Saraj turned back to the broken perch distractedly. “Oliver asked if we might take a walk together when he returned . . . perhaps I will accept.”
Bryn let out an excited squeal and gave her friend another hug. Her hand fell to her belly as she considered sharing her news with Saraj, but she resisted. As much as the good news nearly burst from her lips, she owed it to Rangar that he be the first to hear.
She visited the castle workers in the laundry and armory, then went to the barn to greet the shepherdesses and stable workers, then strolled down to the docks to speak with the fishermen. Everyone shared good reports about the end of the wolf attacks, and a few even praised Valenden’s leadership in their absence. She was finishing a visit with Mam Delice in the kitchen when she heard the castle’s guards discussing Rangar’s impending return.
Gasping, she jumped up from the kitchen table. “Excuse me, Mam Delice, but I must speak with Rangar.”
The cook’s elderly eyes skimmed over Bryn’s plumper, softened body with a knowing look. “Take these biscuits, my queen.” She wrapped a handful of honey biscuits in a cloth napkin and pressed the bundle on Bryn. “Something tells me the two of you might have a reason to celebrate tonight.”
Blushing, Bryn raced up to their chamber, where she set out the honey biscuits and then examined herself in the mirror, adjusting her dress where it was growing snug over her midsection. Then she went to the window to anxiously look over the village square below.
Rangar and his men rode into the square and dismounted. They seemed in good spirits, which meant they must have found no signs of living berserkir wolves. Rangar clapped Oliver on the back, who then led Legend and the other horses to the stable while throwing glances toward the falconry mews.
Bryn paced the room, hands clutched lovingly on her belly while she tried to quell the rising excitement in her chest. She’d intended to tell Rangar the news in a calm, queenly manner—and yet the moment he swung open the door, delicate white snowflakes still tangled in his dark hair, she threw herself into his arms.
“Whoa, there,” he said, laughing, as though he was still speaking to Legend. His hand wrapped around her back. “What have I done to earn this embrace?”
Bryn pulled back to meet his eyes, biting her lip. She took a moment to drink in every detail about him. His scars, which matched her own. His simmering brown eyes. His jaw edged like a sword’s blade.
We’ve come so far, she thought.And yet it’s still only the beginning.
Breaking into a smile, she nudged him toward the chair. “Sit. I have something to tell you.”
Raising his eyebrows, he dropped into the chair and eyed the plate of honey biscuits. “What’s this about?”
“First, tell me what you found in the forest.”
“Nothing.” His eyes lit up. “Which was exactly what we hoped to find. No traps or bait stations showed any sign of berserkir wolves, only regular wolves and other forest animals. I believe it’s safe to say the berserkirs are all gone from this land.”
“Good.”
He leaned back, eyeing her suspiciously. “You don’t want to talk about the wolves, though, do you?”
She answered with a broader, secretive smile. She took a deep breath and said, “Do you remember on our travels, we discussed having Mage Marna prepare a tea to keep me from falling pregnant until we were ready for children?”
Rangar’s eyes widened slightly as a curious look crossed his face. “I do.”
Bryn splayed her hands on her belly. “Well, we didn’t ask for the tea soon enough.”
There was a moment of silence, and then Rangar bolted upright from the chair. Towering over Bryn, his gaze raked up and down her body as his eyes widened further.
“You mean . . .”
“You’re going to be a father, Rangar.”
He stood in stunned silence, his lips slightly parted. Bryn’s heart began to thump extra hard. She’d felt certain he would be pleased with this news, yet now, a hint of doubt crept into her mind.
“Rangar?” she prompted.
He blinked, then closed his mouth. “By the gods, Bryn. Do you mean it? Are you sure?”
She nodded.
A wide smile broke across his otherwise brooding face. Before she knew it, he swept her up in his arms. Laughing, she clung to him around the neck as he swung her in a circle. When he finally set her down, he captured her face between his hands and looked her squarely in the eye.
“We’re to be parents? You’re truly pregnant?”
Her grin grew wider. “Mage Marna confirmed it when we returned from Ardmoor.”
