After that, he clicked his teeth, sent his heels into his steed and burst through the snow.

When Apollo lost sight of him, he turned to the other men and asked, “Was it Derrik’s decision not to stay at my castle in The Vale?”

“He did decide our route, Lo,” Achilles answered quietly.

“Did he share the reason he steered you from such luxurious accommodation when it was along the straightest route to the port? Not to mention, he seemed quite keen on showing Maddie much of this world. I’ve asked and she’s seen not a single castle except from afar, when she spied Bellebryn from the ship.”

“No,” Draven replied shortly.

Apollo looked back to the lane, murmuring, “He is not right.”

“Lo, you should know, he seemed quite taken with her from almost the beginning,” Achilles shared.

Apollo looked back to his cousin, repeating, “He is not right.”

“He’s a man in love,” Achilles returned carefully, his astute eyes on Apollo. “They do many things that are not right.”

“You, alongside me, grew up with that man, cousin. That man who just rode away is not the man we grew up with. Again, he…is…not...right.”

“I agree with Lo,” Draven stated. “He’s not right.”

“And what do you think this is?” Achilles asked.

“I think that after what Minerva forced Tor and Cora to endure, the blackness of soul that Baldur has always had, the magic at their command, we should be very aware of anything that is not right,” Apollo replied. He looked at Draven. “Set a man to following him.”

Draven nodded and turned instantly to the house.

Apollo looked at Achilles.

Achilles spoke and he did it quietly.

“He may not be acting as Derrik, but he was not wrong earlier. You spent the night with Maddie.”

“And this is your concern?” Apollo asked.

“It’s been just days. Has it come so far so fast, cousin?” Achilles asked back.

“I’ll repeat, this is your concern?”

“You just noted we should be aware of anything that is not right,” Achilles pointed out.

He did indeed.

Apollo sighed and shared, “The witch with the green magic introduced her to adela tea.” He paused and held his cousin’s eyes before concluding. “And I was close.”

Achilles brows shot up. “You took advantage?”

HAApollo straightened his spine and is tone was low when he stated, “Maddie and I have worked through that.”

“You took advantage,” Achilles murmured, studying him.

Apollo felt his skin prickling. “I’ll answer my earlier question for you. This isn’t your concern.”

“She’s vulnerable,” Achilles warned.

“Agreed. This is why she needs me.”

His gaze never leaving Apollo, Achilles tipped his head to the side and he noted, “You care for her.”

Apollo didn’t hesitate and his voice was firm when he replied, “Greatly.”

His cousin’s lips twitched. “It’s not a surprise that that didn’t take long.”

Apollo had no reply for he spoke truth.

Achilles continued to hold his eyes and remarked quietly, “She also shared with me, cousin, and she would not take him.”

Apollo felt his brows draw together. “Pardon?”

“It is hers to share with you, the knowledge she trusted to me. But you need to know so the seed Derrik planted does not grow. She would not take him to her bed. Not of her will. Never again. Whatever they had, he killed a long time ago. If she’s taking you, it’s you she’s taking.”

Apollo felt the tension ebb from his body at these words.

Then he jerked up his chin and moved to the steps, murmuring, “I’m off to have breakfast with my children.”

He was nearly to the doors when Achilles called his name.

He stopped, turned and looked down at his cousin.

“Years, I have watched you mourn,” Achilles started. “It saddened me. Now, it pleases me to see you again reaching to happiness.” He paused and finished, “I wish you speed in grasping it.”

His throat prickled but his lips said, “Your heart is too soft for a soldier.”

“Says the man who grieved for his wife for four and a half years,” Achilles swiftly returned.

Unfortunately, to that, Apollo had no retort.

Achilles knew it and this was why he smiled before he turned and sauntered away.

Apollo sighed again and headed to his children.

* * * * *

“When is the fire-haired lady going to come and see us, Papa?”

Élan was on her knees beside him on the sofa, leaning in, resting her little body on his side. She was also, for some little girl reason, curling the ends of his hair around her fingers.

But as she asked her question, Apollo’s eyes stayed locked on his son.

Christophe was on his belly on the floor, knees bent, ankles crossed, feet in the air. He had a board in front of him, chalk in his hand. He was drawing, but at his sister’s question, the chalk arrested on the board.

This did not bode well.

He turned his head to look at his daughter, and watching her closely, being cautious with his words so as not to rekindle her fears of the night before, he said, “She rode with me through the night as well as the day to get to you, precious girl. Because of this, she was tired and today she’s resting.”

Not showing any signs this reminder distressed her, Élan nodded but asked, “Will she come tomorrow?”

“Perhaps,” Apollo answered.

Élan tipped her head to the side and noted, “She’s very pretty.”

“She is,” Apollo agreed.

Élan screwed up her mouth before she stated, “She looked very angry.”

Apollo felt something coming from his son but he kept his eyes on his daughter. “She was upset you were frightened.”

“I was upset I was frightened too,” she declared.

He smiled, turned to her and pulled her in his arms. She screeched in mock protest, as she always did. But when he blew a wet kiss on her neck, she giggled.

When he lifted his head, she put her hand on his face and told him, “I’m glad we’re not at school anymore, Papa.”

Apollo was glad as well. Even when times weren’t troubled, he disliked them being so far away. It might be wrong but he felt this especially this year, Élan’s first. But he was a father and she was his daughter and he couldn’t imagine any father happily sending his little girl two countries away to school.