Sybil swallowed hard. There was no hiding anything from this woman, but how much did she suspect? Was she one of the traditionalists Aleksei had been talking about? Would she still be nice if she knew who Sybil really was?
As Ursula led her down a maze of hallways and steps, she explained some of the history of the castle, from the time it was built by the very first King of the Northern Isles, Hagard I, around 790 A.D. She listened with rapt attention, fascinated at how old everything was, especially compared to the United States.
“I hope I haven’t bored you too much,” Ursula said.
“Oh, not at all. It’s all extremely interesting.”
They stopped at one of the doors. “This is your room.” Ursula opened the door and led her inside. “I hope it’s comfortable.”
Sybil looked around, her eyes growing wide. This room was probably four times the size of her entire apartment in Blackstone and decorated ornately in blues and gold. “It’s amazing. Probably too much.”
Ursula gave her a sly smile. “We don’t use this guest room much, since it is the closest to Prince Aleksei’s private bedroom. His Highness’ room is at the end of the hall and we have no other guests at the moment.” She cleared her throat. “And since His Highness moved to the Crown Prince’s apartments, no one else has used this guest room, or any of the adjoining ones.”
“Oh.” Heat crept up her neck at the implication.
“I’ll have a few dresses sent up to you, Miss Brighton. If you need anything please do give me a call.” She gestured to the phone on the bedside table. “The operator has been instructed to direct your call either to me or His Highness.”
“Thank you, Ms. Andresson.”
“It’s absolutely my pleasure, Miss Brighton.” Ursula bowed her head and gracefully headed toward the door.
As soon as she was alone, Sybil let out the breath she had been holding. Everything had been so different and foreign, and while she was around Aleksei it wasn’t that bad, now that she was alone, it was closing in on her.
It’s all right, she told herself. It’s going to be all right.
Maybe she should have stayed home. She didn’t realize how coming here would complicate things—and her feelings for Aleksei. She knew he was a prince, but there was so much more she was discovering about him. And now that she was in his territory and he was in his element, he seemed much more larger-than-life.
Her emotions were like a freight train she couldn’t stop. And yet, she wasn’t sure she wanted them to.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Come in,” she called. The door opened and two women came in, dragging two racks filled with dresses in all colors and fabrics.
“Miss Brighton,” one of them said, “My name is Ulla. I’ll be assisting you in getting ready.”
“Hello, Ulla, nice to meet you,” she said, then turned to the other woman. “And you are?”
The young woman blushed, then covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes darting over to Ulla.
“You must excuse Brigitta,” Ulla said. “She is not confident in her English speaking skills yet, but she can understand it.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. “What language do you speak here? Is it Norwegian? Swedish?”
“Our native language is called Nordgensprak,” Ulla said. “But really, it is a mix of Swedish and Finnish, with a bit of Icelandic. However, King Harald adopted English as an official language about ten years ago and so our school system has been trying to teach it and we have been integrating it into our day to day lives.”
“Interesting.” No wonder Aleksei had been sent to school in England; his father probably saw the usefulness of the language.
“If I may, Miss Brighton,” Ulla gestured to the racks, “I’ve brought a few outfits for you to try, but would you allow me to suggest you some?”
Sybil’s eyes glossed over all the dresses. Growing up, she’d never really been a fashionista type and she was glad for the help. “Yes, please.”
“We don’t have much time.” Ulla spoke a few words to Brigitta, and the other woman nodded and then took out a train case. “But we will do our best.”
Sybil hoped that whatever the Royal Family was paying Ulla and Brigitta, it was enough. They were miracle workers; or rather, fairy godmothers, as she felt like Cinderella. They tried on a few dresses, but finally settled on an outfit. At first glance, the blue-green dress seemed plain, with a scoop neckline and sleeves that came down to her elbows. But, it was backless and showed off the smooth skin and the delicate line of her spine. The mermaid skirt hugged her hips and showed off her ass. Brigitta styled her hair to one side and held it with jeweled clips to show off her back, and applied just a touch of makeup, saying a few soft words in a lilting tone.
“Brigitta says that you don’t need a lot of makeup,” Ulla translated. “You have beautiful skin and features.”
“Thank you … I mean, tack,” Sybil answered, remembering the word for thank you.
The two women excused themselves as soon as they finished, and had left about fifteen minutes ago. It was nearly time for her to meet King Harald, and she was a bundle of nerves. What would he be like? She imagined someone cold or formal. Aleksei had only mentioned his father casually, but nothing about what he was like. She wished that they had spoken more; even if King Harald hated the thought that she was a Lennox, she could have at least prepared herself.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and she recognized Aleksei’s voice call her name. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered and she wrapped an arm around her middle, trying to calm down. With a deep breath, she opened the door.
“Hi.” She kept her eyes cast downward, looking up slowly until she looked up at his face. Aleksei looked especially handsome in his black tux, and with his long hair brushed and tied back. His jaw was freshly shaven and she got a whiff of cologne mixed in with his natural scent. Her mouth felt dry and her knees wobbled at the sight of him. Her dragon too, was pleased.
Mine. Mate.
“You look beautiful.” The timbre of his voice sent her nerves tingling and she could feel the heat of his gaze. His hand reached for her, then, much to her surprise, he drew it back. “We should go, my father is waiting,” he said in a clipped tone.
“Oh, right.” Aleksei was acting weird. Maybe he was as nervous as she was? That was it.
He stepped aside to let her pass, and when she turned her back to him, she heard him let out a breath and mutter something unintelligible. Even without looking at him, she knew he saw her bare back and she felt some satisfaction at the reaction she had elicited from him.
She took two steps forward, then turned her head and smiled. “Are you coming?”
His shoulders straightened. “Yes. Of course.”
They walked side by side, though Aleksei didn’t make a move to guide her with a hand on her lower back, as he usually did. In fact, he stayed about a foot away from her and he didn’t say a word; instead, his face was drawn into a scowl.
Sybil was pretty sure she had showered beforehand, so that wouldn’t be why he was keeping his distance. Hmm. Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t even remember the last time he had touched her. Maybe when they held hands as they passed through the magical veil. At one point during the flight, he had leaned over and she thought he was going to kiss her. And before that, there was that kiss. That soul-searing, aching kiss that made her toes curl just thinking about it. He said he wanted her, and that it didn’t matter if she was a virgin. Then he brought her here and put her up in the room next to his, but now he was acting like she had some kind of disease.
And they said women sent mixed signals.
“We are here,” Aleksei announced as they stopped in front of an ornate wooden door. Two men—whom she recognized as Stein and either Gideon or Niklas—stood on either side of the door. Neither moved nor acknowledged them as Aleksei opened the door and stepped in.
There was a small drawing room on the other side, and there was a man
standing there. For a second, she was confused as this man was too young to be Aleksei’s father.
“Hello, Erik,” Aleksei said. “May I introduce you to my cousin, Prince Erik. Erik, this is Sybil.”
“Nice to meet you, Sybil.”
Sybil could see the similarities between the cousins, though Erik had dark hair and brown eyes as opposed to Aleksei’s more fair features. Obviously, Erik was a dragon as well, though his animal wasn’t as dominant as Aleksei’s or even any of the Dragon Guard. He was handsome in that conventional way, she supposed, though his easy smile put her at ease.
“Lovely to meet you as well, Your Highness.”
“Erik is aware of the situation,” Aleksei said. “We’d spoken before I came to fetch you.”
“Your secret is safe with me, Miss ‘Brighton’,” he said.
“Father is eager to meet you.” Aleksei nodded to the door on the other side of the waiting room. “We should go before he storms out here and demands to have a look at you.”
Sybil followed Aleksei and Erik inside. Like the rest of the palace, this room was just as richly decorated and ornate. Her gaze immediately went to the tall figure standing by the window, his back facing them.
“Father,” Aleksei called as they neared. “May I present, Miss Sybil Lennox.”
He turned around and Sybil felt her heart stop for a second. She could see where Aleksei got his looks from—he was the splitting image of his father. King Harald was the same height and broad like his son, with the same light brown hair, albeit cut short and had streaks of gray at the temple.
“My dear Miss Lennox.” The wrinkles at the corner of his eyes deepened as his face broke into a grin. “I’ve been eager to meet you.”
Sybil curtsied. “Your Majesty.” She’d practiced a few times with Ulla and Brigitta and they assured her that she was doing it correctly. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“The situation that has brought you so suddenly is a terrible one.” He took her hand and brought her up. “But I assure you, you are most welcome here.”
As she looked up at his blue-green eyes, she couldn’t help but feel the power of his dragon. It wasn’t quite the same as Aleksei’s, but just as strong, maybe even more. Perhaps because he wasn’t just alpha, but also King. “Thank you just the same.”
His eyes searched hers, as if assessing her. “My, my … extraordinary.” He looked at Aleksei. “Is she really your—”
“Yes, Father.” He cleared his throat. “But perhaps we can talk about other things.”
“For now.” His eyes sparkled. “I hope you’re comfortable with your accommodations? And that you have everything you need?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Everyone I’ve met has been kind and extremely helpful, especially Ursula, Ulla, and Brigitta.” She hoped that helped the last two women score some points with the king.
“I’m glad we have a few minutes alone before dinner,” King Harald said. “My son has informed me of the background story you have come up with. I assure you that you will be safe from our enemies here, I guarantee it personally, but perhaps to prevent tongues from wagging, it would be best we keep with that story, for now at least.” He lowered his voice. “Of course, you are free to do as you please, in private—”
“Father.” Aleksei’s tone was warning, but not impertinent.
“What?” King Harald said, then wiggled his eyebrows at his son in a very un-royal way. This made Aleksei sigh deeply and roll his eyes. Sybil suspected they were doing that mental link thing. Curiosity pricked at her, wondering what they were saying to each other. Erik, on the other hand, flashed her a meaningful smile.
“Let’s not keep our guests waiting, Father,” Aleksei said.
“All right,” he sighed deeply. “Perhaps tomorrow I shall arrange a private tour of the estates for you, my dear.” He turned to his son. “Let’s get on with it, shall we?”
King Harald walked ahead of them, and as he passed by the two guards, Stein followed behind. As Sybil tried to walk ahead of Aleksei, she felt a hand on her arm.
“Excuse me, Miss Brighton.” Based on the soft, polite tone, Sybil guessed this was Gideon. “Protocol dictates that Prince Erik, then Prince Aleksei shall enter the dining room first, followed by His Majesty, The King.”
“Gideon will show you to the dining room,” Aleksei said. “Do not worry, I had Ursula place you next to me.”
Gideon’s eyebrow shot up, which Aleksei answered with a glare. The other man looked like he wanted to protest, but bowed.
Sybil knew they were definitely doing the mind link thing. “Anything to share with the class, gentlemen?” she said in a sarcastic tone.
“Apologies,” Aleksei said. “But, if you don’t mind, we really must go.”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Is the food not to your liking, Miss Brighton?” Jarl Einer Solveigson asked.
Sybil looked up to her right as she pushed her potatoes around her plate. “It’s fine, My Lord. I’m just tired from the long trip.”
“Perhaps she is one of those Americans who don’t eat carbs,” a cutting voice said from across the table. “How wasteful.”
Sybil’s head whipped toward the speaker. Lady Vera Solveigson smiled back at her, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. In fact, from the way she bared her teeth, she looked downright feral. For a moment, Sybil wondered if she really was human.
Jarl Solveigson let out a forced laugh. “Oh, my dear daughter, such a comedian.” He seemed almost nervous as his gaze darted toward Aleksei. “I’m sure Miss Brighton is just not used to such new things.”
“As a foreigner, I’m sure she’s not used to many things around here,” Vera added.
Sybil wondered what the punishment was for wringing someone’s neck during dinner in the Northern Isles. It probably wasn’t kosher, but she’d been wanting to do it all night, ever since she met Lady Vera.
When Gideon brought her to the dining room, Ursula had a footman escort her to her chair, which was right beside Aleksei’s, but to her surprise, it was already occupied. The pretty young woman sitting on the chair smiled up at her innocently and pointed to the place card in front of her that said “Lady Vera Solveigson.” Meanwhile, the card with Sybil’s name was across the table, one chair down.
The footman looked appalled and apologized, and asked her to wait for a moment, muttering under his breath. Sybil didn’t realize this at the time, but there was some sort of protocol involved with the seating, plus the poor young man obviously didn’t want to cause a scene. The head butler came out a minute later, looking cool as a cucumber, but his tightly fisted hands showed his frustration.
“It appears that one of my staff has made a mistake with the placement of the name cards, Lady Vera,” the butler had said. “My deepest apologies.”
“Oh?” Vera batted her eyes and placed a hand over her heart. “You really must train them better then. Perhaps you should have the man sacked.”
“I shall certainly speak with them, but Lady Vera—”
“Yes?” Vera had leaned back in her chair and made herself comfortable.
“You must … I mean …”
Sybil had sensed the butler’s frustration. This really wasn’t worth all the fuss. “It’s all right, Mr.—”
“Birgir, ma’am. Just Birgir.” Though his face remained impassive, she could sense his distress.
“Birgir, then.” She smiled at him, trying to put him at ease. “I’m sure my seat is fine.” She gave a fake shiver. “It’s quite cold in here and I’m looking forward to being warm by the fire.” She nodded at her place, which was nearer to the fireplace. “Thank your staff for being so sensitive to my needs.” And with that, she had taken her seat.
Sybil had a bad feeling about the whole thing, but she didn’t know how correct her instincts were. Now, it was plain as day: Lady Vera had switched her place cards so that she could be seated next to Aleksei, not Sybil. And to make matters worse, she had
to watch from across the table as Vera flirted shamelessly with Aleksei during the dinner, laughing at his jokes, hanging on to every word, and even giving him touches here and there.
Mine. Mate. Her dragon seethed, and the fire was building inside her again. Maybe she wouldn’t wring Vera’s neck, but instead toss a fireball at her perfectly styled long blonde hair.
Not that Aleksei minded, a voice inside her said. Aleksei didn’t say anything when he walked in and saw he was sitting down next to Vera. Instead, he was perfectly calm, standing and waiting as his father’s arrival was announced, before sitting down for the dinner service. He even alternated speaking with her, his father, Erik—who sat on King Harald’s left—and Jarl Solveigson, who was seated beside Erik. There were also a few other people dining with them, mostly minor ministers and their wives. According to Ursula, it was not a state dinner, which is why they were in the more private King’s Dining Room; but rather, a formal meal that the king sometimes had to keep the nobles and politicians happy.
Erik turned to face her. “I’m sure Miss Brighton will soon enjoy everything the Northern Isles has to offer.” He gave her a saucy wink, one that no one else saw.
“We don’t get many outsiders here.” Vera narrowed her eyes. “Why are you visiting here again, Miss Brighton?”
“She was traveling with her brother, Liam. Then they were supposed to come here together.” Finally, Aleksei acknowledged she existed, albeit indirectly. “But he was delayed on business and my friend urged that she continue on with their planned trip to visit. I was happy enough to accommodate one of my dearest and oldest friends.”
Sybil took a sip of her wine and swallowed the bitter liquid. “Right. Just doing a friend a favor.”
King Harald cleared his throat. “That was an excellent dinner, was it not?” He stood up, which sent everyone scrambling up from their seats. “I invite you all to coffee, digestifs, and other refreshments in the drawing room. Unfortunately, I have an early day tomorrow and I will be retiring. But please, don’t let my absence stop you from enjoying what we have to offer.” He said a few more words in Nordgensprak, then strode out of the dining room, Stein and Gideon following right behind him.
The Blackstone She-Dragon: Blackstone Mountain Book 8 Page 14