Frey focused on Apollo and shook his head. “I do not wish to think that as it would be indication that the world is coming to an end.”

Apollo chuckled and Frey gave him a smile.

“And you send the dragons again,” Apollo stated.

This was another part of their new strategy. Bombard the isle with dragon fire in hopes to either weaken the shield or weaken their magic.

“Daily, randomly,” Frey confirmed. “They will need to expend much magic to keep it strong against my dragons’ blaze and do it constantly for they will not know when the next attack will occur.”

“The elves?” Apollo asked.

“I always keep the branch close. I will visit them after I talk to Franka and before I join your party en route to Karsvall.”

Apollo nodded.

During the last war, in his play to depose Finnie’s father and unite Lunwyn and Middleland, Baldur’s son Broderick’s agents had burned all the adela trees to the ground. As these were the conduits used for the elves to ascend from their world under the ice, this was done to trap them and their formidable magic so they could not be of aid.

Since, Lavinia had made it her mission to plant new adelas all through Lunwyn. They were taking root but it would be decades before they’d grow strong.

Which made it fortunate that Frey and his Raiders had purloined an ancient relic, a branch of adela that Frey could touch to the earth anywhere and summon the elves to the ice.

“I’m rethinking staying separated from Tor and Lahn,” Apollo told him. “The magic you have at your command, Lavinia, and if we can find Valentine, Lunwyn is far safer for us all.”

Frey shook his head. “That reasoning holds merit, cousin, but your suggestion to divide their energies is sound. There are far more witches in the Vale than Lunwyn. They don’t hold the power of Lavinia and Valentine singly, and no one holds the power of the elves, save Minerva, but amassed, these witches are formidable. Tor has amassed them. Though, we’ll send birds and discuss how they feel about this course of action.”

Apollo nodded his agreement.

Frey’s eyes moved to the door and back to Apollo before he said, “We mustn’t delay.”

Apollo again looked toward the window, taking in Maddie, Élan and Christophe, who had not come any nearer to his sister, and thus Madeleine.

He turned his eyes back to Frey and said, “The sleighs should be ready. Finnie and Viktor will ride with Maddie and Élan. I ride at their side. We’ll expect you tomorrow evening in Skógarholt.”

Frey looked to the ceiling where Apollo knew Finnie was with their young son, Viktor, before his gaze came again to Apollo.

“Tomorrow evening in Skógarholt,” he agreed.

“Until then,” Apollo replied.

“Until then,” Frey returned on a low wave as he walked out the door.

Apollo watched the door close before he returned his attention to the window.

He felt his lips curving up when he saw Élan lean heavily into Maddie, head tipped back, face alight. Maddie had her hand curved over the pink knit cap on his daughter’s head, something she insisted Élan wear (she also insisted that Christophe wear a hat but he had balked when Apollo approached him and Maddie didn’t press).

She was looking down at Élan and her expression, too, was beaming.

His eyes went to Chris to see he was making his way toward the door of the inn and as he did this, he didn’t even look Maddie and his sister’s way.

Very strange.

Apollo decided to have a word.

But not now.

Now they needed to be away to get to Karsvall so that he could get his family to safety.

* * * * *

That night, Apollo turned the key to Maddie’s room and entered to see her sitting in bed, a loosely-knitted shawl around her shoulders to keep the chill at bay, the fire and all the lights blazing in the room. She had a book in her hands but her eyes were on him.

“How did the talk go?” she asked before he even got the door closed behind him.

He felt his lips curve up as he closed and locked the door.

She, too, had noticed that something was amiss with Christophe. She’d shared this when he’d told her he intended to have a word.

However, Christophe did not confide in his father during the talk.

Apollo was concerned, but not overly. He knew his son and if he asked, and it was his time to share, Chris would explain. If it wasn’t time, Christophe would explain when it was.

Maddie didn’t know Christophe as well. She did, however, care.

A great deal.

Therefore, she was anxious.

He didn’t like her to feel anxiety but he liked why she did.

He didn’t answer until he’d moved to her and sat beside her hip on the bed. Then he went about setting her mind at ease.

He leaned toward her and rested his weight into his fist in the bed. “He says all is well.”

She pressed her lips together, indication she didn’t believe this and the corners of his mouth again turned up.

“We both know all is not well, my dove,” he told her, and this had remained true through the ride as Chris did not stay close to Maddie’s sleigh as usual. Instead, he’d ridden with Remi and Gaston. “However, I trust my son that whatever is on his mind, he will share it with me when he’s ready. Now, he’s working through it and I need to give him time to do this.”

“It started last night when he saw me before the gale,” she told him and Apollo tipped his head to the side.

“You noticed it then?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered. “All day yesterday he was his usual Chris. When he came into my room with you and Élan, he seemed weird. Distant. He isn’t as friendly with me as Élan but he’s friendly. He’s never behaved like that and his behavior hasn’t changed all day.”

At her words, thinking of her last night in her gown, the children coming with him to say goodnight, understanding dawned and Apollo felt a burn hit his chest as he dropped his eyes to the covers at her side.

“Lo?” she called and he turned his attention back to her.

“Ilsa and I were social,” he explained quietly when he caught her eyes. “My place in my House as well as my many enterprises dictate I need to be. Ilsa was because she enjoyed socializing. We traveled a great deal and after we had Christophe, he came with us. Even as a babe. Ilsa didn’t like to be without him and neither did I.”

“Okay,” she prompted softly when he ceased speaking.