Chapter Twenty-Three
Bryn
Lars met them in the hallway as soon as they entered the castle. And he was not happy. The expression on his face turned Bryn’s backbone into mush, but Sven put his hand in the small of her back to give her strength.
Without a word, Lars spun on his heel and headed toward the war room. Bryn chose to wait outside and now sat on a bench in the hallway with her hands knotted in her lap. Voices rose and clashed from the other side of the door.
“You went alone.” Lars’s voice thundered. “Reckless and irresponsible.”
“I am the king. I will not be spoken to like that.”
“I’m not talking to you as the king. I am speaking as your friend. A friend who has now failed twice to keep you safe.”
“I didn’t have time to find you.”
“Bullshit!” Lars roared. “We had just returned to the castle. I couldn’t have been very far.”
“We need to focus on the problem at hand.”
“You, Sven, are the problem at hand. You need to stop and think before you act. The Frostfen Deep is a graveyard, and you thought it wise to go there without telling a soul?” His voice lowered an octave but still held anger. “Do you have any idea what could have happened?”
Sven responded with just as much angst. “I had no choice. Bryn was in their hands.”
Bryn’s throat tightened at the sound of her name. She had nearly cost him his life.
“And if you had died there, Sven? What then? We would have lost two instead of one.”
Unable to listen another moment, she leapt up and burst through the door. Her chest was so tight she could barely squeeze out any words. “Lars—”
But Sven spoke first, his face stony and fierce. “Then at least she would have lived if they had killed me.”
“Bullshit.”
They both turned and looked at her. Her own temper inched up a notch as she stared at the two angry men.
“What did you say?” Sven asked first.
“I said bullshit. They would have killed both of us. That…that…man said that I was the bait, but I’m not sure I believe him. After Alitta touched me that day, she knew something was different. I think I was there as a play toy or an experiment.”
Her breath caught as fear and certainty backed up her words. They had called her for a reason, and Sven wasn’t the entire answer. Lars swore under his breath and turned away as he ran a hand through his hair.
Sven’s anger seemed to evaporate and he hugged Bryn to him. “We have more questions than answers.” He looked over at Lars. “How did you know where I went?”
“Apparently the same way you knew where to go. Hannah called back to see if you found Bryn, but she got me instead. I think I probably scared her when she told me what was going on.”
Bryn smiled at him and hoped they could still be friends. “I’ll talk to her. And I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. When I got the phone call and they told me they have Sven, I reacted without thinking. I’ll admit that. I just wanted to save him.”
“How did you get there?” Lars crossed his arms. “The train was done for the day.”
She shrugged. “It’s probably still out there.” She told them about the man at the train station who sent her on her way. “He looked a lot like the guys at the deep. It makes sense they all work together.”
“But it doesn’t make sense that a Skelvarn would be here in Stagholt. That’s pretty ballsy for Magnus to send someone into town.”
“They had to get me out there.” She rubbed her face. “I felt pretty stupid that I have no idea how to get out there without the train.”
Sven huffed. “They probably counted on that. They had to know you’d head for the train.”
Lars pounded his fist into his hand. “But how did they know her phone number?”
“And, once again,” Sven added, “they left a door unguarded so she could get out.”
A knock at the door interrupted them. Martin walked in with his medical bag. “I heard we have another casualty.”
Lars started to pace. “Typical injury. Goes off alone, gets shot.”
“Don’t start that again,” Sven ordered. “We have bigger problems.”
“We have a mole is what we have.” Back and forth Lars crossed the room. “I need to get the roster for the guards and find out who was supposed to be at that door.” He verified with Bryn which door she went out. “I’ll have to get the security footage from that door, too.”
Bryn felt her face heat up. “You don’t need to watch my graceful exit over that fence.”
Sven grinned. “Be sure to get me a copy of it.”
Lars waved his hand as he hurried out.
Martin pointed to a chair and gestured for Sven to sit. “If Lars had paced another step, I was going to have him confined for restlessness.” He knelt down to examine the wound site.
Bryn leaned forward to see where the arrow had pierced his shoulder. The skin was smooth and only a faint pink scar remained. Her gift had healed him better than she had expected.
The physician grunted. “Extraordinary. Not even a trace of the toxin left.” He rocked back on his heels. “I’m close to isolating the toxin, but with Bryn around, I may not need to worry about it.”
Sven exhaled and his eyes slid to Bryn. She could read what he thought even without the voice in her head: you did this.
Bryn’s palms itched with the memory of the strange power that had surged through her in the Frostfen Deep. The deep emotion she felt at the possibility of losing Sven had triggered something that she felt but didn’t understand. She couldn’t ignore it any longer.
“Dr. Martin,” she blurted, her voice too loud. “Take my blood.”
Martin blinked. “Your blood?”
“Yes.” She forced the words past the dryness in her throat.
“If you have the ability to identify the toxin, then perhaps you can also uncover… me. Sven said that he’s talked to you about it.
I need to know who, or what, I am. We have to start somewhere, so blood seems like a logical starting point. ”
Sven straightened. “Bryn, are you sure?”
She clenched her teeth. “I’m positive. I need to know.”
Martin nodded. “Very well. Let’s do it.”
He set his bag on the table and pulled out the supplies he needed. Bryn sat rigid while the needle pierced her arm and the vial filled.
“You’re certain about this?” Sven’s voice was softer now, meant only for her.
Bryn kept her eyes on the vial and wondered what secrets it would reveal. “I can’t run from what I am.” She met his eyes. “I love you. And if we’re going to have children, I need to know for their sake as well.”
He took her hand. “We’re in this together. You don’t have to face it alone.”
“Love is so mushy,” Martin teased as he wrote on the vial and put a bandage over Bryn’s arm. “I’ll process this immediately.” He headed for the door. “Oh, and your grandmother was looking for you both.”
Bryn went straight into Sven’s arms when they were alone. She needed to feel his strength and comfort. “I caused you so much trouble. I hate you fighting with Lars.”
She felt his chuckle in his chest. “He and I have been fighting since we were kids. We’re more like brothers than anything. Sad part about it is that Magnus was one of us until he wasn’t. It’s like once he aged up, he forgot about our friendship.”
“Why? How does that happen?”
“Family obligations,” he answered. “We both had paths that we had to follow and they led us in different directions.”
She kissed his shoulder. “Come on. We better go see what Hilda wants.”
Hilda sat on the sofa when they reached her apartment. She listened to everything that had happened before she let out a long breath. “I’ve been doing some research of my own.” She fixed Bryn with a serious gaze that made her nervous.
“And?” For some reason, Bryn was suddenly afraid of the answers she might hear.
“You were close to your grandmother, who was one of the last to survive her clan,” she explained. “As you can imagine, the answer lies with your mother. She was most likely dragon born, which she passed on to you.”
The words landed like a hammer blow even though it wasn’t really a surprise. Bryn’s breath hitched. Dragon born. Her mother. “My mother hated me. That makes no sense if I got her gift and Randi didn’t. Mom didn’t even want me around my grandma.”
“Wouldn’t it make sense if your mother resented that which you’re calling a gift?
It could be one of two things. She resented the heritage and the need for secrecy and took it out on you because it was passed down to you and not your sister.
Or. Your grandmother never told her and your mother never figured it out.
But she may have sensed something in you that she didn’t understand but made her very wary of you.
” Hilda touched Bryn’s arm. “She may not even know why she hated you as you say she did.”
“Would that even be possible?”
Sven touched her knee. “You didn’t even know, even at your age. If you hadn’t helped me at the airport, you’d be an au pair right now and still not know.”
“Then how have I created this whole fiasco with Alitta and this Magnus guy? If I didn’t know, how do they?”
“They didn’t at first,” Hilda answered. “You met Alitta here when she was still supposed to mate with Sven and she had no clue. But when she touched you, she felt that locked away power.”
“How do you know she touched me?”
“I know everything, my dear, and it doesn’t matter how.
Focus.” Hilda did not soften. “Magnus’ ancestors sought your clan’s power.
Your grandmother locked her gifts away and sealed them deep.
By staying hidden, your family was safe.
Until now.” She pointed at Bryn. “And I sincerely suspect that you’re the first person to detect the hidden powers. ”
“So my mother hated me my entire life for reasons she doesn’t even know.” Even though it explained a lot, Bryn still hated the new knowledge. The truth was both a gift and a burden. Her grandmother had sacrificed everything to keep her hidden. And now she was being hunted anyway.
“I doubt your mother hated you, sweetheart. She just didn’t understand what she felt around you and she revolted against it.” She finally softened. “I’m sure your mother loves you.”
“What about Randi? How do I know if she has the same…DNA?” Bryn didn’t even know if that’s what it was called.
“Only time will tell. Your mother may have been easier on her, but remember. You raised your sister the most and protected her from your parents. It’s also possible that her hidden traits weren’t strong enough for your mother to sense.”
“I can’t…” Bryn’s voice cracked. Hilda was right about everything. She swallowed and tried again. “I can’t be hidden anymore. If Magnus wants my power, then I’ll master it. Not for him, but against him.”
Sven’s eyes burned into hers. “Bryn, you can’t fight Magnus.”
“And I refuse to hide our children from themselves. I won’t let them live as I have.” She met his gaze and found strength in it. “Plus, Erik is still out there. Your brother. If there’s a chance to save him, I’ll take it. I’ll use whatever I have. Whatever I am.”
Sven reached for her hand, his fingers warm and rough against hers. “Then I’ll stand with you. No matter what you find.”
Hilda watched them. “We still don’t know what your brother’s role is in all of this, but I have my suspicions.”
“What are those, Grandma?” Sven frowned. “How is Erik involved?”
“He disappeared for two years. I know he travelled around. I also know he wasn’t involved in anything nefarious.” She smoothed her blouse. “I believe he was looking for Bryn. Or at least her clan.”
“What?” Sven stared at her like she had grown two heads. “How would Erik even know about Bryn?”
“He probably didn’t know about her specifically, but I believe that he found something that led him to believe there was someone out there that could end the threat of the Skelvarns.”
“I sat next to him on the plane,” Bryn told her. “He never said a word to me.”
“What was he to say to you? Hi, my name’s Erik and you’re actually a dragon.”
They both laughed at Hilda’s vocals as she imitated Erik.
Bryn shrugged. “Do you think he knew who I was?”
“I have no idea. We need to get him back and ask him.” Hilda pointed at Sven. “And I also believe that there are two different things going on here that have merged into one.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your attempted assassination was the original plan for Magnus, and possibly Alitta. I don’t know what their end game was, but I suspect that when Bryn intervened, they grabbed Erik as a backup plan to get to you.
But then Alitta discovered Bryn’s secret and their mission changed.
Tapping into unknown powers could be quite intoxicating for those with ill intent.
You must get your brother back to find out the whole story. ”
Bryn stood to leave. “We will. And we’re going to put an end to this, once and for all.”
“And quickly, too, if the ritual was successful,” Hilda reminded them. “If you’re with child, you don’t need to be running around fighting the enemy. And if they sense a child, they will double their efforts to capture you.”
“She won’t be anywhere near them,” Sven promised. “I’ll keep her safe.”
“Seems to be that she’s been saving you.” Hilda raised one eyebrow as she bantered with him.
Bryn watched the two of them banter. Whatever was going to happen was going to be soon. But she was ready. Ready to claim the fire in her blood. Ready to fight for Erik. And ready to face Magnus himself.