“I wanted to thank you for helping my son.”
Bryn sat straight up in a single move. Freya stood at the foot of the bed with a look of amusement on her face.
“I… oh my God. I am… sorry…. Your Highness… or Majesty… Queen…” she stammered as she stood and tried to curtsy. “I thought… I mean… I didn’t…”
Freya waved her hand. “Sit down, Bryn. I am no longer Queen anything, thank the Gods. I am not here looking for any formality.” She laughed and sat in a chair in the corner of the room. “I certainly don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me.”
“I know… I’m not… I mean… you just…” She could not force her brain to connect her words into a coherent thought. “I am so sorry.”
“You are positively glowing.”
Freya’s tone made Bryn’s mentality finally crash to earth. She glanced at her arms. Nothing looked out of place. “I’m sorry. Did you sayglowing?”
“Your aura.” Freya stood and brushed Bryn’s hair back. “It’s no wonder you have such an effect on Sven. Your aura is the purest I’ve seen.”
Bryn frowned. “I’m sorry. What?” She had never been much for the metaphysical stuff.
Freya returned to her chair. “I’m a firm believer that your aura is simply a reflection of your soul mixed with your emotions.” She let her words sink in before she continued. “For instance, if a person is evil, but they’re having a good day, their aura may be versions of black and brown, but they’ll neverhave a, say, pink aura.” She waved her hand. “I’m not going to give you a complete lesson because sometimes you can’t see a person’s aura at all. But you… you are simply glowing with goodness.”
Bryn had no idea what to say so she remained silent. She gave a quick smile and stood. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Like I said,” Freya responded, “I just wanted to say thank you. Something in you is very healing to my son, which is absolutely what he needs. And if I find out that evil bitch had anything to do with almost killing Sven today, I swear I’ll string her up myself.”
“Alice? Or April?” Bryn couldn’t remember the woman’s name. “His fiancee? Why would she have anything to do with what happened to him?”
“Alitta. And I don’t know if she did, but my gut says that she’s not an innocent bystander to all that’s been going on. I tend to see myself as something of a psychic, but Sven and his father always dissuaded me from pursuing my possible gifts.” She gave a giggle. “Embarrassing, you know, for a royal to be part witch.”
“I didn’t know that psychics were witches.” Bryn didn’t know much of anything about the subject.
“Oh, they’re not, dear. But every once in a while, we all want to be a little witch, don’t we?”
“Only if I could beat that woman with my broom.” Bryn clapped her hand over her mouth. “I did not mean to say that out loud.”
“It’s just us, my dear. Nothing leaves this bedroom.”
Another knock on the door interrupted them. Sven stood outside and seemed surprised to see his mother.
“I was just leaving.” Freya rushed away after she gave Bryn a wink.
Bryn sighed. Obviously she wasn’t going to be able to commiserate in peace. “I’m sorry, Sven. I know how inappropriate it was to fall asleep like that.”
“Bryn,” he started in a rough voice. “I need your help.”
Half an hour later, she sat across from him in her own quarters holding her cherished tumbler of coffee that had long since lost its attraction, while he explained the impossible.
“So let me get this straight.” Her voice squeaked, and she cleared her throat. “You’re saying that if you don’t go through with this ritual, you’ll lose the crown?”
Sven nodded. His jaw tightened, but his eyes never wavered from hers. “The Visionary Trust Council requires its king, or queen, to be committed. It’s a symbolic action that royals are bound to perform. If I am unable to perform my duty, they’ll strip me of my position.”
Bryn blinked. “So your solution is me?” There was so much that she didn’t understand but the fact that Alitta was gone thrilled her to no end. “You want me to pose as your mate?”
His mouth curved into a humorless smile. “You’re the only person I can ask.”
“And we have to have sex?”
He gave a quick nod. “You make it sound very feral, but yes, we would mate for the one night. That is the pinnacle of the ritual.”
“And how do they know if we actually have sex?” Her eyes widened. “They don’t… like… watch, do they?”How the hell did I get in this situation?
