heavier clothing and capes, hats and gloves—the last three all made of fur or lined hides.
And off the horse I was, put in a sleigh (a sleigh! And a cool one!) with my trunk at the back and we’d ridden for three days across the icy landscape.
I had to admit, it was just as beautiful as the graceful exquisiteness of Fleuridia and the sumptuous splendor of Hawkvale.
It was just covered in snow and ice.
And freezing cold.
Now it was done and I’d had four months to come up with my plan, which I’d done.
It scared me but it also excited me.
A new beginning.
A new life.
A new me.
All of it mine. All of it made by my hand, my decisions, my work.
Or it would be.
I was terrified.
And I couldn’t wait.
But after we climbed the stairs, Derrik opened the door and handed me the key, I knew I’d miss the guys.
Badly.
I pulled in a very deep breath and got control as I let it go.
Then I looked up at him.
“Thank you again for everything, honey,” I whispered.
“Maddie, I’ll see you again in a few hours,” he replied, not whispering.
He wouldn’t.
I was going to take a bath, eat, drink wine, speak with Apollo (who Derrik was off to announce our arrival to and bring back to the inn for our chat).
Then I was going to leave.
I didn’t say that. Maybe because of that time my father said it to me with such finality when I announced I was going to marry Pol. He was telling me I couldn’t because Pol was a criminal. I was telling him I was twenty-three and I could do what I wanted. Then I’d never seen Dad again, except for when I was forced to go back and he’d shut the door in my face (twice), but I didn’t figure those counted.
Yeah, maybe this was why I hated good-byes.
So I didn’t intend to say them.
I was just going to go.
I’d write them letters later (maybe).
“I’ll see you his evening,” Derrik murmured and moved to leave.
But I called his name and he turned back.
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Maddie—”
I shook my head, lifted my hand and felt so much emotion I couldn’t speak in a normal voice. Therefore, what I had to say came out trembling and low.
But I forced it to come out.
“You know about him,” I stated and Derrik’s jaw went hard.
Over the months, the dinners, the long rides, the sitting in pubs or on the grass or out under the stars and talking, I’d told him. At first a little. Then a lot. He and Achilles, both of them, I’d told all about Pol.
He knew.
“I haven’t felt free in eleven years,” I whispered.
A muscle jumped in his cheek and his eyes bored into mine.
“Thank you for making me feel free,” I finished.
Then I swept into the room, closed the door and told myself one day I’d forget the love and tenderness that suffused Derrik’s face at my words.
But I was lying.
Chapter Six
Not Your Biggest Fan
Apollo drummed his fingers on the top of his desk, scowling at the papers there as his secretary droned on.
But he wasn’t listening to a word the man said.
He was staring at the stack of missives that reported the frequent delays—and the reasons behind them—of Derrik’s party arriving in Lunwyn.
From the last letter, he estimated they were to arrive any day.
And he had a damned war to plan. For the gods’ sakes, he had no time to sit around waiting for a troop of guards watching over a single woman to frolic through three countries, taking double the time it should to make the journey simply because a female from another world wanted to watch Laures win a challenge.
“My lord, did you hear me?” Jeremiah, his secretary, called.
Apollo lifted his head and transferred his scowl to the man.
Jeremiah caught it and nervously lifted a finger to push his half-spectacles up the bridge of his nose.
“As I said, decline all invitations and my calendar is to be kept clear for the foreseeable future,” Apollo stated.
Jeremiah, nor anyone but rulers, a few select generals and trusted soldiers, knew that any day, at
And off the horse I was, put in a sleigh (a sleigh! And a cool one!) with my trunk at the back and we’d ridden for three days across the icy landscape.
I had to admit, it was just as beautiful as the graceful exquisiteness of Fleuridia and the sumptuous splendor of Hawkvale.
It was just covered in snow and ice.
And freezing cold.
Now it was done and I’d had four months to come up with my plan, which I’d done.
It scared me but it also excited me.
A new beginning.
A new life.
A new me.
All of it mine. All of it made by my hand, my decisions, my work.
Or it would be.
I was terrified.
And I couldn’t wait.
But after we climbed the stairs, Derrik opened the door and handed me the key, I knew I’d miss the guys.
Badly.
I pulled in a very deep breath and got control as I let it go.
Then I looked up at him.
“Thank you again for everything, honey,” I whispered.
“Maddie, I’ll see you again in a few hours,” he replied, not whispering.
He wouldn’t.
I was going to take a bath, eat, drink wine, speak with Apollo (who Derrik was off to announce our arrival to and bring back to the inn for our chat).
Then I was going to leave.
I didn’t say that. Maybe because of that time my father said it to me with such finality when I announced I was going to marry Pol. He was telling me I couldn’t because Pol was a criminal. I was telling him I was twenty-three and I could do what I wanted. Then I’d never seen Dad again, except for when I was forced to go back and he’d shut the door in my face (twice), but I didn’t figure those counted.
Yeah, maybe this was why I hated good-byes.
So I didn’t intend to say them.
I was just going to go.
I’d write them letters later (maybe).
“I’ll see you his evening,” Derrik murmured and moved to leave.
But I called his name and he turned back.
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Maddie—”
I shook my head, lifted my hand and felt so much emotion I couldn’t speak in a normal voice. Therefore, what I had to say came out trembling and low.
But I forced it to come out.
“You know about him,” I stated and Derrik’s jaw went hard.
Over the months, the dinners, the long rides, the sitting in pubs or on the grass or out under the stars and talking, I’d told him. At first a little. Then a lot. He and Achilles, both of them, I’d told all about Pol.
He knew.
“I haven’t felt free in eleven years,” I whispered.
A muscle jumped in his cheek and his eyes bored into mine.
“Thank you for making me feel free,” I finished.
Then I swept into the room, closed the door and told myself one day I’d forget the love and tenderness that suffused Derrik’s face at my words.
But I was lying.
Chapter Six
Not Your Biggest Fan
Apollo drummed his fingers on the top of his desk, scowling at the papers there as his secretary droned on.
But he wasn’t listening to a word the man said.
He was staring at the stack of missives that reported the frequent delays—and the reasons behind them—of Derrik’s party arriving in Lunwyn.
From the last letter, he estimated they were to arrive any day.
And he had a damned war to plan. For the gods’ sakes, he had no time to sit around waiting for a troop of guards watching over a single woman to frolic through three countries, taking double the time it should to make the journey simply because a female from another world wanted to watch Laures win a challenge.
“My lord, did you hear me?” Jeremiah, his secretary, called.
Apollo lifted his head and transferred his scowl to the man.
Jeremiah caught it and nervously lifted a finger to push his half-spectacles up the bridge of his nose.
“As I said, decline all invitations and my calendar is to be kept clear for the foreseeable future,” Apollo stated.
Jeremiah, nor anyone but rulers, a few select generals and trusted soldiers, knew that any day, at
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