Broken Dove (Fantasyland #4)(146)

Her gaze was steady on his when she replied, “Perhaps the fee wasn’t higher, although the Sjofn diamonds I received for the job I’m completing made an extraordinary necklace that I quite cherish.”

He felt his shredded patience fray further for he again knew to what she was referring.

He had given her a bag of Sjofn ice diamonds to find Maddie and bring her to him. He also knew the only other job she had on this world was his, something they assessed before paying her in order to be certain that they would have her undivided attention on this world.

Something they were not getting.

“I’ll remind you, that job is complete. Maddie is here. She is safe. She is with me. We’re building our life together and we’re content.”

Or, he was.

Maddie also was, on the outside.

But there was new darkness in her eyes. Something she wasn’t sharing with him during their whispered conversations after lovemaking. Something that was eating deeper into her soul.

Christophe had remained distant. He took his meals and had his times with Madeleine, Apollo, his sister, but he made it clear in quiet, rebellious ways that were not his nature that he didn’t like it.

This could be what was concerning Madeleine.

But Apollo sensed it was more.

These thoughts were troubling but he came alert as he watched the normally unperturbed witch shift with what appeared to be agitation in her seat.

Seeing her do it, he did not get a good feeling and therefore commanded, “Speak.”

She drew in a delicate breath before she stated, “I have some concerns.”

“About?”

Again, she steadily held his gaze when she told him, “I cannot see the you of my world.”

Apollo knew by her behavior this was not good news.

“This means?” he prompted when she spoke no further.

“He cannot hide himself from me,” she explained. “In finding Madeleine for you, I found him first. As he was seeking her, I cast on him so I could watch him should he find her and lead me to her. For obvious reasons, I continued to watch him even after I found her. Since I discovered him, I have never had any trouble seeing him.”

“And now you can’t see him.”

She shook her head but continued to hold his eyes. “No. And to explain why this is a concern, he cannot hide himself from me. Even if he were to somehow understand that there are magical forces at work in our world, he could not do it himself. He’d need a witch.” She paused. “A powerful one.” Another pause on a deep intake of breath. “A very powerful one.”

Apollo did not like where this was leading.

“He’s here,” he guessed quietly, his gut tightening, his skin prickling.

“I’ve no idea,” she replied. “But I’ve spent some time searching for him. There has never been a spell cast to hide someone that I could not break. It is a certainty this cannot be done by any witch in my world. This would lead me to believe that there is a possibility that our foes have discovered his existence and recruited him.”

“For what purpose?” Apollo asked, his words curt.

“What purpose do they have for anything they do, chéri?”

A valid question.

One with no answer.

The witch knew it for she continued speaking.

“However, he is vile. He is evil. He wishes Madeleine harm, and I daresay since you took his hand, he wishes you the same. He may not have magic. He may not be of this world. But he has motivation to do ill, he is skilled at it, and they can promise him great riches for this talent.”

Apollo looked beyond her, muttering, “We do not need this.”

“We do not, indeed,” she agreed and he looked back to her. “In my absence, I can assure you that I have not been dawdling, mon loup. I’ve been spending a good deal of time searching for the you of my world. I have also been in constant touch with Lavinia. I know what became of Madeleine in Brunskar. I know that it’s the women they’re targeting. I also know that they have not cast an enchantment on your comrade. The handsome Derrik acts out of his fondness for Madeleine and his absurd, but definitely masculine need to compete against another male, in this instance, you in the competition for her heart. His pride was injured when he was so swiftly replaced, and the way that came about, and he set about doing something to heal it. I further know that he has breached Specter Isle. I have since lost sight of him. However, your other man wisely decided not to follow him to that Isle and is on his return.”

Mixed news.

It was good to know Derrik was not enchanted but if he breached the Isle, they could have him. If they were torturing Franka’s lover, Apollo did not like to think of what they would do to a soldier.

So he didn’t think of it.

He thought on something he had some power to control.

“We must see that all the women are safe,” he ordered.

Valentine nodded. “I am speaking with Lavinia after our discussion, chéri. The others have reached the font. Circe is currently performing the ritual to recoup her powers. This should be complete within a day or so. After that is done, my suggestion would be to bring all the women together so that Lavinia and I can keep them from harm.”

Apollo shook his head.

“I don’t think Tor and Lahn will allow their women to be away from them. Minerva and her allies are expending great amounts of magic enchanting Specter Isle to protect it from even dragon fire. Frey bombards them with his dragons every day so they must keep this shield strong and dragon fire is potent, this cannot be easy for them. They’ve sent creatures to your world, utilized them here, and perhaps brought the other me back. They’re wasting vast amounts of magic. Our separation from Lahn, Circe, Tor and Cora force them to concentrate on two fronts.”