Fanning the Flames

by Chris Cannon

  Bryn sipped hers and smiled and nodded at anyone who made eye contact with her.

  Lillith joined them in the center of the room. “I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.” Her eyes went wide and then she laughed. “Apparently, Asher is happy, too. He’s kicking up a storm. Ferrin, feel how strong your son is.”

  Bryn couldn’t tell if Ferrin was intrigued or confused as he placed his hand on his wife’s belly. Then he smiled, and it was a genuine smile, the likes of which Bryn had never seen from him. Still, it would take a lot more than one smile for her to believe he wasn’t a psychotic asshat.

  For the next hour, Bryn played her part. She must have said, “Yes, we are a good match,” a dozen times to people she didn’t know. They all nodded like they agreed with her. As every minute passed, the new reality crashed down on her. She really had to marry Jaxon. Her name would be Bryn Westgate. How had her life spun this far out of control?

  “Squeeze your champagne glass any tighter and you’ll break it,” Jaxon said in a low voice as another couple approached them with well wishes.

  She relaxed her grip. “Just trying to ward off a panic attack. How are you remaining so calm about this?”

  “Mentally, I’m curled up in the fetal position and rocking in the corner,” Jaxon said. “If that makes you feel any better.”

  She laughed. “It does, actually.”

  Finally by some unspoken agreement, people started exiting the room. Thank goodness. “Can we go now?” she asked Jaxon.

  “If the party is in your honor, then you’re the last to leave,” Jaxon stated like it was the law.

  “I’m going to have to learn all this social crap, aren’t I?”

  “Yes,” Jaxon said, “because I don’t want you tarnishing the Westgate name.”

  She snorted. “For your own safety, I’m going to assume that was a joke.”

  When it was just her grandparents and Jaxon’s parents left in the room, Bryn slouched. Holding perfect posture for the last hour had worn on her.

  “In time, you’ll see this was the right decision.” Her grandmother gave her a hug. “The party is officially over, so you’re free to leave. Jaxon will walk you back to your room.”

  “He doesn’t need to do that,” Bryn said.

  “Yes, he does,” her grandfather chimed in. “You need to show everyone a united front.”

  “It will save time if you don’t argue,” Jaxon said. “Besides, we’re going to the same building, so it’s a moot point.”

  “Good night, Bryn,” her grandfather said.

  That was a matter of opinion. “Night,” Bryn replied.

  Jaxon stayed by her side as they walked to the door, which he opened for her. The first thing Bryn saw in the hallway was Valmont standing against the wall staring off into space. “We’re finished,” she told him, because she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  He fell into step behind her and Jaxon. As they walked back to the Blue dorm, Bryn felt like all eyes were on them. “I guess everyone has heard.”

  “So it would seem.” Jaxon sped up his pace.

  She matched his speed, wanting to get away from everyone…to have a moment by herself to process what all this meant. And time to smooth things over with Valmont. God, what was she going to say to him? There was one other party who’d be affected by this news.

  “Have you told Rhianna yet?”

  “I slipped out and called her as soon as I learned what was really going on,” Jaxon said. “Because I didn’t want her to hear it from someone else.”

  “How’s she dealing with this?” Bryn asked.

  “She’s not happy,” Jaxon said.

  “That makes four of us,” Bryn said, sort of joking.

  “Agreed,” Jaxon said. “Watch what you say in public or anywhere someone might be listening.”

  “Which is pretty much everywhere on campus,” Bryn said.

  Jaxon didn’t argue the point.

  When they reached the dorm, Bryn braced herself for the scrutiny she was sure awaited her from the sea of Blues in the lobby. So it was strange when the students nodded at her and Jaxon and went about their business.

  Climbing up the staircase, she said, “I’ve never had so many Blues be civil to me before.”

  “It’s your new status,” Jaxon said.

  “Seriously? Because of my association with you I’m now on the approved list?”

  “You’re welcome.” Jaxon smirked at her.

  “Gee, thanks.” They parted ways. She headed to her dorm room with Valmont hanging a step behind her. She was getting really sick of that maneuver. “Couch time?” she asked once they were safely behind closed doors.

  “Not tonight.” Valmont headed for his bedroom. “I need some time to think.”

  “You can’t be mad at me,” Bryn blurted out.

  He turned back and gaped at her. “Yes, I can. I can be mad and angry and sad and any other emotion I want to be, because you made your choice. You chose to leave me in the hallway. You chose Jaxon over me.”

  She opened her mouth to argue. Tears filled her eyes. “I did what I had to do in order to stay in this world. And it’s not like I had an alternative.”

  “You could have refused.”

  “And I would have been ostracized. I would have lost all the ground I’d gained with my grandparents.” She almost said they were the only family she had left, but thank goodness that wasn’t true anymore. Still she had to make him understand. “I wasn’t ready for this, either. I thought we had more time.”

  Valmont shook his head. “In theory, I knew this would happen…one day. But not like this. Not now.”

  So the situation was not ideal. She understood that, but why was he acting like this? “I know this is horrific. I was blindsided by it, too, but it doesn’t have to change anything between us.”

  “I wish that were true, but you’re wrong.” Valmont’s voice broke. “This changes everything.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  What the hell? “No, it doesn’t.”

  “You can’t be that naive. Everyone will be watching to see how we behave. It’s a good thing I started walking a step behind you, because that’s where I’ll have to stay.”

  “You’re being ridiculous.”

  “Am I? Do you think we can walk across campus holding hands now?”

  “Why not?” He was really starting to piss her off. “I’m sure Jaxon and Rhianna will still act like normal, so why can’t we?”

  “Maybe because what we have isn’t normal.” Valmont scrubbed his hand down his face. “Did you notice in all those Tales of Knights we read, not once did they talk about romantic love between a knight and a dragon?”

  She had noticed, but there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d admit it. “So what? They did say the dragons and knights loved each other and were devoted to each other.”

  Valmont leaned against the wall and shoved his hands in his front pockets. He averted his gaze as he spoke. “That doesn’t mean they shared anything more than familial love.”

  A base drum started beating in Bryn’s head. “What about the stone dragon on the bluff that Dragon’s Bluff is named after? Legends claim she fell in love with her knight, and when he died on the field of battle, she was so heartbroken she couldn’t go on. She sat by his grave day and night, until the magic turned her to stone, allowing her to stay by his side and watch over him forever.”

  “I know the legend, and if that’s true, then it just reinforces why dragons and knights shouldn’t fall in love with each other,” he said.

  “It’s a little late to avoid that fate, because I’m pretty sure you don’t think of me as a sister or a friend.”

  “No.” He turned his face and met her gaze. His eyes were filled with pain. “I don’t, but maybe I should. What we’ve been to each other…I don’t think we can be that anymore.”

  His words smacked into her chest like a physical blow, making it difficult to breathe and knocking her off balance. She stumbled ba
ckward.

  He could not do this to her. Not now. Not after everything they’d been through. Not after everything that had happened tonight. It was absurd. “Valmont, what are you saying?”

  “I will honor my vow to protect you. I will still be your knight, but I can’t be anything more than that.”

  This could not be happening. Her eyes burned. Despite her best effort, the tears flowed. She took a shaky breath and tried to speak. Flames crawled up the back of her throat. If she opened her mouth, she’d set the room ablaze. But there were things she needed to say, damn it. She closed her eyes and focused on cold and snow. Once she was under control, she said. “So you’re just going to turn off your feelings for me…stop loving me? How? How does that work?”

  “I don’t know, but I think it’s the honorable thing to do. It’s what I should have done all along, but you’re so smart, and funny, and wonderful that I let my guard down and I made a mistake. Seeing you with Jaxon tonight reminded me of my place in your world. Or rather, that I don’t have one.” He gave her the saddest smile she’d ever seen. “My grandmother was right. I can see that now. You and I…we were never meant to be together as a couple.”

  The cold in her stomach spread through her body. It felt like shards of ice were stabbing through her heart. It hurt to breathe. “How can you say that?”

  “I had an hour to think about this…about us… while you were on the other side of that door with Jaxon and your family. It’s the right thing to do. You aren’t going to change my mind.”

  She could not let him walk away from her. She had to make him see how wrong he was. “Why do you get to make this decision for both of us? Why can’t we talk about it? I’m sure we can figure something out.”

  “There’s nothing to figure out. It’s done. I don’t want to talk anymore. I’m exhausted. I just want to go to sleep.”

  And then he walked away from her.

  No. No. No. No. No. This could not be happening. She needed him by her side. Without him how was she supposed to deal with the insanity of her life? “Valmont, wait.”

  He didn’t respond. He just walked into his room and pulled the door closed. How could he declare their relationship over? Like what they’d had was nothing? Like he didn’t love her anymore.

  The phone rang, startling her. She stared at it for a moment, not sure if she wanted to answer it. She’d had about all she could take for one evening. But, it might be her grandmother, so she better pick up.

  “Hello?”

  “I heard what happened,” Ivy said. “Do you need me to come over?”

  “Yes,” was the only word Bryn got out before her dam of self-control broke and she started sobbing.

  “On my way,” Ivy said.

  Bryn stood at the window to the terrace watching for Ivy, hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the sound of her crying. When she arrived, Ivy pushed up the window, came inside, and pulled Bryn into a hug.

  “I’m so sorry. This thing with Jaxon must be a terrible shock.”

  Bryn tried to control her tears. It took a minute, but she managed to slow her breathing. “That’s not the worst part.”

  “Being betrothed to Jaxon isn’t the worst part?” Ivy went into the living room and sat on the couch. She patted the cushion next to her. “What the hell else happened?”

  “Valmont.” Sleet shot from Bryn’s mouth as she said his name. “He used this as an excuse to break up with me.”

  “What? Why would he do that?”

  Bryn explained Valmont’s theory about why they shouldn’t be together anymore.

  “Maybe he just can’t deal with the thought of you and Jaxon.” Ivy pointed toward Valmont’s bedroom door. “Is he in there?”

  Bryn nodded. “He insists he still wants to be my knight.”

  Ivy produced a ball of lightning in her hand. “Can I zap him?”

  “No, but thanks for offering.” Bryn wiped at the tears streaming down her face. “This is all so stupid. He has to realize he’s wrong, right?”

  Ivy allowed the ball of lightning to fade. “Maybe it’s his pride that’s wounded. Once he’s come to terms with the whole marrying Jaxon thing, he might come around.”

  “This entire night has been so screwed up. Going along with the stupid marriage contract, which my grandfather basically had to bribe Ferrin to accept…it feels…it feels like I sold my soul to the devil. Then we come back here and Valmont acts like an idiot, and now it feels like someone ripped my heart out and stomped on it.” Bryn sniffled and then pointed at her face. “And apparently I can’t stop crying. How am I supposed to deal with this?”

  “I don’t know,” Ivy said. “I could ask Clint to speak with Valmont. Maybe another guy’s perspective would help.”

  Bryn wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “This is ridiculous. The whole arranged marriage to Jaxon thing is stressful enough without Valmont dumping me.”

  “You know Valmont is a good person,” Ivy said. “Maybe he just needs time, and since it’s the weekend, you don’t have to go out in public if you don’t want to. We can hide out here, eat carry-out, and do girly things.”

  A new hairstyle was not going to make this go away, but Ivy was trying to help. “Thank you. That sounds good.”

  “Want me to run down to the restaurant and stock up on chocolate?” Ivy asked.

  “Yes.”

  The next morning, Bryn woke up with a fork full of chocolate frosting stuck in her hair. Thank goodness she was in her bedroom where Valmont couldn’t see the extent to which his stupid break-up had driven her. With Ivy’s help, she’d moved from gut-wrenchingly sad, to sparks-flying-out-of-her-mouth angry. As long as she didn’t set anything on fire, she’d be okay.

  Ivy slept curled up like a cat at the foot of the bed. Bryn let her sleep and headed for the shower. Once she was clean and dressed and her hair was chocolate-free, she woke Ivy. “It’s time for breakfast.”

  Ivy yawned. “Give me a minute.” She took a shower and borrowed some of Bryn’s clothes. “Okay, let’s go tell Valmont it’s time for food.”

  Bryn opened her door, and the scent of coffee made her mouth water. She walked out to find Valmont sitting at the library table with Clint, who must’ve brought breakfast for all of them.

  “I thought you might not want to face the masses,” Valmont said like everything between them was normal. “So I asked Clint to bring food.”

  Fine, she could play his nothing-is-wrong game. “Good idea.” She sat and inhaled a stack of pancakes and half a dozen pieces of bacon while Clint and Ivy carried the conversation.

  Once they’d finished off the food, Clint said. “Okay. Now let’s get the awkward part out of the way. Valmont, Ivy told me that you think you need to be all noble and break up with Bryn since she’s now officially promised to marry Jaxon.”

  Valmont nodded. “It’s the right thing to do.”

  “In my opinion, the right thing isn’t always the best thing,” Clint said. “I prefer the live-for-the-moment-because-we-could-all-die-in-a-Rebel-attack-tomorrow type of life plan.”

  “What he said.” Bryn crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Valmont.

  “In the long run, you’ll see I’m right,” Valmont said. “Plus, you have to break the dragon-knight bond before you’re married, so what’s the point in continuing any sort of personal relationship?”

  Where was this craptastic logic coming from? “A few weeks ago you said you’d still be interested in me without the bond. Do you remember that?”

  “I do, but now that seems like a fairy tale.” Valmont wadded up his paper napkin. “The reality is, I’m a waiter who was magically turned into your knight. And I’m not sorry that happened. But once you’re with Jaxon, you won’t need me anymore, and maybe I’d like to go back and be around my family and be a normal person again.” He looked up from the crumpled napkin. “I miss my family, a lot. I gave up everything to be here with you. And now, maybe I see a chance to get it all back. It’s not wrong for me to want that.”<
br />
  “Is that what this is about? Your family?” Why hadn’t he told her? It would be so much less hurtful. “You’re using this arranged marriage crap as an excuse to go back to your life? You don’t need an excuse. You can tell me you miss your family.”

  “I do. I miss them and how simple and happy my life was before all of this, before you, before becoming your knight.”

  Oh, hell. A coldness settled deep into her bones. “You’ve already broken up with me. Are you planning on abandoning me as well?”

  “No.” Valmont seemed offended. “I’d never leave you, as your knight, I mean.”

  And there went her last bit of hope that everything might be okay. And none of it made sense. She wouldn’t cry in front of him again. Focusing on anger, she said, “A month ago it was you and me against the world. Last night you accused me of choosing Jaxon over you and then you claimed dragons and knights shouldn’t be involved in romantic love even though the dragon on the bluff proves otherwise. This morning, it’s all about getting back to your family. So what the hell is going on here?”

  “It’s all of those things. It’s like my life is one of those games of dominoes people set up. Once one falls, it knocks into the next one, and they all go down. Jaxon knocked down the first domino and started this chain reaction, and the others have been falling ever since.”

  “And did one of those dominoes erase your feelings for me?”

  “No.” Valmont leaned forward. “But maybe they made me see my feelings weren’t natural.”

  If this was going where she thought it was going…Bryn produced fireballs in both hands. “Choose your next words wisely.”

  “You asked for honesty,” Clint said. “You aren’t allowed to blast him with fireballs if he’s being honest.”

  Bryn closed her eyes and concentrated on morphing the fire into snow. Once she could feel the wet coldness on her palms she opened her eyes. “Fine. But I will pelt him with non-lethal snowballs if he claims he only has feelings for me because of the bond.”

  “That seems fair.” Ivy gave Clint a look, which told him he shouldn’t argue.