Broken Dove (Fantasyland #4)(190)
Apollo opened the door to the sleigh and Frey was there.
He reached for his son and I handed him over.
He took hold with a murmured, “My gratitude, Maddie,” then turned and sauntered up the steps.
I exited the sleigh at the same time Apollo called, “Chris!”
Chris had dismounted and was moving our way. I felt Apollo’s hand clasp mine and bring it up. He smoothed it around the inside of his elbow and I moved closer to him as he took Élan’s hand.
To my utter delight, delight that meant my head whipped around and tipped back so I could aim my beam of happiness to Apollo, Chris took his place beside me.
Taking in my smile, Apollo’s lips twitched and he turned his attention to the palace.
Thus, we all moved to the steps.
And when we did, Apollo murmured, “This pleases me.”
It pleased me too.
Big time.
“What, Papa?” Chris asked.
“That Maddie will be meeting Prince Noctorno in a normal fashion, not in the throes of a needed rescue.”
I wasn’t beaming at that. I turned a glare in his direction.
He grinned down at me.
Chris burst out laughing.
I instantly quit glaring.
Apollo tucked me closer to his side and turned his attention to the steps, leading us up.
I wished they had cameras in this world so I could have a picture of our progression. I really, really did.
Alas, they didn’t.
So I committed the moment to memory.
“Aurora is our queen, Maddie,” Apollo said quietly. “You curtsy.”
“Okeydokey,” I mumbled in reply and that got my hand tucked deeper into his side.
“Remember, my precious girl, you curtsy too,” Apollo instructed his daughter.
“All right!” she chirped.
He stopped us two steps down from Queen Aurora and I could feel Lahn and Circe trailing us. We waited while she leaned in and touched her lips to her grandson’s cheek then Frey moved his family from Aurora toward Cora and Tor and Apollo guided us up the last steps.
He let myself and his daughter go and swept into a deep bow.
I did my best to drop into a curtsy.
“Rise,” she murmured practically the instant we all got into position, something I thought was nice considering a curtsy wasn’t the most comfortable position I’d ever held.
We all straightened and I felt Chris get closer to me.
My heart swelled.
“You are well, my general?” Aurora asked Apollo.
“I am, your grace,” he replied and tipped his chin down to one side then the other. “You know my children, Christophe and Élan.”
She looked to the kids, murmuring, “Of course.” Then louder, “I’m pleased to see you both.”
“Same here!” Élan squeaked.
Aurora dipped her head to her then to Chris, who said nothing, and finally her eyes came to me.
“This is Madeleine, Lady Ulfr,” Apollo stated, his hand in mine pulling both of them up to press tight to the side of his chest.
“Madeleine, Lady Ulfr,” she said softly, eyeing me. Then she looked to Apollo. “Heartfelt congratulations, Apollo.”
He inclined his head.
She turned to me and I took it as good that her lips curled up slightly at the ends.
I didn’t know what to say, so I winged it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness.”
“Knowing Apollo since his youth,”—her gaze swept him, me, Christophe and Élan, before settling back on me and it could not be missed her eyes were exceptionally astute—“I can assure you the pleasure is mine.”
Okay, she was a little aloof, but she was definitely nice.
I smiled at her.
The ends of her lips tipped up another millimeter.
Apollo moved us away and Circe and Lahn moved in behind us.
I wanted to watch how they met the queen since I didn’t suspect Lahn bowed to anybody, but seeing as Apollo was guiding us to Tor and Cora, I focused on that instead.
When we stopped, as they, too, were royalty, I dipped down into another curtsy.
“Oh, we don’t get into that kind of thing,” Cora said the instant I did.
“She doesn’t,” Tor muttered and it sounded exasperated.
I straightened out of my curtsy to see Tor and Apollo shaking hands. But I only caught a glimpse because Cora was yanking me into her arms.
She swayed me a bit side-to-side, saying in my ear, “So cool to finally meet you. The people here are awesome, but it’s good to have friends from home.”
Okay, being duped by the other Cora?
Total idiot.
I knew the real Cora approximately a nanosecond and this chick was the bomb.
I hugged her back. We let each other go. Apollo presented me and his children to Tor. Tor did not give me a hug but he did give a gallant bow to Élan (which, unsurprisingly, made her giggle). Then Apollo guided us to where Frey, Finnie and Viktor were standing so Lahn and Circe could say hello to Cora and Tor.
Queen Aurora didn’t allow them much time before she called, “Let us get out of the cold. I have refreshments and something special prepared for the children.”
She said this as she swept majestically to the front doors where two servants in weird uniforms of leather shorts, wool tights, boots, sweaters and slanted cloaks jumped to open them before she even had to hesitate a moment to await entry.