Page 45 of The Kraken Bride

I pressed a hand to my belly. Time to focus on the bad. “What happens if all three layers of the dome fail?”

His features darkened. “Everything we know will be destroyed, never to be repaired.”

Well. That certainly hit like a concrete block. The sooner we defeat the primordial, the better. “We have three days until the convergence. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to prove successful.”

For some reason, my reminder erased his teasing edge, welcoming the return of his fury. “Já. Three days.” He stood, unfolding slowly. “For your protection, you will remain in this room, be at my side, or with Gunnar. Day and night.”

I frowned. Sharing a bed, when nothing had been decided between us? “Our rooms are connected. There’s no reason to relocate me.”

“I’ve already moved your clothes into my closet.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “Let me have this, Brona. I… need it.”

My eyes widened. For a warrior like him, used to needing nothing and no one, that kind of admission cost him greatly. “Ja,” I rasped. “I’ll move in with you.”

Relief glittered in his eyes as he turned toward the door. “Gunnar will collect you in one hour and escort you straight to me. There’s kingdom business to attend to.” At the threshold, he paused only long enough to say, “If you need me for anything, just call my name. I’ll come.” Then he was gone.

That man… oh, that man. I climbed to my feet and padded barefoot to the bathroom, pleased to find no lingering soreness. But oh, my stars. The en suite rivaled the bedchamber in size and austerity, carved from the same dark stone, its surfaces smoothed to a near-glass sheen. Veins of deep blue mineral traced the walls and floor, glowing faintly, as if the stone had trapped the light.

A massive bathing area dominated the far side of the room, enclosed by crystal panels etched with swirling sea patterns. Inside it, twin shower heads were mounted opposite each other, forged from blackened metal. Functional yet commanding.

I stripped and entered the stream, hot water relaxing my muscles. Puddles collected briefly at my feet before vanishing into narrow channels carved into the floor. The faint echo of flowing currents hummed through the room, a melody I quite enjoyed.

How I longed to dance to it. Not that I was foolish to attempt a routine on such a slick floor. But maybe later, I could sneak away from Sebastian long enough to use the barre in my room. My old room.

Nerves fluttering, I used the toiletries neatly arranged on a stone counter. His and mine side by side. A sight that momentarily scrambled my wits. He hadn’t tucked my things away or set them apart. He’d mingled them with his own, as if my presence here wasn’t temporary or negotiable.

Dazed, I finished the shower, wrapped myself in a huge, warm towel as soft as clouds, and entered the closet. Sure enough, my new gowns hung alongside his suits and battle gear. Silk and steel sharing the same space.

I… liked it.

“Halló, halló,” a familiar voice called. “Princess Bronwyn? I brought breakfast.”

Soley. I smiled despite my worries. “In the closet,” I called back. Befriending a servant went against Adelaide’s advice: Many are trusted confidants. Some are spies. A few are both. Be nice, but always keep an inner distance.

Maybe I was being reckless, but in the moment I didn’t care. Soley had offered me friendship from the moment we’d met. “I could use your help to pick something to wear,” I told her. “I’m not sure what I’m about to do with the king, only that it’s quote unquote kingdom business.”

She swept inside, already grinning. “I’ve seen Freyja’s schedule.” Her gaze flicked over the racks. “I know exactly what message we want to send to the kraken.”

Chapter

Fourteen

The first warning means you’re already in the danger zone.

–An Incomplete Guide to Kraken Survival

Istood in an antechamber leading to another antechamber that led to the throne room, not yet ready to come face to face with Sebastian. Gunnar towered behind me, holding my music box.

Only days ago, I’d gathered near here as ambassador after ambassador filed inside to meet the kraken king. Oh, how things had changed, and so quickly too. I’d been so nervous to face Sebastian then and discover the depths of our connection.

The man could still make me nervous, but also breathless with a look, unravel my common sense with a smile, and leave my dragon curious if fire and water could mix. They certainly had in the ocean, amid battle.

This next encounter was a hinge point. How we would be going forward.

The gown Soley had chosen fit as if woven in my dreams, structured at the shoulders, fluid through the hips, the fabric dark as deep water and shot through with subtle ember-thread that caught the light when I moved. Strength, not softness. Grace, rather than fragility. The kind of elegance that suggested I could dance or decapitate without requiring a wardrobe change.

Soley had also braided my hair back from my face, the style severe enough to bare my throat, but intricate enough to demand a second glance. No jewels weighed me down.

A clock announced the hour. “Shall we continue on to the king?” Gunnar asked. “Your hour expired with the chime. Any second, I expect to hear roaring.”