Applying Miss Delacroix’s advice wasn’t easy. Not when Andrea was dying to get back from her classes in the evening, eat dinner as fast as possible, and log in to see if silfr_eldr was online. He always was, of course. But no, that didn’t mean she could say “hi” first and ask him about his day. She had to pretend she was busy. She had to make him believe that she wasn’t there for him specifically, but she just happened to be online at that hour. Maybe she was even talking to someone else, to another possible suitor. Maybe she had more admirers than silfr_eldr could ever imagine. Maybe.
In reality, Andrea was staring at the screen for minutes, munching on her lip and wondering what it was taking him so long to ask her how she was doing. Maybe he was chatting with other Alma Venus brides… why not? After all, he wouldn’t be doing anything bad, and he had no reason to explain himself to her. Just as her mind was playing the most worrisome scenarios, a small window would appear in the right corner of her screen, and she would rush to open it to read silfr_eldr’s message. Then, she would hesitate for a minute or so, let him brew, before she replied.
Every evening, they would chat for an hour, two at most, then Jade would close her own laptop or book and signal it was time for Andrea to do the hardest thing of all: tell silfr_eldr she had to go. When she got the urge to apologize, explain herself to him, and tell him she had classes in the morning, she fought it with all her might. No, she didn’t have to give him so many details about what she was doing when she wasn’t chatting with him. She had to allow his imagination to work and, hopefully, come up with scenarios as scary and as exaggerated as hers. Yes, that was the way to do it. Sometimes, when she was feeling brave, she would take a break from the conversation right in the middle, and disappear for a couple of minutes without letting him know. No “be right back”, no “sorry, I have to use the bathroom”, no nothing. She forced herself to let him worry that maybe, just maybe, she was chatting with quite a few other shifters at the same time, and he didn’t have her undivided attention.
Oh, it was difficult! This little game was the most challenging one Andrea Evans had ever played! She had dated exactly four guys before coming to Alma Venus, and all four had broken her heart. The last one hadn’t even taken more than three months to do it. Her New York friends, all in relatively satisfying relationships, kept telling her she was making a big mistake by fixating on a certain man, sleeping with him the first time she got the chance, then call and insist on going out on dates or doing things together. Andrea had refused to listen to them. She was a strong, independent woman, after all. She knew what she wanted, and when she saw a guy she liked, she had all the right to take him. Why not? What was wrong with taking the initiative? Why wait for the guy to wrap his mind around what was happening and maybe, eventually, decide to court her? Andrea didn’t have time for all that bullshit. Four failed relationships later, she had come to the conclusion that she couldn’t do it anymore. It was hard, painful, frustrating. Why couldn’t she simply meet a good man who wanted the same things as her? A man who would want to move in with her, help her with the rent and the bills, support her dream of going to college one day, a man who liked her just the way she was – curvy, and wild, and dreamy – , a man who could see past her petty job as a waitress, and understand she was made for something way bigger? Why was it so bloody impossible? Andrea had always been a good communicator, and she had always told them what she wanted; from them, from herself, and from her life. So why? Why, in God’s name, had none of the four guys she had dated been willing to truly get involved and help her achieve those things?
“Silfr is different,” she whispered to herself while she was waiting for him to finish typing so she could end the conversation and tell him she had to go. It was the fifth day she was doing things Miss Delacroix’s way. They were deep in a rather heated discussion about the current state of the peace between humans and shifters, and Andrea hated that she had to follow the plan. “Yes, he’s different. He thinks bigger, sees the whole picture… This man would support me. And he’s a dragon-shifter, for goodness’ sake! College, here I come!”
“You’re talking to yourself again,” said Jade, a cute smile on her face.
Andrea furrowed her brows. “Weren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
“Tomorrow is Saturday, dumb ass! I can afford to watch another episode.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. Did that mean she could afford to stay longer, too? She sighed. The answer was “no”. Especially because tomorrow was Saturday.
“I have to go,” she typed.
A pause. Then:
silfr_eldr: Oh. Of course.
Andrea: Talk to you later.
Not tomorrow, not in the morning, not tomorrow evening, just later.
silfr_eldr: Can you stay just 10 more minutes?
Andrea hesitated. She wanted to say “yes”. But could she say “yes” in a casual, uninvolved way? Fortunately, his next message saved her.
silfr_eldr: I want to tell you something. I’m not sure how. Or if it’s the right time.
That certainly piqued her curiosity.
Andrea: What is it?
silfr_eldr: I was thinking these past few days… Would you be interested in taking things further?
Andrea smiled so widely that the brightness of her perfect teeth rivaled the screen of her laptop for one moment. She could barely contain the excitement running through her veins, making her heart beat faster.
Andrea: It depends on what that means… taking things further. What do you have in mind?
Yes, she still had to play it cool.
silfr_eldr: We could meet. I could take you to see my place, meet my clan. If you want, of course. And if you like what you see, well… you can stay.
“Wait for it, Andrea, wait for it,” she whispered to herself and ignored Jade’s amused look. One minute. Two minutes. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. “Let him brew.” Three minutes. Her fingers danced on the keys.
Andrea: That sounds great. Yes, I’d like that.
silfr_eldr: You have no idea how glad I am you said “yes”!
She laughed in relief. “Yes! I did it! Oh my God, I actually did it!”
Jade perked up. “Huh? What happened? What did you do?”
“I’m getting married!”
“Oh wow! Girl, you move fast.”
“Fast? I thought he’d never ask! Now shush… I must focus.”
Andrea turned back to her screen, and her smile fell. She didn’t like what he had just written.
silfr_eldr: But I must tell you one last thing, first. The reason why I wanted to stay anonymous for so long… I feel like it’s only fair that you know everything before you make this step.
Andrea: Okay…
She could see that he was typing. He typed, and typed, and typed… and at some point she could swear he was actually typing, then deleting and rephrasing. Why was his identity such a big deal? Was he… ugly? No, not possible. Dragon-shifters were probably the most handsome, noble-looking shifters on the planet. Maybe he was poor? Again, not a possibility. There was no way a dragon-shifter could ever be poor. Not even if he was, say, a notorious gambler. “Oh, come on!” she thought. “Spit it our already. I’m growing old here.”
silfr_eldr: If we do this, if I take you from Alma Venus and you choose to join me and my clan, then you have to know your life will change completely.
“Is that what you were typing and rephrasing?” she screamed at the screen in exasperation.
silfr_eldr: I mean… It’s just…
Andrea: What’s wrong?
“My god! What could possibly be so hard to say?” Andrea threw her pillow across the room in frustration. Patience was not her strong suit. She watched as silfr_eldr typed and typed, over and over.
“Why is he beating around the bush? Just get to it!”
Jade looked up from her laptop.
“Maybe he’s having a hard time trying to find the right words?”
Andrea’s eyes threw daggers at Jade.
“That makes no sense to me.”
Jade shrugged and went back to her TV show. There was no point in trying to reason with her roommate when she was so worked up. Too much drama in the past three weeks… Jade could use a break.
silfr_eldr: My family is important, and it’s imperative that you know who I am and who you will become.
Andrea didn’t reply to that. She didn’t know what she could say. Also, she had a feeling her dragon-shifter wasn’t done yet.
silfr_eldr: This is harder than I thought. Andrea, the reason I have hidden myself from you is because…
“Okay, I can’t wait anymore. The suspense is killing me.”
Andrea pulled her long black hair up into a ponytail and began to type. Jade glared at her as the sound of red nails clacked against the keyboard, but Andrea ignored her. She meant business, and she was going to get an answer from silfr_eldr. With her legs crossed underneath her, Andrea sat back against the headboard and set her laptop on top of her thighs.
Andrea: Are you okay? Whatever it is, I can handle it.
silfr_eldr: I am not your average dragon-shifter. I’m not even a normal Alpha. I have only had one mate in the past, and she gave me two children. I haven’t had a mate in a very, very long time and this is difficult for me…
Andrea was not shocked to find out he had had a mate in the past, but the information was still hard to swallow. She took a deep breath and tried to come up with a response to his confession, when her computer alerted her to another message from him. A dragon-shifter with children could cause a possible dent in her plans.
silfr_eldr: Okay…
silfr_eldr: Are you still there?
Andrea: I am. I’m a little surprised, but still here.
silfr_eldr: Good. I was afraid you wouldn’t talk to me anymore. However, it’s not exactly what I wanted to tell you.
Andrea: What is it, then? Who are you?
Andrea worked up the courage to ask for his name. It was a gamble, but it had to be done.
silfr_eldr: I work with the Council of the Six Factions. I have duties that sometimes take priority, and I have a lot of people depending on me.
Andrea: Political duties and two kids?
silfr_eldr: Yes. They’re both grown up now, but yes.
Andrea: The kids are a surprise. But I already got the feeling you were into politics considering all our conversations on the topic.
silfr_eldr: I know I haven’t been very forward with you about who I am, and for that I am sorry. I just needed to be sure. It’s hard to know who I can trust, especially in the business I’m in. I had to be certain about you. About us…
Andrea: Okay…
“Certain of what!?” Andrea shouted, causing Jade to throw a pillow at her.
“Would you shut it? I’m trying to watch something over here.”
Andrea mumbled a “sorry” in Jade’s direction and looked back at the screen, where silfr_eldr popped up again.
silfr_eldr: There is so much I want to tell you, and so many things I want to share with you.
Andrea: You could start with your name.
Did she really have to insist that much to get it out of him?
silfr_eldr: Calder.
Andrea: Calder?
“That’s it? What’s the big deal about a name like Calder?” Andrea cocked an eyebrow.
“What did you say?” Jade asked from her blanket fort as curly blonde hair peeked from under the covers. “Did you say Calder?”
“Yeah… why?” Andrea looked confused.
Jade’s jaw dropped, then she started laughing hysterically.
“There is no way he is that Calder!”
“What’s gotten into you?” Andrea asked.
Jade didn’t answer. She continued to chuckle and snort as if struck by laughing gas.
silfr_eldr: Andrea?
Andrea: I’m here. I’m trying to understand why you kept your name a secret.
silfr_eldr: I don’t think you understand.
Andrea: Enlighten me, then.
She was getting tired of this game.
silfr_eldr: My name is Calder Grimmr. I’m the representative of the Dragon Faction in the Council of the Six Factions.
“Sweet mother of daytime drama!” Andrea shouted after a moment of being stunned silent.
She jumped off the bed, causing her laptop to tumble between the sheets, and began pacing the room. A million different scenarios went through her head, and most of them ended with her in trouble.
Jade’s laughter died down the moment she saw Andrea go into a panic.
“Holy Gods! He is that Calder, isn’t he? Calder Grimmr?” Jade was just as shocked as Andrea was, although she had kind of expected it.
“The person I’ve spent countless hours talking to every night is the freaking Dragon Councilor!”
Andrea pulled her hair out of its ponytail and began to thread her fingers through it in frustration. A familiar ding rang out from her toppled laptop, but she looked over at it without jumping to read the message. She bit her lower lip. This wasn’t good. Her plan was foolproof, but she didn’t think it could work with a Councilor. Another ding.
Jade paused her movie and stood up in bed, throwing the covers aside.
“Aren’t you going to get that?”
“Yes, yes. I need a second.”
Her roommate was studying her curiously. Andrea hoped she wouldn’t ask why she was hesitating now, after three weeks of trying to seduce the guy, because she didn’t know what she would tell her. She walked back to the bed and retrieved her laptop.
silfr_eldr: Andrea?
silfr_eldr: Are you still there?
She hesitated for another moment, trying to compose herself.
Andrea: I’m here. I’m not sure what to say, actually.
silfr_eldr: I know how this looks and I know it was quite unexpected, but it’s also why I didn’t reveal my identity sooner. I knew it could change everything.
“You have no idea,” she thought. It was weird, but suddenly she didn’t feel like talking to him anymore. Any other mail-order bride in her situation would have been crazy with joy right now. After all, what could be more wonderful than becoming the wife of the most influential dragon-shifter on the planet? But Andrea wasn’t just any other mail-order bride. She was a woman with a plan. And that plan didn’t include a bite which could prove too big for her to swallow.
She jumped in surprise when she felt Jade sit down beside her. Her roommate was looking at her screen, and Andrea let her.
“Wow… How did you manage to score a friggin’ Councilor?” Jade whispered in awe.
Andrea shrugged, hoping Jade wouldn’t see how terrified she actually was. Accepting to become this man’s bride could send all her planning down the drain, but there was something about him that drew her in. Andrea did feel connected to him. He was easy to talk to, and she figured that might make him easy to manipulate, too. What if this wasn’t too much for her to handle? What if this was, in fact, the opportunity of a lifetime?
Andrea: Let me think about it. It’s a big decision, and I need a few days. If I come with you, then my entire life will change more than I had initially expected.
It took Calder a while to reply to her message. She waited a minute longer, then decided to turn off her laptop and get some sleep. At the last moment, he wrote:
silfr_eldr: I understand.