be in order.”
They chatted about the party while they went from rack to rack. A group of women entered and started looking at jackets. Bryn was deep in search mode for the perfect outfit and paid them no mind.
Hannah pulled out a maroon sweater dress that had a sparkly belt and tiny snowflakes on the shoulders. “This would look amazing with your figure.”
“Oooo, I love that.” Bryn felt the soft knit material. “It’s going to feel amazing, too.”
“Well, well, well.” One of the women walked over and Bryn’s heart fell as she took a second look and suddenly recognized her.
“Alitta.”
The woman’s hair was clipped up under a hat and she wore a puffy parka. She looked more like a tourist than a royal and nothing like she had appeared while at the castle. Still, the woman was beautiful and completely flawless, which really irked Bryn.
“Still pretending that you belong here, are you?”
Bryn’s pulse hit overdrive. “I don’t have time for you.” She grabbed the dress from Hannah. “I’ll go try this on.”
Hannah nodded and tried to step in between Bryn and Alitta. “Can I help you find something?”
Alitta pushed her out of the way and stepped closer. “So tell me. How did your little mating thing go?” She leaned forward and inhaled dramatically. “I don’t smell any pregnant vibes, so I guess you just weren’t good enough.”
“Get out of my way.” Bryn wondered if she could make the sparks appear in her hands again. Oh, shit. Is this woman a dragon, too? Her own fire might prove to be too new, too little, and too pathetic.
She tried to step around Alitta, but the woman reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Don’t you walk away when I’m talking to you.”
A jolt of pain where their skin made contact seared into Bryn’s wrist. She gasped and yanked her arm away but not before Alitta’s eyes widened in dramatic fashion.
“Oh. My. God. You’re not just some pathetic little human.” Alitta looked at her hand which had red streaks on it.
Bryn turned to Hannah who just stared as if trying to figure out what the hell just happened. “Can you put this in the dressing room for me?”
“Of course.”
Alitta waited until she was out of earshot. “You sneaky little bitch. You have dragon blood.”
“Not that I’m aware of.” It was true. She might suspect but she didn’t know for sure.
“Looks like we took the wrong person if we want to get Sven to bend to our will.”
“Where is Erik?” Bryn’s voice was calmer and stronger than she felt. “Why did you take Sven’s brother?”
Alitta motioned to the women with her. “We’re going to need an extra seat. This little mouse is going with us.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Fear cranked up as Bryn realized the enormity of her mistake. No one at the castle even knew where she was. She did not want Sven to have to figure out the rescue of another hostage.
She stepped backwards away from Alitta. The desire to practice the kicks she had learned almost overwhelmed her, but she knew she was outnumbered, not to mention way in over her head in the experience department.
If she was a dragon, she had no idea how to use any of her talents. Alitta, on the other hand, was probably well versed.
She also had Hannah to worry about. Not only did they have to hide the whole dragon thing, she didn’t want her friend to get hurt trying to intervene.
As if reading her mind, Alitta pointed to the door. “Either head that way, or your little buddy won’t be here to help you shop next time.”
“Leave her out of this.” Bryn could feel her palms tingle and wondered if that was the start of the sparks.
“Then leave with us.” Alitta motioned for the others to go first. “Follow them.”
As Bryn reached the entrance, the others went first and held the door open. She slowed her steps and turned, but Alitta jabbed her in the back. “Keep going.”
“Bryn, where are you going?” Hannah called. “Don’t you want that dress?”
Alitta turned to look at the clerk. “She won’t need it.”
Bryn used the opportunity to focus all of her anger to her hands.
Sparks sizzled as she grabbed Alitta’s arm and spun her toward the door.
The woman tripped and stumbled out as Bryn grabbed the door from the surprised cohort and swung it shut.
She slipped the deadbolt into place before the other women could recover.
Hannah hurried over. “What is going on?”
Before Bryn could answer, a cracking sound echoed through the store as the woman kicked the door. She grabbed Hannah’s arm. “Come on. We need to get out of here.”
Before they could move, a loud roar filled the air. Lars appeared outside and the women scattered. Bryn couldn’t tell where Alitta disappeared to, but she undid the lock and swung the door open to help Lars.
Instead, Sven stood in front of her. A very angry Sven.