Fantasyland 04 Broken Dove (51 page)

I nodded and he lifted his head but shifted me slightly.

“If you look about the room, you’ll see a woman in a dress not fitting society. Her eyes are on you,” he stated.

I scanned the room and found her.

Her eyes were, indeed, on me.

And I knew, of all of them, she was the one to watch out for.

I looked quickly away, hiding it by taking a sip of champagne.

“Franka,” Apollo said. “Vain. Debauched. Unscrupulous. Calculating. Heartless and tirelessly cruel. Avoid her at all costs, my dove.”

He didn’t have to tell me that. I knew it the instant I laid eyes on her.

“Right,” I murmured.

He moved to stand in front of me so I lifted my eyes to his.

“I must approach Eirik and Valeria but I do not want you at my side when I do.”

“I’ll be okay,” I told him.

He studied me for a moment and his voice was soft when he replied, “I believe you will. I still don’t want you at my side. Ravenscroft is here. He’s an acquaintance I trust. I will leave you with him. Before I do that, I’ll explain I need to have words with Frey’s parents and that I’m loath for them to meet you, but wish to remain close to you.” He dipped his head to mine. “Your appearance, poppy, he’ll understand and take care of you.”

He needed to do what he needed to do and not have me argue about it with him, even though I didn’t want him anywhere near those people without me. So I let it go and nodded.

He took me to Ravenscroft, a tall, slim, dashing older man with kindly eyes who we chatted with briefly before Apollo leaned in and spoke quietly in his ear.

Ravenscroft looked Eirik and Valeria’s way, then back to Apollo. He nodded and turned to me.

“My dear, why don’t we get you something to eat?” he asked.

I looked to the tables filled with food. They were between us and Eirik and Valeria, the perfect spot for us to be occupied doing something it would seem natural to do, but me not being out of eyesight of Apollo while doing it.

“I’d like that,” I said, taking the arm he was offering. “I’m famished.”

Apollo caught my eyes as we moved away and I smiled at him.

His lips curved up, his face got soft and then he looked to the Drakkars and the softness vanished.

I’d lied about being famished, of course. My stomach was in knots. But I did my best not to show it as Ravenscroft (his first name was Norfolk), guided me around the food tables, sharing with me his favorite nibbles, all of which I tried.

And when I did, I decided it sucked my stomach was in knots because if I wasn’t in a creepy castle with icky people all around, I knew I would find them all tasty.

I was thinking that when Norfolk put his hand to my elbow and squeezed.

“Come away,” he whispered urgently, his mouth suddenly at my ear.

I turned to look up at him in surprise, infinitely aware and cautious, as Apollo’s warnings and creepy castles made me be, and his sudden demand concerned me.

My eyes slid to Apollo, who was talking with Eirik (an Eirik who was staring beyond Apollo even though Apollo was speaking to him, and when I glanced, I saw it was at a woman’s décolletage) and Valeria, whose attention was pinpointed on Apollo, her expression giving me a chill.

I looked back at Norfolk, who was putting pressure on my arm.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to remain here,” I told him.

“Then remain close,” he told me, fairly yanking me to his side, his eyes not on me but over my shoulder.

I looked there just as Franka Drakkar murmured a purring, “Norfolk.”

But her eyes were on me.

Oh boy.

Here we go.

I straightened my shoulders.

“Who do we have here?” She kept purring before Norfolk could return her greeting.

“Franka,” Norfolk stated tersely. “This is Lady Madeleine. Madeleine,”—he looked down at me—“I present Franka Drakkar, cousin to Calder.”

“Cousin to The Frey,” she corrected, an edge to her voice, her meaning clear. She had that powerful connection; she was not to be trifled with.

Frey was known as The Frey and The Drakkar. The first meant he commanded the elves, the second, dragons.

In other words, a very powerful connection.

“And cousin to Frey Drakkar,” Norfolk bit out, humanizing Frey and telling her, I guessed, to go fuck herself.

“Lovely to meet you,” I murmured into the exchange, deciding to be rude and not offer my hand.

“Oh, agreed,” she whispered in a way that I could swear sounded suggestive.

“We’re to dance,” Norfolk declared and that was a good gambit to get us away from this obviously vile woman but still, my heart lurched.

I wanted to get away from her but I’d seen the dancing. They weren’t swaying to rock ballads (which I could do, no sweat) or waltzing a basic box step (which I could
try
to do and might have a small chance of not making a fool of myself doing it). No, each dance had steps, some seemed complicated, but it wouldn’t matter because I knew none of them.

Franka’s eyes moved to Norfolk. “But I’ve just met this lovely specimen,” she protested. Her gaze came back and at the wicked look in her dancing eyes, I felt my neck get tight. “Or have I? You seem
very
familiar.”

Bitch.

“She is of Ilsa’s blood,” Norfolk put in curtly.

“
Of
her blood or
is
her blood?” Franka asked, not looking from me, her voice saccharine sweet.

“A distant cousin,” Norfolk stated like he’d rather have acid poured on his skin than continue the conversation but clearly he was momentarily stuck by good(ish) manners as Franka was refusing to let us go.

“Not that distant,” she replied, keeping her gaze glued to me. “Ulfr seems smitten, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at
that.
”

Total
bitch.

“What surprises
me
,” Norfolk started firmly, “is that you’ve noted she has Ulfr’s arm and yet you approach with claws bared. You’re craftier than that, Franka, surely.”

“Oh dear,” she put her hand to her spilling cleavage and I was a girl who figured if you had it, you should flaunt it. That said, you shouldn’t
expose
it. “Have I been rude?”

It was safe to say I was done with this.

“No, you’ve been reckless,” I told her.

But I didn’t stop there.

It was maybe stupid but seriously, my life hadn’t been all that great (until recently) and I didn’t need to put up with catty bullshit. In fact, no one
ever
needed to put up with catty bullshit.

“Yes, I am aware I very closely resemble Apollo’s sadly deceased wife, unfortunately for you, as you clearly wish you could have drawn blood by imparting that wisdom. But as you’ve noted and Ravenscroft confirmed, I have Apollo’s arm. So I must admit, I’m disappointed. I’ve heard a bit about you and thought you were far cleverer than instigating a thinly veiled frontal attack. One I can assure you Apollo won’t need me to inform him of since he’s quite protective of me and is no doubt watching this exchange. And I would suppose you also already know that this exchange is one which will displease him greatly.”

Her expression showed excitement as she tipped her head and asked, “Is that an invitation to instigate a different kind of attack?”

“Do as you wish,” I returned. “However, you should know, I find games tedious and tend not to play them.”

“Now
that
I find unfortunate,” she replied on a venomous grin which stated plainly she didn’t care if I was going to play or not.

She was.

“And
that
I find unsurprising,” I retorted. “You’re obvious. Which means, if I did intend to engage in such diversions, I would hardly choose to do it with you. If you’re going to spend time in such pursuits, it should be worth it, not an easily bested challenge.”

Norfolk’s hand still on my arm squeezed and he let out a strangled noise that sounded like a smothered laugh.

Franka’s eyes narrowed.

“I think you mistake me,” she said.

“I think I don’t and that’s why you’re a disappointment,” I countered. “I had hoped, when you made the approach you so obviously couldn’t wait to make, that this would be much more fun. Instead, it’s been rather boring.”

This time, Norfolk coughed to hide his chuckle and Franka’s eyes turned cold.

“I’ll clarify. It’s a mistake to
underestimate
me,” she stated flat out.

“And it’s a mistake to
threaten
me,” I shot back. “For I have the arm of Ulfr and I’m not averse to calling in reinforcements.”

Franka opened her mouth to speak but Norfolk got there before her.

“I find it’s always best, Franka, when blood has been drawn, to retreat at least long enough to assess the damage.”

Her gaze snapped to him but he wasn’t finished and his voice lowered meaningfully when he did.

“And when you retreat, I urge you to grasp, however belatedly, the fact that you’ve discovered a worthy adversary at the same time realize the she-pup you thought to play with has an alpha who, when a member of his pack is threatened, will not hesitate to tear you apart
with
his teeth
.”

She glared at him for long moments before she sent a cold look to me and turned, gliding away.

“Well done, my dear,” Norfolk said into my ear, moving me from the food tables and positioning us by a wall that was close to Apollo, but not too close.

“Thanks,” I murmured, looking Apollo’s way to see his face stone-cold, his eyes aimed where Franka’s departing back had just been, before they turned to me.

I gave him a grin, a wink and added a finger wave for good measure.

His chin jerked slightly back when I did, even as he blinked.

Then he smiled.

Slowly.

God, seriously, I’d essentially been looking at that face for over a decade and still, seeing it as Apollo, I wondered if I’d ever get used to his beauty.

He turned his attention back to the Drakkars.

I gave mine to Norfolk.

“Thank you for being so…” I tried to find a this world word since I didn’t think he’d get “cool” or “awesome” or at least not the ways I intended them. I settled on, “Lovely.”

“It is my pleasure,” he replied on a smile. “Ulfr is a friend, he is loyal to my cousins, the queen and our Winter Princess, and he is a good man.”

“He is all that,” I affirmed and he chuckled.

But he sobered before he noted, “You seem very used to the reactions to your resemblance to Ilsa.”

“Although I’ve never met her, in the time I’ve been in Lunwyn, it’s become very clear I look exactly like her so I’ve had no choice but to become used to them.”

“I must say, Lady Madeleine, that it’s not uncanny, the resemblance. It’s uncanny, the resemblance that includes the startling differences,” he remarked and I felt my head tip to the side in confusion.

“Would you mind explaining?” I asked.

“Only if this discussion doesn’t offend you,” he answered.

I shook my head so he continued.

“I could not know, I have not been around when Franka and Ilsa were conversing, but, like you, Ilsa would not countenance Franka’s rot. However, she would do that by walking away.”

I wondered briefly if that was the way I should have played it and this was brief because he went on.

“It’s more fun your way.”

I grinned at him and he returned the gesture.

“Have you met my cousin, Lunwyn’s Ice Princess, Sjofn?” he queried.

I shook my head. “No.”

“She will like you,” he told me, patting my hand in the curve of his arm. “Greatly.”

“Awe...” I started, stopped and finished more appropriately, “Well, that’s just grand.”

“Am I to set a course where Kristian cuts off his sister’s allowance?” I heard Apollo ask and I turned when I felt his hand come to rest on the small of my back.

In a sweet changing of the guards, Norfolk uncurled my hand from his elbow but gave it a squeeze before he let it go as he replied, “You may wish to give Franka some time to dress her wounds. Our Lady Madeleine proved her knives are sharper and she has greater skill in using them.”

Apollo looked down at me, his hand gliding along my back so he could curl it around my waist and pull me close. “Indeed?”

“Amateur,” I murmured, and he threw back his head and burst out laughing.

Norfolk added his chuckles.

Apollo stopped laughing and leveled his eyes at Norfolk. “I owe you a debt.”