Broken Dove (Fantasyland #4)(123)

Right. With dragons in the mix, I had a feeling everything was going to be okay.

So I smiled back.

Chapter Twenty-One

The Path to Vengeance

Apollo rode Anguish hard through the snow, the needles of the pines whipping unheeded against his face and body, his torso ducking and swaying to avoid branches.

His destination: where he’d seen the dragons’ blaze.

His lungs were burning fire throughout his frame.

His neck and shoulders were solid with tension.

His thoughts were tortured.

He hit the smoking wasteland and saw them.

Meeta and Loretta were there for some gods forsaken reason.

Finnie and Frey were there, which was surprising but not, considering the dragons and their fire.

His wolves were there, which was as he’d arranged.

And then there was Maddie, looking wet, cold and disheveled.

But standing.

Breathing.

Alive.

Alive.

He rode straight to her, not slowing Anguish, and the huddle swayed out of his way as he threw his leg over the saddle and dismounted with Anguish still at a run.

His legs bore the impact of his dismount but he didn’t feel it.

He took two long strides to Madeleine, lifted his hands and framed her face. Unable to stop them, he moved them over her hair, down her neck, under her jaws and back to the sides of her head as his eyes scoured her face.

Standing.

Breathing

Her eyes open and looking into his.

“I’m all right, Lo,” she whispered and he felt her hand light on his stomach as she leaned in. “I’m all right, baby.”

At her words, he crushed his mouth down on hers, thrusting his tongue in, tasting her, drinking from her, devouring her.

Her arms curled around his middle and went tight as she tipped her head back to give him what he needed.

More.

Approaching horses and voices pierced his extreme relief and he tore his mouth from hers. When he did, he cupped the back of her head, shoved her face in his throat and curled an arm around her, hauling her deep so she was tight to his body and he could feel her everywhere. Smell her close. Absorb the fact she was still alive.

His eyes went to Frey.

“What was it?” he barked.

“Hewcrows,” Frey answered. “Minerva,” he went on, telling Apollo something he already knew.

Everyone knew the bird-headed hewcrows were Minerva’s magic.

But the black mist that he’d seen envelope Maddie was something else.

He couldn’t think of his Madeleine being attacked in the forest by hewcrows. Not then. His nerves were frayed, his fury at the surface. The thought of his broken dove battling hewcrows in the snow would cause him to lose control.

Instead, he glanced around at the destruction, taking in the three dragons at rest.

Hostilities had escalated.

“Lo,” Maddie breathed.

He ignored her and looked back to Frey.

“You’re here because?” Apollo asked.

“I’m here because my family gathers,” Frey answered.

Enough said.

“I’m also here to seek Lavinia,” Frey added.

“The others?” Apollo went on.

“We’ve had a message from the Circe of the other world. She wishes to help with our plight and she’s discovered a way to recover her magic. It’s a dangerous process and she would still consume all she recouped if she made the journey between worlds. We need Lavinia and Valentine to transport her here. Once here, she’ll be a formidable addition. That said, she’s explained this process and Circe, Cora, Tor, Lahn and their men journey to the font where Lahn’s Circe can recoup her magic as well.”

Apollo nodded.

“Lo,” Madeline whispered.

He again ignored her and noted that Frey’s men Ruben and Thaddeus had arrived and Annar, Lund, Oleg and Orion were riding to join their group. He turned his head and saw Laures, Remi, Hans and Alek had also made it. All of the men were still mounted, except Hans, who was close to Loretta, holding her while Meeta tied a strip of fabric she’d torn from her dress around a shoulder wound Loretta had sustained.

At the sight of the maid’s blood, Apollo’s mouth got tight and that burn in his chest came back.

“Get Loretta back to Brunskar,” he ordered Hans.

Hans looked to him and nodded.

“Lo,” Madeleine repeated.

“My mother?” Frey asked over her and Apollo looked to him, knowing the question.

That question being why Apollo was there.

And Frey knew the likely reason.

“She, or your father, Franka or Kristian. They’re all here,” Apollo answered.

This time, Frey’s mouth got tight and his eyes slid to Ruben.

“I want them in the dungeons before night’s end,” he commanded.

Without delay, Ruben, Thad, Annar, Lund and the others whirled their horses, dug their heels in and shot through the smoke.

Apollo heard more horses and turned to see Draven and Gaston arrive.

They’d barely stopped their mounts before Apollo caught Laures’s eyes. “One of you, assist Hans with Loretta and Meeta. The rest, aid Frey’s men.”

Gaston approached Hans and the women. The rest of his men dug their heels in their horses and galloped away.