Her head snapped around and her eyes widened. “You’re the man from the…” She recognized Lars from the airport. Her mind tried to wrap around his comment. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
He almost growled. “Your Majesty. You will address him correctly.”
His tone furthered her irritation. “Pardon me. In my neck of the world, gossip about Prince William is about as much royalty as we get.” She turned back to Sven and repeated the curtsy with a bit more flair. “YourMajesty.” She kept her sarcasm strong.
His lips twitched but he still didn’t address her. He motioned to the guard. “Release her.”
Lars stepped forward. “But Your Majesty. That is not wise.”
“Excuse me? I get accosted outside and dragged in here like a common prisoner, but I’m the problem?”
“We have no idea who you are,” Lars snapped, “and until we do, you will be considered a threat.”
Okay, that’s it.Her mouth got ahead of her brain. “Becauseaskingme is too much to consider. Not to mention, there’s a room full of guards to protect the man that I havealready helped once. But I’m a threat.” Her nostrils flared at Lars. “Got it.”
Before Lars could respond, Sven’s voice interrupted them, low and gravely. “I said, release her.”
One of the guards moved in front of her and avoided a glare from Lars. With a deft movement, her hands were freed.
“Out.”
The guards immediately turned toward the door. They didn’t need to be told twice.
“I must protest,” Lars started.
“Then protest outside.” Sven’s words ripped through the room like a bullet. “Clear the room.”
Lars threw up his arms and followed the guards out. “We will discuss this later.”
Sven ignored the parting shot and waited until Lars disappeared. He stared at Bryn until the click of the closed door echoed.
His gaze swept over her. “Bryn.”
The way he said her name made her stomach dip.
Her throat tightened. “Sven,” she whispered before she could stop herself.
Sven cleared his throat. “Lars says you helped me.”
“Helped you, but now thinks I’m a threat?” Her nervous giggle was too sharp. “I did what I could. Kept you conscious. It was the first thing that popped into my head.”
“You found Lars for me, to get me to safety.” His tone was clipped.
“Technically, he found us.” She swallowed hard. “You don’t remember?”
His gaze softened for the briefest second. “I remember flashes. The pain. Voices. And you. But it’s all blurred together.”
Her heart squeezed. He did remember. At least enough.
“You look better than you did the last time I saw you.” The last time he’d been slipping away, his breaths ragged, his eyes glazed with pain. Now he sat at attention, perhaps a bit stiff. She frowned. “How are you even out of bed yet?”
He ignored her question. His dark hair was pushed back, tamed but still a little wild. It definitely complimented him. Scruff covered his jaw, rough and handsome in a way that sent a bolt of heat through her.
I never knew kings could look like this.
Their eyes never lost connection, and she could read the curiosity in his. But there was something else.
Silence stretched between them.
