Fanning the Flames

by Chris Cannon

  By the time they emerged in the room that housed the trap door to the vault, Bryn’s nerves were wound tight. “There’s something I need to discuss with you, but I’m not sure how you’re going to handle it. I’d like you to keep an open mind. I already told Grandmother, and she said she’d share it with you at the appropriate time—”

  “I know about Sara and your father,” he said. “Marie told me the same night you told her.”

  His tone gave nothing away. “And?”

  “And they have been accounted for on the deeded land. They are being watched like all the others. If they make no move against us, they will be allowed to live out their lives peacefully.”

  That was a non-answer if ever she heard one. “What does that mean? Have you talked to her? Will you go see her? Because when all this war crap is over, I’d like for them to visit us. For you all to start talking again.”

  “I’m glad she is alive and that you have your parents back, but my daughter, the Sara that I loved, died a long time ago.” With those chilling words he exited the room.

  “So much for a family reunion.” Bryn sniffled and waited for Valmont to say something comforting. Seconds ticked by and nothing. Damn him. She needed her Valmont, the one who cared about her, not this pod-person. She needed couch time. She needed someone to tell her everything was going to be all right.

  As they walked out into the damp evening air, a wave of sadness swamped her. Should they fly back to her dorm room? Flying with him and feeling the weakness of their bond would make her feel worse. “Let’s walk back.”

  “I don’t mind flying.” Valmont reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “We probably won’t be able to avoid flying together,” she said, “so I guess we better adjust to the new sort-of-sucky-no-longer-enhanced-by-love bond.”

  He blinked and stepped back from her. “Forget it. We’ll walk.”

  Now his feelings were hurt? He’d brought this on himself. “Bite me. You can walk. I’m going to fly.” She didn’t wait to hear his response; she shifted and launched herself into the night sky. Rather than aiming for her dorm room, she performed a barrel roll. Flying alone was so…freeing. See…she didn’t need a knight. She was a kick-ass shape-shifting dragon. She dove toward the ground and then looped up into the sky, tucking her wings to her body and performing a free fall before spreading her wings again. And then she aimed for her dorm room terrace, where she knocked over a chair when she landed. Since there was no one there to witness it, she didn’t need to apologize. Her flying high lasted until she tried to open the terrace window. It wouldn’t budge, because it was latched from the inside. Damn it. She’d forgotten about that. Now what? She could break the glass and then pay someone to fix it, or she could knock and wait for Valmont to let her in.

  He was still her knight, after all, and opening the window wasn’t a hardship. She tapped on the glass and waited. Nothing happened. He should have made it inside by now, but maybe he’d decided not to head straight back to her room. She peered in and knocked louder.

  “Just a minute,” Valmont called out. He came out of his room and looked at her like he was confused. “Do you require my assistance?”

  He knew perfectly well what she needed. “Unlock the damn window.”

  He flipped the latch and then turned around and headed into his room. He could have opened the window for her. She yanked it up and climbed inside, making sure to latch it behind her. She glared at his closed door, and before thinking about it, she banged on it.

  “What?” Valmont called out.

  “Can we talk?”

  He opened the door a few inches. “About what?”

  “About our delightful new situation.”

  “The one where you walk away from me, leaving me to worry about you?”

  “Yes, the one where you know I’m emotionally upset and you offer no comfort.”

  “I should have said something after your grandfather walked away,” Valmont conceded. “I’m sorry.”

  Better late than never. “Thank you. Do you think there’s any hope he’ll ever forgive her?”

  “Honestly,” he said, “I don’t know.”

  Her stomach growled, breaking the emotional moment. “Uhm, I haven’t checked a clock, but I’m pretty sure it’s dinner time.”

  He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t want to go to the dining hall. Why don’t I run downstairs and pick something up for us.”

  The fact that he said us made her feel a little better. “I’d appreciate that.”

  …

  Bryn tried to think of suppressing her feelings for Valmont as training for her new social status. But so far, the whole situation just sucked. How was she supposed to get over a guy who followed her around all day long? Not to mention the fact that everyone pretended not to notice the strained relationship between her and Valmont. And Jaxon went about his life as his normal irritable self. His relationship with Rhianna was unchanged, which seemed completely unfair.

  The only place she could get away from Valmont was the girl’s restroom, which was why she dragged Ivy into every bathroom they passed.

  “There are only so many times you can pretend to use the restroom before someone is going to suggest you see a medic,” Ivy complained Thursday afternoon. “You need a new tactic.”

  “I know.” Bryn growled in frustration. “But if I can’t get away from Valmont for a little bit, I’m going to go insane.”

  “Maybe you should release him from the dragon-knight bond,” Ivy said. “And yes, I know Jaxon will become your new shadow, but at least then he’d be as miserable as you.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Bryn washed her hands, to pretend she had a reason for being in the girl’s room in case anyone else came in. “Maybe I should cut him loose.”

  Ivy checked her watch. “Come on. We don’t want to be late for Proper Decorum.”

  “Can we skip class?”

  “I’m sure Clint would be happy to skip with you, but I’m betting your grandparents would not approve.”

  They went back out into the hall where Clint leaned against the wall looking bored, and Valmont wore his game face. How would he react if she broke the bond right now? Should she do it? Just end it and let the chips fall where they may? Maybe tonight.

  “There you are.” Clint hooked his arm through Ivy’s. “We don’t want to miss today’s epic class. We’re discussing what type of caterers to hire for different occasions.”

  “Just hire Fonzoli’s,” Valmont muttered as they headed down the hall.

  That brought a funny question to mind. In the future, when she was hosting some ridiculous event in a house, which would probably have way too many W’s, would Valmont show up in his caterer’s uniform and serve lemon ice? How weird would that be?

  In class, the teacher divided them into small groups. And surprise…Jaxon was in her group.

  Bryn rolled her eyes as she studied a seating chart for small dinner parties, which meant twenty or fewer couples. “Why does it matter where everyone sits? Shouldn’t everyone be capable of choosing their own seats?”

  “Only if you want bloodshed,” Jaxon said. “We stand united as a Clan, but that doesn’t mean our personalities always mesh. Since people tend to drink at parties, sometimes they say things they shouldn’t. As the hostess, it’s your job to know who to keep apart.”

  “If you know all this crap, why should I bother learning it?” Bryn asked.

  Jaxon reached up to rub his forehead. “It’s your job to know all of these things.”

  “Nope. It’s not,” Bryn said. “My grandmother can play party planner. She loves that stuff. Problem solved.”

  “That’s not how it works,” Jaxon muttered.

  “Just so you know, in our marriage, we’re going to switch things up a bit,” Bryn responded. “So that’s how it will work.”

  After class, Jaxon practically fled the room with Rhianna in tow.

&n
bsp; “I love it when you give Jaxon hell,” Clint said. “It restores my faith in the balance of the universe.”

  “Nothing about the world seems balanced right now,” Bryn snuck a look at Valmont. He was staring off into space. She reached over and poked him in the shoulder. “What are you thinking?”

  “All this talk of catering has me thinking about my family. If we’re not on lockdown, I’d like to visit them.”

  “I don’t see why you can’t go visit. I could hang out with Clint and Ivy, and if my grandmother insists, Jaxon and Rhianna, while you’re gone.”

  “I can’t go unless you go with me,” Valmont said. “I can’t leave you behind.”

  Bryn laughed. “Hello, Irony.”

  “What?” Valmont asked.

  “You not wanting to leave me behind…given the current state of our relationship…it’s funny to me.”

  “It’s not to me.” He clammed up after that. It’s like he was trying to freeze her out. For the rest of the week, he only spoke if she asked him a direct question. Thursday night, when it was time to go to sleep, she’d had enough.

  “How much longer are you going to pout?” she asked him. “Because it’s not very knight-like behavior.”

  “I’m not pouting. I’m doing my job, watching over you. Small talk isn’t part of the deal, remember?”

  That was it. She was swearing off men. She’d become a Westgate and live in an ostentatious mansion where she’d pay people obscene amounts of money to create ridiculous things. Maybe she’d have Ivy do her plant whisperer thing and grow a forest to rival Ferrin’s. That might be more trouble than it was worth. What else could she do? She loved animals. Why not have an animal sanctuary in the house? She could dedicate different floors to different species. And when Ferrin came over she could accidentally lock him in a room with a man-eating polar bear. That thought made her smile.

  Now…what to do about the other man in her life who she wanted to make disappear? Maybe she should call her grandmother and see if she wanted to meet for lunch in Dragon’s Bluff tomorrow. Then she could explain that she didn’t need a babysitter. And yes, it did make her feel like a bit of a loser that there wasn’t a guy who wanted to spend Saturday afternoon with her, but apparently that was her life now. It sucked, and she didn’t want to get used to it. If she bit the bullet and cut ties with Valmont, it’s not like she’d be free to date. He could date Megan or some other human girl who could give him the simple life he wanted. And maybe one day she’d be happy for him, but for now she was stuck in resentment-land because it appeared everyone else was destined to have a happily ever after while she played this weird wife-of-a-Westgate role that left her not-really-married, yet not allowed to date.

  But, dwelling on it would not make the situation better, so she called her grandmother.

  “I think lunch this weekend sounds like a wonderful idea,” her grandmother said.

  “Good. I was hoping to make you see that I don’t need a babysitter. Although I will probably eat large amounts of dessert to cope with my new life.”

  “We can discuss the situation,” her grandmother said. “I think we should drop Valmont off at Fonzoli’s and then you and I can go to Suzette’s. I’ll have two personal guards escort us, so you can speak without him standing behind you.”

  Bryn’s throat grew thick. She tried to keep her voice on an even keel. “Sounds good. Although I can’t imagine an outcome to this situation that doesn’t suck.”

  “The right decision isn’t always the easiest,” her grandmother said, “but I think you’ll feel better once you’ve made a choice. Now I’ll meet you at your room on Saturday at one.”

  “Thanks.” Bryn hung up and went to her room to stare into her armoire. If she picked her clothes out ahead of time, she’d feel better. What to wear? She needed an outfit that projected confidence. Something that showed people she was moving on and had accepted her new life. Something that showed she was ready to leave Valmont behind, even if that was the furthest thing from the truth. No one, including Valmont, needed to know that. And that gave her an idea.

  Bryn did her best to act normal on Friday. She didn’t drag Ivy into the bathroom even once. After their last class, Ivy grabbed Bryn’s arm and dragged her into the bathroom. “What is going on with you today?”

  Okay. Maybe she hadn’t been as convincing as she’d thought. “Am I acting like a pod-person?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Sorry. Meeting with my grandmother tomorrow will give me the perfect opportunity to end things with Valmont, but I’m not sure I can go through with it.”

  “I’m not going to pretend I understand how much this sucks for you, and I’m not sure I can say anything to make it better, but I’m here when you want to talk.”

  Bryn nodded. “Just promise me I won’t be the odd man out. Having Valmont around meant I wasn’t the third wheel, and now…”

  “You’re our friend. Both of ours, so you’re never a third wheel.”

  “Thanks for lying to me,” Bryn laughed.

  “I’m not,” Ivy objected.

  Facts were facts. “Thanks. I plan to eat my weight in cherry pie. Do you want me to bring some back for you?”

  “Sure. If you remember.”

  At quarter til one on Saturday, Bryn checked her reflection in the mirror. The navy cashmere sweater she’d put on felt like a hug, which she needed. The gray pants and black boots looked elegant but not snooty. She wore her elemental sword bracelet and her sapphire earrings since her grandmother had made it clear she deemed jewelry a necessary part of any outfit.

  She emerged from her room to find Valmont sitting on the couch reading a book. He didn’t look up from the page. While she’d love to believe he was caught up in whatever he was reading, odds were he was avoiding her. Should she suggest he pack his belongings? That would start a fight, and it’s not like he had much here.

  A knock on the door sounded. Bryn opened it and found her grandmother and Lillith. “I added one to our lunch date,” her grandmother said, “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  While she was still annoyed at Lillith for telling Valmont they should break the bond, it’s not like she was the one who made him break up with her. “Technically, I think you added two more people, and of course, I don’t mind.”

  Lillith grinned and stroked her belly. “Asher and I appreciate it. We…or at least I am feeling antsy today.”

  Valmont followed behind her as they walked to the SUV, and he stared out the window on the drive to Dragon’s Bluff. When they pulled up to the back door of Fonzoli’s, Bryn said, “Your grandmother knows you’re coming.”

  “What?” He seemed confused.

  “You said you missed your family, so I called your grandmother and told her you were coming to lunch at her house, not the restaurant. The rest of us are going to Suzette’s.”

  Valmont’s eyebrows came together like he was conflicted. Then he glanced at Bryn’s grandmother. “You’re okay with this?”

  “Yes. That’s why we brought two guards. Go enjoy your family.”

  Valmont smiled at Bryn, and it was a smile she hadn’t seen in a while. The one that made his dimple stand out. Her heart clenched, but she smiled back and said, “Go on.”

  “Thank you.” He left the car and jogged up to the back door of his grandmother’s house. It was flung open before he could knock, and his dad was hugging him and pulling him into the house.

  That’s when she knew it was time. Valmont deserved to be happy. And it’s not like she’d be alone. She had her parents back, which seemed like a huge cosmic gift. Her grandparents had turned out to be very dependable. And heaven help her, Jaxon wasn’t all bad. Loving Rhianna had worn off some of his sharper edges. And Lillith was like a big sister or an aunt and Asher would be fun to play with. Ferrin…well she just wouldn’t think about him.

  “Are you all right?” Lillith asked.

  “I will be.” Bryn sat back in her seat. “Bring on the pie.”

 
; “You have to eat a proper meal first,” her grandmother said.

  “Not a problem.”

  As soon as she entered Suzette’s, Bryn realized something strange was going on. Every single female in the place made eye contact with her and either smiled or nodded. Bryn returned the gesture. Would she have to do this all the time?

  “Will this continue?” Bryn asked after they were seated, explaining the new development.

  “What did people do before when you walked into a room?” Lillith asked.

  “Half would say hello, but the other half avoided eye contact, pretended I was invisible, or insulted me,” Bryn said.

  Lillith frowned. “I had no idea.”

  “Apparently, making the marriage contract between Jaxon and me official has taken me off the social pariah list.”

  “I see you’re adjusting to your new situation,” her grandmother said.

  “There are perks, I suppose,” she leaned in. “But I’m drawing the line at a house full of W’s.”

  Lilith giggled and her grandmother grinned. “You will learn to pick your battles.”

  “What battles did you pick?” Would her grandmother respond to the question?

  “Ephram had a fondness for silk flowers because they required so little care. It took me a few months, but I managed to change out all the silk arrangements for real plants.”

  They made pleasant small talk while Bryn worked her way through a plate of beef medallions and two pieces of cherry pie. She could have eaten more, but for the first time she worried about what people would think of her, and she hated that.

  “You want another piece of pie, don’t you?” her grandmother said.

  “I do, but I was trying to be polite,” Bryn said.

  “I’d like a cup of coffee,” her grandmother said, “so why don’t you order another piece.”

  “If you insist.”

  While they waited for the coffee and pie, Bryn wondered how much she should say in front of Lillith. “Can I trust the future daughter-in-law bond will keep you from repeating anything I say here?”