Chapter Nineteen
Escape. She needed to escape this sadness. Taking in great gulps of air, she put as much distance between herself and reality as possible. She pushed her wings harder until her muscles screamed and the sky itself seemed to press down on her. Spots flashed in front of her eyes.
The school was a mere speck below her. She was as high as she could comfortably go. It wasn’t far enough to escape her problems.
What should she do now?
No way in hell was she going back to school. Dragon’s Bluff was off to the right somewhere. Hoping for distraction, she aimed for the town, determined to find the rock formation it was named for.
Would she be punished for leaving school without permission? Probably. Not that it mattered. Right now she just needed some alone time to sort herself out. She descended below the clouds and breathing came easier. It still felt like an elephant sat on her chest, but that had nothing to do with physiology. Off in the distance, the bluffs rose above the town. Pulling her wings in, she dove for the cliffs. From up here, none of the rocks resembled a dragon.
She circled the area and skimmed the ground until she found what she wanted. The pile of rocks took on dragon features the closer she flew. Reducing her speed, she landed, digging her claws into the grass and ripping up sod. She walked around the formation. It did appear to be a dragon turned to stone. When Ivy had told her the tale of a dragon who had mourned the knight she loved and turned to stone by his graveside, she’d thought it a colorful legend.
Shifting to human form, she traced her fingers over the individual scales carved into the rock. The grave marker next to the dragon added to the realism of the tale. Inscribed on the stone were the words, “My knight. My love. My life.”
Could someone die of a broken heart? If the ache in her chest was any indication, it could happen. Angry tears rolled down her face. She attempted to shut down the waterworks. Why bother? If there was ever a good place to cry over love gone wrong, this was it.
She backed up to the stone dragon’s flank and slid to the ground. Pulling her knees to her chest, she gave into grief. Losing Zavien meant more than losing a boyfriend. She’d lost her mentor and her best friend.
“There you are.”
Her head jerked up at the sound of the familiar masculine voice. “Jaxon? What are you doing here?”
“I’m here because your friends are slow, both in their flying and in their thinking skills.” He glanced at the gravestone and pursed his lips. “Why isn’t your knight out here searching for you?”
“I guess because he doesn’t know I left campus. Why are you here?”
“Your friends accosted me and insisted I chase you, since they had no hope of catching you. Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“Back to campus.”
No freaking way. “I don’t want to go back to campus.”
“What you want is irrelevant.” His eyes narrowed.
Inappropriate laughter bubbled out of her throat. “That’s the story of my life.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her like she was a dog who’d peed on the carpet. “I was on my way to see Rhianna when your friends sidetracked me. Unlike you, she has real problems.”
Now she felt like a dog who had peed on the carpet. Standing up, she dusted off her clothes. “Thanks for throwing that in my face. Now I feel much better.”
“I don’t know why you’re upset about Zavien. You should have seen this coming.”
Fire rose in her throat. “Excuse me?”
“You’ve known from the beginning that his contract was in place.”
“He told me they were friends. I believed him when he said he’d work to change the law.”
Jaxon shook his head. “Nice line. Most guys stick to ‘Let’s take a ride in my Lamborghini,’ or ‘We should spend the weekend on my family’s yacht.’”
Zavien wouldn’t do that. “You’re wrong. He cared about me.”
“Not enough, it seems. Come on. Let’s go.”
Smoke shot from her nostrils. She closed her eyes and thought of snow. The flames in her gut died down, but she still wanted to roast Jaxon.
If it weren’t for Rhianna waiting for him, she’d drag out the argument to delay returning.
“Fine.” She shifted and flew back toward school. Where should she go? Would Clint and Ivy still be in the dining hall? She definitely didn’t want to go back there. Maybe she’d just go back to her room.
Jaxon veered off toward the Blue dorm. Bryn’s stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten. First she’d stop in her room, and then she’d order a pizza. Maybe two pizzas.
Landing on her terrace, she pitched forward and caught herself with her wings. After shifting, she pushed open the window and heard voices. Creeping into the room, she peeked around the doorframe. Clint and Ivy sat on the couch. The spicy aroma of pizza made her mouth water.
Stepping through the doorway, she gave a lame smile. “Hi, guys.”
Ivy swooped over and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
With those three words, the waterworks started again. Bryn squeezed Ivy and then stepped back. “Thanks for being here.” She sniffled and wiped at her face with the back of her hand.
“Here.” Clint handed her a box of tissues. “Now I’m going to escape while you and Ivy do the whole crying thing.”
Bryn nodded. “Thanks for the Kleenex.”
Clint made a hasty exit. Ivy pulled Bryn to the couch.
Bryn relayed the conversation with Zavien between bites of pizza. “I just feel so stupid for believing him in the first place.” She groaned in frustration. “And I expected more from him. What’s worse is Jaxon thinks all Zavien’s talk about changing the law was a line.”
A growl emerged from Ivy’s throat. “If we ever find out that’s true, I’ll help you kill him and hide his body.”
“Thank you.”
“That’s what best friends are for.”
…
Bryn lay in bed that night contemplating her screwed-up situation. Clint and Ivy were wonderful, and they would continue to be there for her, but Zavien’s bowing out left a huge hole in her life. What would she do with the time she used to spend with him?
She turned on her side and punched her pillow into shape and tried to focus on positive things. Maybe she could visit Valmont tomorrow, because he made her happy. And Christmas was coming up. That was good. She loved Christmas shopping. Maybe she’d focus on her relationship with her grandparents. She didn’t need a guy in her life. She just needed to focus on her own life. There, she had a plan.
…
Dragon’s Bluff bustled with activity. Shoppers carried bags decorated with Christmas trees. A mood of cheeriness permeated the air. Something she hadn’t felt on campus since the first attack. On the walk to Fonzoli’s, she people-watched.
A familiar blond woman stared into a boutique window that featured baby clothes. The high collar of the woman’s coat obscured the lower portion of her face. And what would Jaxon’s mother Lillith be doing looking at baby clothes anyway?
When she was within five feet of the woman, Lillith looked up and smiled. “Bryn, how are you?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“I’m wonderful.” Lillith pointed to the window. “Which pajamas do you like best?”
Snowflakes dotted one pair of blue footy pajamas, and frogs decorated a green pair.
“Since it’s almost Christmas, I’d go with the snowflakes.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Lillith glowed with happiness.
Life with Ferrin couldn’t be responsible. Maybe it was the holiday season or recreational pharmaceuticals.
“Then again, maybe I’ll buy both and have Ws embroidered on the collar.”
“W as in Westgate?” That was weird. “Aren’t they a little small for Jaxon?”
Lillith laughed. “They’re not for Jaxon. They’re for his brother.”
Jaxon had never mentioned a brother. Lillith grinned and placed a hand over her abdomen. The pieces fell into place.
“You’re pregnant?” Bryn asked.
“Isn’t it wonderful?”
Holy crap! That meant she’d slept with Ferrin. Bryn swallowed her automatic response of Ewwww, gross and went with “Congratulations.”
She didn’t like to acknowledge her own parents’…interactions…much less someone else’s.
“Thank you.” Lillith glanced around. “It makes me feel guilty to be so happy, in light of the recent sad news about Rhianna.”
Bryn’s good mood burst like a balloon hit with a dart. “Can’t you talk Ferrin into—”
Lillith shook her head. “There’s not a person in the world who can talk Ferrin into anything. Jaxon told me of his plan to take care of Rhianna. Even though she won’t have the life she wanted, her future isn’t in question. Hopefully that will provide some consolation.”
It wouldn’t be enough consolation. About that, Bryn was sure. Time to change the subject before Lillith mentioned pairing her up with Jaxon. “I was headed to Fonzoli’s for lunch if you’d like to—”
“Mother?” Jaxon approached with a wary look on his face.
Lillith smiled. “There you are. I was doing a little shopping before lunch.”
“With Bryn?” Jaxon’s eyes went to the display of baby clothes in the window. His brow furrowed and then his face colored. “Dear God, Bryn, how could you be so stupid?”
“What?”
He moved in close and spoke in a low voice. “Did you forget about Analise? What do you think the Directorate will do when they learn about your condition?”
The moron thought she was pregnant? She couldn’t wait to see his expression when he realized the truth. She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back a step. “While I appreciate your concern for my well-being, I’m not the one shopping for baby clothes.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing as confusion wrinkled his brow. Then his gaze darted to his mother, and his face paled.
“Mother?”
“Are you going to call her stupid?” Bryn asked.
“Of course not,” Jaxon snapped. He squared his shoulders. “Congratulations, Mother. I presume this is a happy occurrence?”
“Yes.” Lillith reached for his hand. “How would you feel about a baby brother?”
He looked at his shoes while he spoke. “I suppose it’s too late to suggest you adopt another kitten, instead?” His tone was dry, but there was truth in his words.
Lillith laughed. “Too late, but don’t worry. You’ll always be the firstborn male and your father’s heir.”
“Until the baby plots to overthrow you,” Bryn muttered.
Jaxon shot her a look that could melt glass. “Shouldn’t you be running along to meet your knight?”
“Bryn invited us to have lunch with her. Isn’t that sweet?” Lillith reached for the door to the shop. “But first I want to order some clothes.”
When she’d asked Lillith to join her for lunch, Jaxon hadn’t been part of the plan. “Now that I know you won’t be eating alone, I’ll be on my way.”
“I insist you have lunch with us.” Lillith held the door wide. “In you go. Both of you. First we shop. Then we eat.”
Jaxon reached for the door handle. “Ladies first, Mother. I suppose you should enter as well, Bryn.”
“Just for that, I’m going to buy matching monogrammed sweaters for you and your baby brother.” She wasn’t sure this store made such things, but they had to exist online somewhere. “I’m sure you’d look great in a blue sweater with choo-choo trains or a Disney character.”
Lillith winked at Bryn. “I know a store where they sell footy pajamas for grownups and babies. Wouldn’t it be adorable if Jaxon and his brother wore matching pajamas for our family Christmas photo?”
The image of Jaxon in Elmo footy pajamas had Bryn snorting with laughter. Lillith’s laughter tinkled like silver bells.
Jaxon pursed his lips. “I’ll wait right here.”
Bryn followed along behind Lillith, oohing and ahhing at the baby clothes. That part was easy. What she needed was an escape plan. While Lillith was wonderful, having lunch with Jaxon wasn’t what she needed today. Or any day. God forbid it put ideas in Lillith’s head about the future.
When it was time to pay for the clothes, Bryn made a show of checking her watch. “I’d no idea it was so late. Time for homework. I better go.”
“What about lunch?” Lillith’s eyes filled with tears. Real tears.
And now she’d made a pregnant woman cry. A new low. “Right. Lunch. I forgot. Lunch would be great.”
“Good.” Lillith retrieved a handkerchief from her handbag. “Sorry about this. I’m a bit emotional.”
“Not a problem.” Crap. How could she ditch Jaxon without abandoning Lillith? No ideas came to mind. And she still needed to see Valmont. “Want to eat at Fonzoli’s?”
…
Jaxon muttered under his breath as they walked down the sidewalk toward their lunch destination.
“What was that, Jaxon?” his mother asked.
“I said, ‘Do you think Father would approve of us being seen together, in public, with Bryn?’”
What was she, a social leper? If she didn’t fear Lillith bursting into tears, she’d insult him right back.
“Your father isn’t here.” Lillith pulled out her cell phone. “Though three is an awkward number. I know who should join us.”
Bryn tensed as Lillith dialed. Who was she calling?
“May I speak to Mrs. Sinclair?”
Crap. Not her grandmother.
Jaxon turned to her with terror in his eyes. “Stop this,” he whispered.
“What do you want me to do?” she whispered back. “Tackle your pregnant mom and wrestle the phone away from her?”
Maybe her grandmother wouldn’t be able to join them.
“Good afternoon, Marie. It’s Lillith. Sorry for the late notice, but Jaxon and I ran into Bryn in Dragon’s Bluff and we planned to lunch at Fonzoli’s. Would you like to join us?”
Jaxon grabbed Bryn’s arm, holding her in place while Lillith kept walking. “Leave. Now.”
“I can’t just run off.” She jerked her arm from his grasp. “Pretend you’re sick or something.”
“Westgates never run from a conflict.”
“But it’s okay if I scurry off.”
“You have no family reputation to uphold,” Jaxon shot back.
“Now I’m staying, just to spite you.” She moved faster and caught up with Lillith.
“That’s wonderful, Marie. We’ll see you soon.” Lillith tucked her cell phone back into her pocket. “Your grandmother will meet us at the restaurant.”
“That’s great.” She tried to sound happy. “This will give me a chance to finalize our plans for Christmas Eve.”
When they reached the restaurant, Bryn scanned the room for Valmont. He appeared from the kitchen wiping his hands on a white-and-red checked towel. His eyes focused on her within seconds. He smiled like she was the best thing he’d seen all day.
Happy warmth filled her chest as he crossed the room to meet her. His gaze took in Jaxon and Lillith. When he reached her, he put his arm around her shoulders in a proprietary manner, which gave her a warm fuzzy feeling.
“I’m off work in an hour. Want to go Christmas shopping?” Valmont asked, like Jaxon and his mother weren’t standing there.
“Sure. I’m having lunch with Jaxon, Lillith, and my grandmother. After that I don’t have any plans.”
Valmont squeezed her shoulders and then removed his arm. “You’ll need a table for four. Would you like to sit by the windows up front or would you prefer a quiet table in the back?”
Jaxon said, “In the back,” at the same time his mom said, “By the windows, please.”
Valmont made a show of looking back and forth between Jaxon and his mother. “Sorry, I think she outranks you.”
Lillith grinned like a Cheshire cat as Valmont led them to a table by the front windows. “Is this to your liking?” he asked.
“This is perfect.” Lillith sat when Valmont pulled out her chair. “How do you know Bryn?”
“I’m her knight,” Valmont stated, like it was the most common thing in the world.
Lillith’s eyebrows shot up. “How did this come to be?”
“An obnoxious individual threatened Bryn, and I interceded,” Valmont said as he passed out menus.
Thank God he didn’t go into details. Today was supposed to be about forgetting Zavien, not dredging up old memories.
“Why don’t I bring a round of iced tea and some toasted ravioli while you wait for the rest of your party?”
Bryn’s stomach growled. Toasted ravioli sounded wonderful.
…
Jaxon sat ramrod straight in his chair, eyeing the front door like he expected Godzilla to come charging in. Given a meeting with Godzilla or her grandmother, Bryn wasn’t sure whom she’d choose. At least Godzilla wasn’t trying to fix her up with Jaxon.
What would she say when her grandmother walked in? How should she behave? She had no clue. “Lillith, this is awkward, but how should I act when my grandmother comes in? I hug my parents, but my grandmother doesn’t seem like the hugging type.”
Jaxon snorted.
Lillith pretended not to hear him. “If you were close, it would be proper to kiss her on the cheek.”
She’d spent limited time with her grandmother. “Close” wasn’t a word she’d use to describe their relationship. “I’m not sure we’re there yet.”
“I suggest you follow her lead. If she leans in, kiss her on the cheek. If not, then a light touch on her shoulder would be appropriate.”
Like she didn’t have enough to be nervous about. When Valmont returned with drinks and two trays of ravioli, she considered kissing him.
He winked at her. “I knew you’d be hungry.”
“You’re the best knight ever.” She unrolled the napkin containing her utensils and speared a ravioli with her fork. A quick dunk into marinara sauce, and she popped the ravioli in her mouth. It was crunchy, spicy Italian bliss. She was working her way through her sixth ravioli when conversation died down around them.
Marie Sinclair entered the establishment and heads turned. Fonzoli’s probably wasn’t on the list of restaurants her grandmother visited on a regular basis. Wearing a crisp dove-gray suit, her grandmother broadcast power and influence. Bryn resisted the urge to apologize for her gray sweatshirt and jeans.
Jaxon stood to pull out her grandmother’s chair.
“Mrs. Sinclair, how nice to see you again.”
“Thank you. It’s lovely to see you and your mother as well.” Her grandmother sat and turned to Bryn. Expectation and challenge clear on her face.
“Hello, Grandmother.” Hoping for the best, Bryn leaned in and pecked her grandmother on the cheek. “It’s nice to see you.”
A genuine smile lit the older woman’s face. “Thank you. It’s nice to see you, too.”
Okay. That went better than expected. Now what?
Valmont appeared next to Bryn. “Mrs. Sinclair, may I bring you something to drink while you study the menu?”
“I’ll have a glass of white wine and the pasta primavera.”
Since she probably shouldn’t eat an entire pizza in front of her grandmother, what was the easiest, least-likely-to-drip-on-her-shirt meal she could order? Best to choose something she could eat with a knife and fork.
“Bryn?”
An escape route wasn’t within Valmont’s power, so she decided on two pepperoni calzones.
After everyone placed their orders, her grandmother said, “We should discuss our plans for Christmas Eve.”
It was hard to discuss something she knew nothing about. “What time do you usually have dinner?”
“Dinner is served at eight. Of course the orchestra starts playing at six.”
Wait. What? “You’re having an orchestra?”
Her grandmother sighed. “I tried to convince your grandfather we should go with a three-string quartet, but he had other ideas.”
Three-string quartet? What had she gotten herself into? “When I hear ‘Christmas Eve dinner,’ I imagine sitting down to eat with a few family members. What do you mean when you say it?”
Her grandmother blinked. “I’m referring to our annual Christmas Eve ball.”
A ball…as in Cinderella-riding-in-a-horse-drawn-carriage kind of ball? Where is my fairy godmother when I need one? What in the heck would she wear?
“I’ve never been to a ball,” seemed like the only rational response.
Jaxon snorted.
Bryn’s grandmother turned her steely gaze on him. “Did you have something to add to the conversation, young man?”
“No. Sorry. That was rude of me. I can’t imagine a life where you’ve never been to a Christmas ball.”
Bryn imagined beaning him in the head with a ravioli, but then she realized this wasn’t about Jaxon. It was about mending fences with her grandparents. Keeping her voice calm and even, she ignored Jaxon and addressed her grandmother. “A ball sounds fun. I assume people dance and eat. What else happens?”
“After dinner, we adjourn to a separate ballroom where everyone opens one present. The rest are saved for Christmas morning.”
Okay. Her grandparents had more than one ballroom. Interesting. Did she need to buy presents for her grandparents? What could you buy for people who had two freaking ballrooms?
“I love watching the little ones open their presents.” Lillith’s hand drifted to her stomach. “It will be a few years before Asher figures out how Christmas works.”
“Asher?” Bryn’s grandmother asked.
Lillith practically glowed. “I’m expecting a boy.”
“Congratulations.” Her grandmother held up her wine in a toast. “I hope he brings you as much joy as Jaxon has.”
Bryn snorted.
Jaxon glared at her.
Bryn tried to look repentant, but ended up laughing. “Sorry. It’s just that I don’t associate you with joy.”
“He wasn’t always this intense,” Lillith said. “You should have seen him when he was three. He walked around clutching this bear—”
“Mother.” Jaxon sounded like he was moments from exploding.
Lillith reached over and ruffled his hair. The mutinous expression on his face almost made Bryn choke on the ravioli she’d popped into her mouth. “Bryn needs to know you’re not always this serious. After all, if the Directorate approves your lineage—”
“Here’s your food.” Valmont passed out entrées, oblivious to what he’d interrupted.
“Anything else I can get for you?” he asked.
“Strychnine, or a noose,” Jaxon muttered.
“Sorry, you have to call ahead for special orders.” Valmont touched Bryn’s shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll rescue you if things turn ugly.”
“Thanks.”
Her grandmother watched Valmont walk away. “Are you friends with the waiter?”
“He’s my knight.”
“You do seem to foster relationships with the most inappropriate people.” Her grandmother’s tone was frosty.
Fire rose in Bryn’s throat. Concentrating, she pushed it back down. After taking a drink of her ice water, she cut into the calzone. “Valmont is one of the most honorable people I know. If anything bad were to happen, I know I could trust him to be on my side.”
“And you couldn’t trust me?” Her grandmother’s tone was flat and cold.
Just like that, lunch went to hell. Bryn set her fork down and gave her grandmother her full attention. “If I played my role according to polite society, this is the part where I’d declare my undying trust in you. However, I was raised to be honest. The truth is, I don’t know you well enough to answer that question. I’m sorry if this starts us out on the wrong foot.”
Lillith and Jaxon both looked like they were ready to duck and cover. Had she ruined everything?
“Although my daughter is to blame for your lack of social skills, at least she instilled in you a good moral code. While I don’t like your answer, I appreciate your honesty.”
Bryn’s shoulders slumped in relief.
“Do sit up straight, and try to keep your elbows off the table.”
After adjusting her posture, Bryn tackled the next thorny topic of conversation. “Are my parents invited to dinner Christmas Eve?”
Sipping her wine, her grandmother stared off into the distance. Was she remembering Christmases past? Had there ever been a happy Christmas Eve at her grandmother’s house? They probably hadn’t stayed up all night eating cookies and stringing popcorn.
“Your grandfather and I decided it might be best if your parents came for a private visit on a different day.”
That was convenient. She gripped her fork tighter and tried to keep the snark out of her voice. “Any day in particular?”
“A day between Christmas and New Year’s would be ideal. You can discuss it with them when you return home for the holidays, and then we’ll make plans.”
Strain showed around her grandmother’s eyes. Giving this inch must’ve cost her a lot.
“Thank you for agreeing to see them.”
Her grandmother nodded. “On to more important business. Do you have an appropriate gown for the ball?”
She had the copper dress she’d worn to the fall dance. Not a happy memory. God forbid she wear a dress her grandmother deemed inappropriate. Best to ask for help. “What type of gown are we talking about?”
“We should go shopping together.” Lillith announced like it was a fabulous idea.
If the woman weren’t with child, Bryn would’ve kicked her.
“I agree.” Bryn’s grandmother tilted her head and studied Lillith. “Are you feeling well enough to go shopping after lunch, or do you require rest?”
“I’m fine.” Lillith turned to Bryn. “I know you planned to Christmas shop with your knight. Perhaps you can reschedule?”
Noooooo. She wanted to spend time with Valmont. Now it appeared she’d have to spend the day with her grandmother and Lillith.
“I’m sure your friend will understand.” From the set of her grandmother’s jaw, saying no wasn’t an option.
Bryn pushed her chair back from the table. “Why don’t I go chat with him right now?” She headed for the kitchen door and waited for Valmont to appear. He finished taking an order at a table across the room and then headed her way.
“In need of a rescue?” he asked.
“Yes, but I don’t think it would help my relationship with my grandmother. She wants to go shopping after lunch. Could I meet you later?”
“Sure.” He reached over and brushed a crumb off her chin. “Why don’t you come back after you finish shopping?”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“Part understanding. Part fear. Your grandmother is one scary woman.”