Chapter Thirteen
Lillith sat in the nursery, cradling Asher in her arms. When Bryn and Jaxon entered the room, she beamed at them. “Come meet your brother.”
Jaxon approached his mother with a polite smile frozen on his face. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired but happy,” she said.
He studied the baby like he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Out of the way.” Bryn scooted past him and reached to touch Asher’s cheek. His skin glowed golden like his mother’s and he had a sprinkling of curly blond hair. His chest rose and fell with every breath as he slept. “He’s adorable.”
“I know.” Lillith grinned. “I may be biased, but I think he’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.”
“Every mother thinks that,” Bryn’s grandmother said as she walked into the room, “And every mother is right.”
“It’s a little crowded in here.” Jaxon backed up toward the door.
“Your father is in the den if you want to join him,” Lillith said.
“If you want me to stay—” He left the sentence hanging.
“Thank you for coming and bringing Bryn. You’re free to go do manly things now,” his mother teased.
Jaxon walked over and kissed his mother on the forehead before exiting the room.
“May I?” Bryn’s grandmother reached for Asher.
“Of course.” Lillith passed the baby off.
Her grandmother held the baby and did that walking bounce maneuver that seemed to be innate to all species. “I can’t believe he’s sleeping so well.”
“He ate an hour ago,” Lillith said. “So I’m expecting him to start fussing any minute.”
“Westgates fuss?” Bryn acted surprised. “I didn’t think that would be part of their genetic code.”
Lillith laughed. “Not so much fussing as making their voice heard in the world.”
As if on cue, Asher opened his mouth and wailed.
Bryn’s grandmother handed the baby back to Lillith. “Bryn and I will take a walk in the arbor-areum. You can send someone for us when you’re ready for company.”
They shut the nursery doors on their way out. Bryn followed her grandmother down the hall. “I’m hoping you remember how to find the arbor-areum because I have no clue.”
“I’ve learned my way around Westgate Estate over the last few months,” her grandmother said. “Even with its idiosyncrasies, it’s a remarkable home.”
“It sure is…something,” Bryn said.
Her grandmother laughed. “The arbor-areum is amazing.”
“True.” They entered the glassed-in forest with its slate paths and mature trees, and headed for a park bench.
“So I hear that you and Jaxon have not been coexisting peacefully.”
What was her grandmother talking about? Oh…their argument in Elemental Science. “We straightened it out. He was upset about something else.” She couldn’t tell her grandmother about it being Rhianna’s birthday, so she improvised. “He came to me later and admitted he’d overreacted because something else was bothering him, so there’s no lasting damage.”
Her grandmother sat and stared at Bryn like she had two heads.
“What?” Had she broken some archaic Blue code of conduct?
“He came to you,” her grandmother said. “He admitted fault?”
“I have no words. Your grandfather has never admitted fault for anything in his entire existence.”
Bryn shrugged. “Maybe it’s because Jaxon and I started out as rivals who have come to respect one another.”
“Whatever the reason,” her grandmother said. “I hope it’s a trend that continues in the new generation of Blues.”
“Me, too.” Maybe she could change the attitude of the Blue males for the better.
Lillith ended up sending word, via a maid carrying a sealed note, that she was going to take a nap with Asher and asked that they come back another time. She also asked that they not pass that information onto anyone else because she didn’t want to seem rude.
“We’ll come back another time,” her grandmother told the maid. “And we can see ourselves out.”
“Should I track down Jaxon and tell him we’re leaving?” Bryn asked.
“I have a better idea. Let’s tell him we’re going to Suzette’s for pie and that he’s welcome to join us,” her grandmother said. “Then we can do whatever we want and not worry about him or Ephram trying to locate us.”
Bryn laughed. “Sounds good to me.”
…
For a Friday evening there weren’t as many people as Bryn thought there would be wandering around Dragon’s Bluff. “Curfew isn’t for another hour and a half,” Bryn said. “Makes me wonder where everyone is.”
Only a few families walked along like normal. Students moved quickly in small groups from one destination to another. “Is it me,” Bryn said, “or does everyone seem to be rushing because they’re afraid to be caught loitering?”
“I’m sure Ferrin or some male is behind that rule. They don’t understand that part of enjoying Dragon’s Bluff is leisurely wandering from one store to the next. It’s supposed to be relaxed and enjoyable, not a race. Let’s see if we can get to the bottom of this.”
“You lead, and I’ll follow,” Bryn said. Would anyone approach her grandmother in a rude manner? She doubted it, but it would be interesting to see how this played out.
“We’ll start with that lovely little park that the Women’s League paid for which no one is enjoying.”
Most of the trees and foliage in Dragon’s Bluff had been burned to ash during the attack several months ago. Over the summer the bare areas had been transformed into green spaces or small parks.
“It’s beautiful,” Bryn said. There was a multilevel circular copper fountain surrounded by plants and flowers. A fantastical swing set sat off to one side. Instead of normal swings, at the end of the chains there were horses that looked like they belonged on a carousel. Some were small enough for toddlers, but a few were large enough that Bryn thought she might fit on one. Next to the swing set was an array of wooden balance beams connected to one another, suspended a foot off the ground.
Benches were scattered around, so parents could keep an eye on their children or enjoy the fountain.
“You want to ride one of the horses, don’t you?” her grandmother asked with a knowing smile.
“I do,” Bryn said. “Would that be all right?”
“That’s why we made some large enough for high school students. They’re hard to resist. Go on. I’ll loiter right here and wait to see what happens.”
“I almost feel sorry for whatever guard is clueless enough to approach you.” Bryn headed over to the horses and picked a white one with black spots. Would it hold her weight? Her grandmother and the other women would have spared no expense making sure this place was safe. Still…she sat and tested the feel of it before pushing off with her feet.
Her grandmother laughed as Bryn held onto the handles protruding from the horse’s head and leaned forward and backward, making the horse swing higher.
A few students who’d been walking stopped and watched Bryn. They ran across to the park. One girl climbed onto a horse while the other walked on the balance beams. The boys stood and watched, talking among themselves.
A guard approached from across the street and walked up to the young men. Bryn slowed her swing so she could hear better.
“No loitering allowed,” the guard declared. “Move along.”
Before the young men could get a word out, Bryn’s grandmother approached. “I’m sorry. Is there a problem?”
The guard turned to her and paused like he’d lost some of the wind from his sails. “There is no loitering allowed.”
“But they aren’t loitering,” her grandmother stated. “They’re enjoying the park.”
The guard took a deep breath. “I have my orders. Students are not allowed to loiter. They are supposed to shop and eat and leave.” He handed one of the papers to her grandmother like that would explain everything.
Her grandmother looked at the paper and flipped it over like there might be more information on the back side. “This is counterproductive to our efforts to restore Dragon’s Bluff and ridiculous to apply when it comes to a park. Who gave you these orders?”
The guard shifted his weight back and forth on his feet. “My superior.”
“Do you have a phone? Can you call him for me? I’d like to speak to him.”
“I’m sure he’s busy,” the guard said. “Perhaps you should all just move along.”
Oh no, he didn’t. Bryn fought the urge to laugh. Time to sit back and enjoy the show.
“Let me rephrase my request. Call your superior and tell him his presence is required here, now.”
“Uhm…he may not be available,” the guard said.
Her grandmother crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at the guard. “I’ll wait.”
The guard walked away, pulling his phone from his pocket. After placing the call, he stayed where he was rather than returning to her grandmother.
Bryn pushed the swing higher and waited to see what would happen next.
A harried looking guard entered the park and sighed when he saw Marie Sinclair waiting for him. “Mrs. Sinclair, is there a problem?”
“Yes. There is. My granddaughter and other students are here to enjoy the town and the park. Your friend over there seems to find that objectionable. Can you explain why?”
“We are under orders to keep people from congregating.”
“Yes, I’ve seen the pamphlet.” She held it up. “Who gave you this directive?”
“A member of the Directorate,” the guard said.
“Which one?” she asked.
“Were you specifically ordered not to reveal who gave this ridiculous order?” her grandmother asked. “Or do you fear retribution?”
He glanced around. “It’s almost curfew. I respectfully suggest you enjoy the park and then seek answers elsewhere so that my men and I won’t receive the fallout.”
“I understand your position. Answer me one question and I won’t trouble you any more. When I search for more information, should I bother contacting Ferrin Westgate? He’s a busy man and I wouldn’t want to disturb him needlessly.”
“He might be able to point you in the right direction.” The guard stepped away from her. “Good night, Mrs. Sinclair.”
Both guards retreated. Bryn hopped off her horse and went over to her grandmother. “Ferrin would have been my number one guess since he seems to suck the joy from most situations.”
Her grandmother gave her a warning look. “However accurate your sentiment might be, we are in public.”
Bryn rolled her eyes. “Fine. Where to now?”
“I’d like to sit here for awhile longer, if you don’t mind.” her grandmother said. “It is a beautiful night.”
“And you want to stick it to that guard,” Bryn said.
“Possibly.” Her grandmother grinned.
“Bryn, is that you?”
A male voice came from behind her. A voice that made her stomach clench.
She turned and saw Valmont walking toward her. Crap, was she ready for this? Pasting on the least-fake smile she could manage, she said, “Hello, Valmont.”
“Mrs. Sinclair.” Valmont nodded at Bryn’s grandmother. “May I borrow Bryn for a moment?”
His words brought back painful reminders of cuddling on the porch swing behind the restaurant. She squashed the memories, shoving them down deep as she took a breath and prepared for a godawfully awkward encounter.
“Of course. I’ll just check on the fountain.” Her grandmother headed toward the copper structure.
“Let’s have a seat.” Bryn gestured at the bench.
They sat, but he didn’t make eye contact. “I wanted to thank you.”
Bryn laughed. “For what?”
“For doing the right thing.” Valmont raised his head and met her gaze. “I’ll never regret being your knight, but the rest of it…us…never should have happened.”
Wow. Whatever she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t it. Her eyes burned. She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. “And now you’re with Megan and she makes you happy.”
He nodded. “She does. What about you? Are you happy?”
A happily-ever-after probably wasn’t in the cards for her. There was no true love on her horizon. Just Jaxon. Temperamental and sometimes kind, but certainly never loving-Jaxon. Not that she could explain any of that to Valmont and quite frankly, it was none of his damn business. “I have my parents back, Asher is adorable, and I’m enjoying my Medic class.”
“And Jaxon?” he asked like he expected some declaration of love. Was he just looking to ease his own conscience?
“Jaxon and I are a good match.”
“One day, I hope you’ll be more,” Valmont said. “You deserve to be happy.”
“Good night, Valmont.” Bryn stood and went to join her grandmother.