Broken Dove

by Kristen Ashley

  “You’ll get used to it,” Finnie said, and I looked to her.

  “Easy for you to say,” I returned on a smile. “You spend most of your time on a galleon having adventures on the high seas. Who cares if a galleon goes fast? You’re having adventures on the high seas.”

  “I’ve sat often enough in a sleigh to get you,” she replied.

  I figured she did so I said nothing.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll make Fyngaard and the Winter Palace and we won’t see a sleigh for, oh, I don’t know, at least three days,” Finnie went on.

  “It isn’t much,” I mumbled. “But it’s something.”

  “You also get to meet Cora and Tor,” Circe added. “Lahn told me they’re already there, Valentine with them, casting enchantments or…whatever.”

  At least there was meeting Cora (the real one) and Tor to look forward to.

  “The dream team unites,” I murmured.

  Circe grinned at me before she grinned at Finnie.

  At this point, Meeta collapsed on the couch beside me (but she did it far more elegantly than I did, I was certain).

  Watching her do it, it occurred to me that Meeta had been within spitting distance of me any time she could since we left Karsvall.

  Then again, she was Spock to my Kirk. That was where she was supposed to be.

  Not to mention, the last time we took a road trip, things got extreme.

  Once settled, she muttered, “If I sit my arse in another one of those contraptions and glide through the frost that settles in the bones never again in my life, I will be content.”

  At her words, I burst out laughing.

  Obviously, we were on our way to Fyngaard to attend the Bitter Gales. All of us. Apollo’s men. Frey’s men. And Lahn’s men. The only ones who weren’t there were Lavinia and Valentine. They were off on unexplained magical errands seeing to the safety of two continents.

  The good news about this was that I got to wear another awesome gown and attend a ball where intrigue was afoot (and the gown I’d been fitted for for the Bitter Gales was not just awesome, it was awesome).

  The bad news about this was that Fyngaard was a two week’s ride away from Karsvall and I was d-o-n-e done with sleigh rides.

  Sure, at first, they seemed great.

  But after you’d spent a bazillion hours in a sleigh, not so much.

  On this thought, Tunahn, who was cavorting on the floor, grabbed hold of my skirt and tugged hard (and cavorting for Tunahn included finding ways to get into trouble, thus earning a scolding from his mother, a scolding he would ignore for the instant she set him down again, he’d merrily go about his business finding another way to get into trouble).

  Since he was freaking strong and his tug was misshaping the knit of my skirt, I bent forward, snatched him up and held his heavy, squirming, big boy baby body in front of me.

  I looked into his eyes and shared, “It’s rude to pull a woman’s skirt.”

  His response was to curl his fingers into the low square neckline of my gown and yank it out.

  I cuddled him to me, laughing, but effectively stopping him from exposing me to everyone in the lounge of the inn where we were staying.

  I tipped my chin down to see his intelligent, but annoyed, dark eyes were tipped up to me, and I shared, “And that’s even ruder.”

  He slapped my chest with his hand.

  I laughed again but as I did it, I felt something from across the room, so I turned my eyes that way.

  My breath caught when I saw Apollo standing and talking with Laures, but his gaze was on me.

  And the look on his face was hot, sweet, and like all things Apollo, beautiful.

  I liked that look. I liked what I figured that look said. But as much as I liked all this, I felt something else and my eyes moved again.

  This time they caught on Chris and my heart stuttered in my chest as I saw he was watching his father.

  Not looking at him.

  Watching him.

  Then my heart stuttered again when Chris’s eyes slid to me.

  I swallowed before I sent a small smile his way.

  He lifted his chin and looked away.

  Progress.

  Only a little, but I’d take what I could get.

  We could just say things had not changed much with Chris in the three days we were at Karsvall before heading to Fyngaard. The last night we were there, though, he did find Apollo and tell him he was okay with me coming to dinner.

  But that was it.

  And dinner went fine. He wasn’t withdrawn. He also wasn’t his usual self.

  What he was was watchful. Watchful of how Élan chattered with me. Watchful of how his father spoke and looked at me.

  Watchful of everything.

  I did my best at being my normal self, hoping, if his father could find things to love about me, Chris would at least find things to like about me.

  By all indications, he had not (yet).

  But on the ride, sometimes he maneuvered his horse close to Élan and my sleigh. He wasn’t talkative as he’d been when we made our way to Brunskar, but Élan was so he didn’t need to be and all she needed was her brother near.

  I decided to take that as more progress.

  By the by, Apollo didn’t push any of this.

  I had my time with him. I had my time with Élan. And I had my time with both of them.

  Chris chose his times to participate in the last part.

  Although things were progressing slowly with Christophe, they were not with Élan. As with our last ride, and even before we left Karsvall, she wanted me around all the time.

  She wanted me.

  She had me.

  I’d fallen in love with her father.

  It took far less time to fall in love with her.

  Things did not progress slowly with Apollo either. For Chris’s sake, we had to go back to his nights at the dower house with me, up early to breakfast with his children, and he stayed even later to dine with them and didn’t leave until they were in bed.

  But Apollo found times to visit me, me to visit him, and we made it work.

  No.

  It was more than making it work.

  It was making both of us happy.

  Absolutely, Apollo worried about his son. This was true. We discussed it often.

  But I found he told no lies when he said having my heart was enough.

  He was just happy to be with me.

  Me. As I was.

  It was awesome.

  After him telling me he loved me, me returning that gesture, and getting all that crap out, with nothing eating at me, things changed.

  No strings. No doubts. Nothing plaguing me.

  Nothing broken.

  All healthy, real.

  Strong.

  Living the life I’d led, it was hard as hell to get used to.

  I had known happiness, Apollo gave it to me.

  I’d known contentedness, Apollo gave me that too.

  But both of them together with a settled feeling and Élan thrown in to sweeten the pot?

  Bliss.

  These were my thoughts and I was lost in them, so I jumped when suddenly Tunahn was no longer in my arms.

  He was in his father’s, a father who was walking away, murmuring to his son in Korwahkian.

  I had no clue what he was saying.

  Circe did and I knew this when she snapped, “Lahn!”

  He sent her a look that was so severe it made me give an “eek” face to Finnie.

  Finnie witnessed the look too and thus returned my “eek” face.

  Circe didn’t see this. She was concentrating on her husband. And she did not have an “eek” face.

  She was snapping something else to him, but in Korwahk.

  His reply was, “Rayloo, kah rahna fauna.”

  “Don’t tell me rayloo, kah Dax,” she retorted.

  Suddenly, he grinned at her and at that, I made no “eek” face.

  Neither did Finnie.

 
Neither did Circe. She turned away from her husband on a “humph.”

  He moved away with his son.

  When he did, she groused, “It really sucks he’s so hot. He gets away with a lot of shit being that hot. Add him calling me his rahna fauna, he can get away with practically anything. Even doing idiot dad things.” Her eyes went to Finnie. “Do you get me?”

  “I so totally do,” Finnie replied and Circe looked to me.

  “Beware of that,” she advised.

  I nodded my head, unable to speak at the idea of having the opportunity to experience Apollo doing idiot dad things with a child we shared (even though I knew that was something he wouldn’t do). At the same time I was thinking my future held a lot of him getting away with a lot of things, being so beautiful and also utilizing that “my dove” business.

  “What did he say to Tunahn?” Finnie asked, taking me out of my thoughts.

  Circe leaned in. Finnie and I leaned in. Meeta did not lean in.

  When we were in position, on a hissed whisper, Circe shared, “He told his son he was not to tear at a woman’s clothes until he’d learned to use his cock.”

  I felt my eyes get huge.

  “See what I’m saying?” Circe asked, taking in my wide eyes. “Idiot dad things and he walks away with me not verbally kicking his ass because he’s hot.”

  I looked to Finnie. “Does Frey do idiot dad things?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “When Viktor couldn’t sleep, does Frey taking him to the wheel of his ship in the middle of the night and keeping him there for hours as he navigated the waters count as an idiot dad thing? And just to note, it was cold as hell outside and Viktor was so excited to be with his dad out in the sea air, he didn’t sleep a wink so he was grouchy all the next day and had a runny nose. Is that an idiot dad thing?”

  “Yes,” I answered.

  “Right,” Finnie began. “Then I’ll tell you that after he did that, I had words with him. Frey accepted about four of them before he grabbed me, kissed me and said, ‘He’s healthy and strong, strong enough to survive a nip in the air, my wee one. Leave it alone.’ Then he let me go and walked away. But he didn’t have to call me his wee one or even speak. I was stuck back at the kiss.”

  I was thinking I should find some way to shore myself against Apollo’s awesomeness should it happen that he gave me something I’d treasure just as much as his love—a baby—when Isis scampered across the rug between the two couches the women were sitting on.

  She was being chased by Viktor, who had an unfair advantage. He was steady on his feet.

  Therefore he caught her by falling on her, rolling her, and giving her a sloppy wet kiss on her giggling rosy lips.

  “Dear God,” Finnie muttered and flopped back on the couch across from mine.

  I couldn’t help but grin but did it turning my eyes to Meeta when she spoke.

  She was looking to Finnie.

  “Your son is healthy and strong and can survive a nip in the air. I know this because he did.” After delivering that, she then looked to Circe and pointed out logically. “And it is true. Your son shouldn’t tear at a woman’s clothes until he knows how to use his cock.”

  “He’s barely a year old,” Circe replied.

  Meeta arched her brows and inquired, “Does this make your king’s statement any less true?”

  Circe shut her mouth.

  At this juncture, Loretta threw herself on the couch on my other side me and asked, “You’re all laughing. What’d I miss?”

  Everyone looked at her but no one said a word.

  Then we looked to the ground for Isis was squealing and this was because Viktor was up and appeared to be attempting to lift her in his arms in order to do God knew what with her.

  This meant Loretta still didn’t get an answer because before Circe or Finnie could make the move they were preparing to make to separate the young lovebirds, Lahn swooped in. He scooped up his daughter, and without a glance at anyone, sauntered away with both of his offspring held close to his massive chest.

  Tunahn was squirming.

  Isis immediately began snuggling into her daddy.

  Loretta took this opportunity to change her question, this one uttered after tearing her eyes from Lahn and directing them to Circe.

  “You say both Bain and Zahnin are taken?”

  Again, she got no answer.

  This time she didn’t because we were all too busy again laughing.

  * * * * *

  “And… at that…Princess Arianna stepped onto…the…cloud…”

  No.

  At that, Élan, who was reading to me, fell dead asleep in the middle of doing it.

  When she did, (after grinning) I carefully tugged the book from her hands and set it on the nightstand. Then I leaned into her and kissed the top of her shining dark hair. Finally, I disengaged from her body leaning against my side.

  I found my feet at the side of the bed and bent in to pull the covers high and tuck her in. After that, she snuggled deeper into them and turned to her side. Afforded a new opportunity, I slid the hair from her face and bent deeper to touch my lips to her cheek.

  When I pulled away, I took the time to enjoy watching her little girl beauty in sleep. After long moments of doing this, I blew out the lamp by her bed, moved to the fire, pulled away the screen, threw a few logs on and moved to the other side of the bed. I blew out that lamp and left the room.

  In the hall, I saw Gaston patrolling close to Élan’s room.

  He saw me as well and, on a smile, asked, “Is she down?”

  “After reading her book to me three times, yes, she’s finally down.”

  Gaston approached, still smiling, and noted, “Lo reads to her.”

  I tipped my head to the side. “Sorry?”

  “Lo reads to her when he’s around in the evenings. I know this because she likes it when he does so she mentions it after he does. Often. But it is she who reads to you.” His smile got bigger. “Trying to impress you.”

  Warmth swept through me at his words, though I figured something else was at play.

  “And she has her father wrapped around her finger,” I returned.

  His eyes lit and he murmured, “There is that.”

  That sent more warmth through me as I looked down the hall and saw Frey’s man, Lund, standing sentry at the top of the stairs.

  Weirdly, this didn’t feel like protection which would then be a reminder of danger.

  Weirdly, it just felt like family.

  And not weirdly, more warmth moved through me.

  “All’s safe, Maddie, you can seek your bed,” Gaston told me.

  I looked beyond him to the other end of the hall then back to him.

  “Do you know where Lo is?” I asked.

  “Still in with Christophe,” he answered.

  “If he leaves Chris and heads to my room, can you tell him I’m in with Loretta?”

  Gaston nodded.

  I leaned in and rolled up on my toes to touch my cheek to his.

  With it there, I said, “If I don’t see you again, have a good night.”

  “You as well, love,” he muttered.

  I pulled back, gave him a grin then headed down the hall.

  I was in my nightgown and robe, fur-lined slippers on my feet, ready for bed as Loretta and Meeta, as usual, assisted me in being. Then came the request from Élan that I listen to her read so I headed to her room as my girls headed to theirs.

  Meeta, no doubt, would by now be with Ruben in his.

  That situation was continuing quietly, without fanfare, as was Meeta’s way. This didn’t mean she was entirely matter-of-fact about it. I often saw her search for Ruben on his mount with her eyes as we traversed the snow.

  She liked him.

  Alas, she was not a woman who would respond (at all) to me teasing her about it and since that would be a waste of effort (and good teasing), I didn’t.

  But I wished I could.

  Loretta, however, would
be sleeping in an empty bed tonight.

  Surprisingly, Hans had made no headway.

  Unsurprisingly, as a great deal of time had passed, he’d backed off.

  Though he didn’t do it happily and his near-constant glower often aimed Loretta’s way told me so. It also pretty much told the same to anyone who witnessed it.

  And everyone witnessed it.

  For some reason, this didn’t sit well with me. And although she did it jokingly, earlier that evening, her asking after Bain and Zahnin’s relationship status also struck me wrong.

  She’d been into Hans.

  I thought she’d cave (eventually).

  She didn’t.

  She also hadn’t shared.

  Friends were supposed to look after friends—I guessed, since I didn’t have a lot of experience. But the friends I had now looked after me.

  And I wasn’t sure I was looking after her.

  So there I was, heading to her door.

  Once I’d made it, before I could chicken out, I lifted my hand to knock.

  I didn’t get it in because I heard the door behind me open.

  I twisted that way and saw that Meeta stood in it.

  “Hey, honey,” I greeted.

  “Miss Maddie,” she replied.

  A chill slid over my skin when I caught the look on her face.

  Since she was studying me closely in a way that kind of freaked me out, I turned fully to her.

  “Everything okay?” I asked.

  She kept studying me and didn’t answer.

  “Meeta?” I prompted.

  She tipped her head to the side.

  Yes, freaking me out.

  Suddenly, her face cleared and she said, “Everything is fine.”

  The chill left.

  If Meeta said everything was fine, she would not lie.

  A brawny arm appeared, that arm wrapping itself around Meeta’s chest.

  Then the handsome face of Ruben appeared at the side of her head.

  He dipped his chin to me and gave me a wolfish grin.

  Half a second later, Meeta disappeared and the door clicked shut.

  I grinned at the door before I turned and knocked on Loretta’s.

  Within moments, I heard the lock turn and the door opened a few inches.

  When she spied me, she opened it further and frowned.

  “Is everything all right, Miss Maddie?” she asked.