Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

Be in the Know: When To Summon Your Rage Support Squad

From A Beginner's Guide to Berserker Bliss

Author Unknown

A soft patter of footsteps sounded as the girl ran into his arms. I watched, transfixed, as Callen lifted her off her feet. The two embraced as if they hadn't seen each other for months, whispering and chuckling together, presenting a glorious picture of love and family.

Homesickness threatened to choke me. Would I ever enjoy a reunion with my parents?

"Who's she?" the little girl asked, pointing at me. Safe in the arms of her father, she rested her head on his shoulder and stared at me with those icy baby blues. And what a stare it was! Direct. Unwavering. Unnerving, really.

Callen kissed his daughter's brow, love all but shining from his pores. How tender he was with her. How reverent. She was clearly his greatest treasure.

No way he'd harmed this girl's mother. Callen Bruce would rather die than hurt his baby girl.

The same couldn't be said of his feelings for his wife. "This is Isobel." His lips flattened as though the introduction tasted bitter.

"The shrew you were forced to marry?" Asked with an innocent, curious tone. No doubt she'd only repeated what she'd heard others say.

I laughed with genuine amusement, and both father and daughter studied me. The first with surprise. The latter with burgeoning curiosity. I hiked my shoulders. "What? It's funny."

"I married her, yes," he said with a sigh. "You may call her Isobel."

"The shrew prefers Elle," I piped up, holding my book against my chest. "You must be Mirren." The six-year-old girl I'd heard almost nothing about. "I'm so happy to meet you."

Mimicking her dad, she heaved a sigh. "We're never goin' to be friends, so you can stop tryin'. You'll die soon, anyway. Everyone does."

Oookay. I glanced at Callen, whose tough fa?ade developed cracks. Those cracks revealed…what was that? Devastation? I gulped but rallied fast, flashing an all-is-well schoolteacher smile at Mirren. "You're right that everyone dies. Even people who shouldn't." A lesson I'd learned at my father's passing. "That's why we should live our best life while we can. For me, that means winning you over because I like you already."

For some reason, my attention returned to my supposed husband. His lips compressed into a thin line. Had I said the wrong thing? Or oh so right?

"My apologies," an unfamiliar voice announced from the doorway. Soft and hesitant, sweet and feminine.

I pivoted to find a young woman had joined us. My eyes widened. She looked like the woman I'd seen in photos on Callen's computer. Sorcha, the missing live-in girlfriend. The newcomer wasn't Sorcha, though, but a more subdued version of her. Mirren's aunt, I'd guess.

His expression returned to one of indulgence as he nodded at the newcomer. "Hello, Gavina." His voice even dipped with affection. And I wasn't envious. I wasn't!

She smiled shyly at him. "Hello, Callen." Her gaze darted to me, and the color drained from her cheeks. "I mean Mr. Bruce. I mean Sir. I'm happy to see you again, but in a completely innocent way. Before I forget, we ate peas, as suggested. Well, a pea. We split it. It was the only bargain the little sugar would agree to."

Her reaction to him aroused my curiosity. I glanced from one adult to the other. Did the two have something going on? Was it Gavina who'd called me a shrew? Did she double as Callen's lover?

I pressed my nails against the cover of my book. If he kept a mistress, I would…I'd…argh! I didn't know.

After Callen and Mirren discussed the bravery she'd displayed when she'd choked down the pea half, I focused on Gavina. "Hello. I'm Elle. The wife. Also known as the shrew."

Callen cast a frown in my direction.

"What?" I asked, spreading my arms. "Did I misspeak?"

"My tutor, Miss Hanes, called you a shrew," Mirren informed me. "Gavina said you've had a hard life, and that I've got to be nice to you. But there's no reason to be nice, since you're gonna die and all. That's what always happens to Daddy's girlfriends."

"Fire the tutor," Callen snapped at Gavina.

Exactly how many girlfriends had died? And did he just stand up for me?

The other woman paled again, her features twisting with horror. "Aye, of course. I should've fired her already. You both have my sincerest apologies," she rasped, glancing between Callen and me. "Our sweet Mirren has been obsessed with death ever since—well. Never mind."

Ever since her mother's death? My chest tightened. Yeah, I could understand that.

"I'm Gavina Barron, Mirren's aunt. So lovely to meet you at last." The beauty nodded at me before turning to the little girl. "Mirren, honey, we talked about this." She closed in on father and daughter and held out her arms. "Come on. Your da has work to do."

"I'm stayin'." Mirren angled away from her aunt, clinging to a man she clearly adored. "No bargains. That's final!"

"Leave her with me." Callen kissed his daughter's brow.

"Aye, sir." Gavina shrunk into herself, as if she'd been rebuked.

The schoolteacher in me yearned to jump in and take over; the circumstances kept me silent. Every family lived by their own set of rules. Between mortals, I could navigate the different dynamics. But what did I know about berserker families or their regulations, traditions and laws?

"That isn't my sweet Mira I hear throwing such a ferocious temper tantrum is it?"

A new voice sounded from the doorway, but this one I recognized. Jamison Stewart. AKA Handsome. He entered the office, looking nothing like the man I'd met at the wedding reception. Before he'd worn a suit. Today, he'd dressed in Tavish's original style. Black T-shirt and leather pants paired with scuffed combat boots. Metal jewelry adored his wrists and fingers.

"Prince Jamie!" Mirren squealed with happiness and wiggled to get down.

Prince? As in a brother to Callen, like Roderick?

"You know you're not supposed to use his title in public, Mir." With a wry smile, Callen complied with his daughter's wishes, putting her on her feet.

I filed away the newest bit of confirmation.

"Mr. Jamie!" the girl called, rushing over to leap into the other man's arms. He caught her and spun her around, and the two laughed.

Gavina performed a curtsy, her eyes lowered and her cheeks pink. "It's an honor to see you again, Mr. Stewart."

"And you as well, Gavina." With ten levels of disdain, he tossed a stiff nod my way, his good humor erased. "Mrs. Bruce."

Man, I'd thought my confidence bulletproof, but hit after hit of rejection could really give a gal a complex.

"Stay with Gavina, sweetheart." Jamison carried the girl to her aunt and handed her over. "I must speak with your da for a bit." He glanced at me. "In private."

Though pouting, Mirren allowed Gavina to whisk her out of the office.

I stayed put.

Callen's electric blues leveled on me. "Go with them and remember my rules." Any hint of softness had evaporated. "Behave."

Did the king and prince plan to discuss Tavish? I sooo wanted to listen in, but considering my own treachery, I shouldn't make waves right now. But that didn't mean I should accept troublesome behaviors. Until I made my escape, I had to live with this man. Best not to tolerate too much alphaness.

"I make no promises," I said and blew him a kiss.

A muscle tick migrated from under his eye to his jaw. In other words, my work here was done. Head high, I strolled off, bringing the book with me.

Only a few steps outside the office, I picked up an entourage of two. Buzz and Ponytail claimed their spots, one in front of me, the other behind. They herded me down a twisting hallway and into a sitting area. We passed many other guards along the way. Had they come with Jamie?

"Thanks for the assist, guys." I scanned my new surroundings. Standard waiting room decor. Potted plants. Easily forgettable framed artwork on the wall, not a heart-ripping in sight. Serviceable couch and armchair that didn't invite any lingering.

What wasn't standard? The armed guards standing throughout, some positioned against the wall, staring straight ahead, others peering out the windows, on the hunt for approaching intruders. Gavina and Mirren occupied a plush leather couch. The doll rested in Mirren's lap as she pretended to read from an upside-down book.

Pass up this opportunity to learn more about her and this life? No. I eased into the chair across from the couch. "When you finish your book, we can get to know each other," I suggested.

"No, thanks," Mirren replied, not even bothering to glance up. "I have other plans."

Gavina winced and turned the book around. "She means you no harm, Mrs. Bruce. She's had a tough day. First Mr. Bird failed to show up for our morning tea, then there was the bathroom incident. "

The little girl's lips parted. "You promised not to tell that part."

Another cringe from Gavina. "My apologies, dear heart."

Bathroom incident? Been there. "Please, call me Elle," I invited Mirren. I understood the little girl's problem with me in a way Gavina might not. My mother had started dating a year after my dad's death, and in my immaturity, I'd been gutted. I'd lashed out in ways that now embarrassed me. "What's your book about?"

"Stuff." Giving a huff, Mirren stood and strode to the other side of the room, where she sank into the only extra plush chair that might have been made especially for her. Blue fabric with pink and yellow flowers.

Message received. I wasn't welcome. Which I totally understood as well. To Mirren, I was the stranger who'd married her father. She feared losing his affections and hoped to protect herself. Considering Isobel's awful personality, I should probably encourage distance between us. But dang it, I had a heart. And questions.

Did berserkers have more than one fated mate? How were Callen and Jamie related?

"Elle is a lovely name," Gavina offered, hesitant but smiling.

She was the first person to use the nickname, and I appreciated her for it. "Has Mirren been living with you?"

"She has." Gavina fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "I've enjoyed every moment. Well, almost every moment. The cryin' episodes when Mr. Bird doesn't show up…" She shuddered.

I'd dealt with many a crying episode in class. "Mr. Bird? "

She laughed and cringed simultaneously. "Any blue jay who visits our feeder."

The cozy mystery lover in me put a couple of clues together. Gavina seemed to more than tolerate my company. She'd even defended me to the little girl. Which meant she'd never had the displeasure of meeting Isobel. There was a good chance she hadn't heard any gossip either. That could mean Gavina was kept closeted away, cut off from the rest of the world.

Was she a berserker's prisoner, same as me? Did she even know about berserkers? Did the child? For that matter, was Mirren a berserker?

"I live here in the city, a few streets over," she continued, "so Callen comes by before and after work to eat snacks and dinner with us. He's able to take her to and from school as well."

Ah. Okay. No wonder he'd been absent from the castle so often. The question was, why did he ever eat breakfast at the castle at all? In hopes of bumping into his new wife?

Why did the thought intrigue me? "What grade is she in?"

The other woman double blinked, as if I'd said something I shouldn't.

As Isobel, heck, as a stepmother, should I have known the answer? "Callen has shared so little with me," I explained. An undeniable truth.

"Well. She attends the Academy, so there are no grades, only tracks. Mirren is advanced for her age. She shows an aptitude for the arts, so the bulk of her studies are focused in that direction."

"Oh yes. The Academy." A school for the offspring of immortals? "I love focus driven programs for children, encouraging their strengths and talents." Had always wished to incorporate more of that into my curriculum. Alas. The school system resisted my efforts, focusing more on assessment-based education. "Did you and Sorcha attend the Academy?"

She hooked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh, yes. Though I admit I'm envious that your father had you schooled at home."

Good tidbit. "You didn't like the Academy?"

Gavina's gaze darted. "I received a wonderful education, but I think someone with my experiences would've done better in a softer environment."

So badly I wanted to probe. Should I? Getting personal and making a lifelong friend wasn't my main objective here. "Were you taught by–you know?"

"You know?" she asked, clearly confused.

I had to actually say it out loud? Very well. Leaning toward her, I whispered, "Berserkers."

Her brow wrinkled. "Bee workers?"

Help me . "Ber-ser-kers," I said with more emphasis.

"Ohhh. Berserkers," she echoed without moderating her volume. "You mean the sentinels." She gazed at me, shy and sympathetic, looking as if she required a hug. "Many of the instructors were sentinels, yes."

Sentinels, hmm? Kind of sounded like a sports team. "Have you ever seen one lose control?"

The color drained from her cheeks, and she shuddered. "Oh, yes. A gruesome sight I hope to never encounter again."

Worse than what I could suddenly imagine? Men ripping each other apart with their bare hands. Blood spurting here and there. Gore everywhere. I waited for her to continue, but the woman who'd waxed poetic over peas clammed up .

"How often do sentinels erupt? What sets them off?" Slow down. "I mean, you might know something I don't."

"Oh. Well. They usually only erupt, as you call it, when anythin' they consider theirs is threatened. That's why times of war are so dangerous."

Did I dare ask more questions? How far could I push this before someone suspected soul switching? Would anyone suspect soul-switching? How common was the practice, considering the harshness of the consequences?

"I see," I said, nodding. "Tell me more about you. I'm fascinated."

A morose exhalation seeped from her. "The women in my mother's clan are raised so different from those of Clan Bruce. But donna worry," she rushed to assure me. "With Mirren, I'm adhering strictly to Callen's customs."

"That's, um, good to know." What customs? How many clans were there? And how did they vary? "I'm sure you're doing an amazing job with Mirren."

"I love having her." Gavina pressed a hand over her heart, so graceful. "She's a bright light of my life. Being with her helps me feel close to my sister again."

"That's wonderful." A moment of communion passed between us, and oh, how I'd missed this. The love and support of family and friends. "How's Mirren doing in school?"

"Struggling, honestly," Gavina said, whispering now. Concern dripped from each word. "She has trouble with reading. Nothing I've done has helped."

Hmm. Maybe I didn't need to keep my distance. In this area, I excelled.

Callen and Jamie strode into the room before I could work up a good strategy, and the space immediately shrank. They were just so big. If muscles were gold, I'd be inside a treasure chest right now.

I cleared my throat. Not that I was admiring the physique of either male. The pair weren't my type, and both scowled at me, deducting multiple points from their hotness scale.

"Da!" Mirren called, and both men blanked their expressions. They went from angry to neutral in a nanosecond.

Aaah. So that wasn't something Callen did to keep me in the dark about his emotions. It was a berserker thing. Meant to protect their fragile womenfolk?

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you leaving?" Radiating concern, Mirren popped to her feet and ran to her father. As before, he caught her in his arms. "I'm not ready to say goodbye yet," she cried, clinging to him.

"I'm not saying goodbye." He held her close.

"You're not?" Slowly, she raised her head. Tears glistened on her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her wrists. "I get to spend the day here?"

Oh, wow. Okay. That one hit me straight in the feels.

"Nay, love." His gaze flicked to me and lingered for a single heartbeat. "You're moving into the castle with me. Aunt Gavina, too."

Mirren brightened. "I get to live with you again? You mean it?"

"I always mean what I say."

"You really do." She hugged him tight. "Oh, Da! I'm so happy!"

And the hits kept coming. Why would a father as loving and considerate as Callen marry someone like Isobel, simply because she calmed him? A berserker's temper must be something fearsome and terrible indeed.

How had Callen known Isobel was his fated?I'd wondered before, but now I craved the answer.

Gavina's eyes went round as saucers. "Of course I'll move into your home, majesty. I mean, Mr. Bruce." Complexion pinkening, she bowed her head. "Whatever you request, I will do."

Why the new change in direction? Tavish? Or had something else happened? If not for Mirren, I would've asked, but I didn't wish to frighten the little girl with talk of war.

Callen didn't face me again as he kissed his daughter's temple and passed her to Gavina. "The two of you will wait for me in the car. There's something I must discuss with Isobel before we join you. But you have nothing to fear, all right? Magnus will be with you the entire time."

A big ox of a man with red hair and a bushy beard stepped forward. Magnus, no doubt.

I licked my lips. Oh, yes. Something more had happened. Had Callen learned of Isobel's body-swap betrayal?

"Why would I fear?" Mirren asked, truly confused.

"Exactly." He gave her cheek a playful pat before nodding to Magnus, who led the women out of the office. Callen and Jamison shared a look before the prince took off, leaving me alone with the king of berserkers.

Wringing my fingers together, I asked, "What's going on?"

"You want money. Verra well. You'll get the money." He pinned me with his gaze and took a step closer. "But in return, you'll give Gavina your bedroom and be kind to our guests, without exception. "

My heart raced. Okay. He hadn't learned about the betrayal. Yet. "How much money? Never mind. Twenty thousand pounds, and a day of horseback riding, and we've got a deal."

He blinked. "No riding. But I will give you the twenty thousand pounds."

Dang it! Why wouldn't he take me out on those horses?

"You agree to my bargain, then?" he asked. "Without protest?"

"Why would I protest something I'd do for free?" I liked both Gavina and Mirren. "I'm happy to take a spare bedroom."

"Nay, lass," he replied, his irises glinting. "For the foreseeable future, you'll be staying in mine."