Part 50 (2/2)

I swallowed nervously.

Apollo spoke and I looked up at him.

”Now that you've explained your brave but erroneous attack on one of Frey's men...” Great. They were Frey's men. ”Maybe you can explain why you're here. Dinner isn't until later.”

”Loretta, Meeta and I were having a wander,” I shared slightly dishonestly (okay, mostly dishonestly).

”Indeed,” Apollo replied, his voice rumbling with humor, ”I saw you three in the forest.” He leaned into me and finished on a whisper that hopefully only I could hear, ”Skulking.”

G.o.d!

Someone kill me.

His beautiful full lips spread in a smile.

I decided to be p.i.s.sed off as that was better than mortified so I narrowed my eyes at him.

He chuckled, pulled me closer and aimed his eyes at our onlookers.

”Christophe, elan, it's time to get back to your studies. You'll be able to visit with Madeleine at dinner.”

That got a nod from Christophe but elan opened her mouth to speak.

Apollo cut her off.

”Studies, precious girl,” he said firmly but gently.

He called her ”precious girl.”

That was so freaking sweet it made my jaw hurt.

I closed my eyes.

”See you at dinner, Lady Madeleine,” Christophe said and I opened my eyes.

I nodded and forced out, ”Looking forward to it, honey.”

He grinned at his dad, went to his sister and grabbed her hand, pulling her as he moved to the house.

”I liked your cookies!” she told me excitedly as she was dragged behind her brother.

”I'm glad, sweetheart,” I replied.

”You need to make more,” she shared.

”elan,” Apollo said in a warning father's voice.

”I will,” I told her quickly. ”Sugar cookies next time.”

”Hurrah!” she cried even though I knew she had no clue what sugar cookies were just as her brother tugged her nearer the house, murmuring, ”Come on, elan.”

She waved at me.

I waved back.

They disappeared into the house.

Okay, well, one could say Captain Kirk was a whole lot better getting the crew of the Enterprise in and out of trouble than I was.

But I had the in part down.

”Quincy, Zar, we're to meet,” Apollo stated.

I stopped kicking myself and looked to him then to the men.

”This may be delayed as I'll need a medic to look at my arm. I think it's fractured,” Quincy, the tall, strapping, fair-haired, russet-bearded one declared.

Oh s.h.i.+t.

”If it is, I'm sending a bird straight to Kell so he can share with the boys that you got your arm broken by a woman,” Balthazar, the tall, strapping, dark-haired, dark-bearded one said as he walked to Quincy and stopped.

A bird?

Before I could ask about the bird, Quincy told Balthazar, ”She got the drop on me and clobbered me with a branch, Zar.”

”She got the drop on you and clobbered you with a branch, Quince, and the operative word in that is she,” Balthazar returned, grinning big.

”She is also handy with a blade,” Apollo put in. ”And swords. As well as lamps.”

”Sounds like there's a story there,” Quincy noted.

”Two,” Apollo agreed and then he must have communicated something in man-waves because all three of them exploded in laughter.

Well!

”If you're done making fun of me,” I cut into their amus.e.m.e.nt. ”I'll skulk back to my house and return later for dinner.”

Apollo turned smiling eyes to me and a.s.sured quietly, ”We're not making fun of you, poppy.”

”Really? I'm just a woman but I can speak Eng...I mean, the language of the Vale so I'm pretty certain I'm not mistaken that you are.”

He looked to the men and explained, ”She's very spirited as well.”

”She's standing right here,” I snapped.

He looked back to me and that tender look seeped into his eyes.

<script>