Broken Dove (Fantasyland #4)(20)

Oh boy.

“Really,” I stated hurriedly. “I’m fine. I can practice horse riding while on our, um…journey.”

This gained me the dark-haired man’s eyes. “On day one, after our ride you’ll be nothing but aches and pains. The next morning, your body will protest at your simplest movement. You cannot take that while injured.”

“How about I give it a try,” I suggested, not wanting to delay because I really didn’t think Apollo would like it. Sure, he wouldn’t get word we’d be late for two months but then he’d have two whole weeks to stew on it and that probably wasn’t a good thing.

I came out of these thoughts when I noticed no one was speaking. They were all staring at me again.

Finally, the dark-haired man offered his big, calloused hand. “I’m Achilles of the House of Ulfr. Cousin to Apollo.”

Yep. I was right. Family.

I took his hand and murmured, “Achilles.”

“I am Draven of the House of Sinclair,” the burnished-haired guy said and I let Achilles go to take Draven’s hand.

“Hey,” I said and his eyes lit with humor.

“I’m Aleksander, of the House of Lazarus,” the boy-man said, grinning at me and offering his hand. I took it and he finished, “Alek.”

“Nice to meet you, Alek,” I said on a squeeze and let him go.

“You’ll walk back, not ride,” Achilles decreed and my gaze went back to him. “We’ll talk tomorrow to see how you feel. And when you’re well enough, Hans will instruct you on riding. He’s our most talented horseman.”

“Really, that’s not—” I started but he moved closer to me. Not by a lot, it wasn’t an aggressive move, it was one designed to get my attention.

And it got my attention.

But the serious look in his eye, a look accompanied by not a small amount of kindness was what really got my attention.

“I have known those who life has taught to keep themselves isolated,” he stated quietly. “It is always folly and never ends well. No matter what experiences we have, we must keep ourselves open to having more. Don’t you agree?”

I pulled in a breath and nodded, because he was right.

“The men are anxious to meet you and it would serve you well to meet them,” he informed me. “We act as your guard as a duty and we very much understand duty. But we do that duty out of allegiance to Apollo and the House of Ulfr.” He held my eyes but dipped his face an inch closer to me and his voice got lower when he concluded, “If the men were to meet you, madam, and you were to allow them to get to know you, I have no doubt they would act as your guard for much different reasons.”

“The Ilsa of your world,” I whispered, totally getting him.

“No, the madam who puts herself on the back of a horse while injured, determined to learn something new to her world. And the woman who takes a hand in greeting while looking steadfastly in your eyes, hers hesitant but unwavering. And last, the woman who would do her best to embrace a new world very foreign to her even when circumstances are not in her favor. I know all of this having officially met you moments ago and watching but for two days. What I want to know is what more there is to know.”

Okay, maybe I didn’t totally get him.

And when he was done speaking, I was holding my breath and doing this because tears were stinging my eyes seeing as all he said was so nice.

Since he’d shut up and no one was saying anything, I realized it was up to me to break the silence.

“I was having a pity party,” I shared. “I thought I’d gotten over it but maybe I was hanging onto some of it.”

While I was talking, he’d moved slightly back and his brows had drawn together.

When I stopped talking, he asked, “A pity what?”

“A pity party,” I replied. “I was feeling sorry for myself and being self-indulgent. It’s a weakness.”

“It’s my experience that a weakness understood is no weakness,” Draven put in at this point and I looked to him. “If you know you have it, even if you can’t control it, you can make allowances for it. It is those who ignore or don’t understand their weaknesses who are wasted by them.”

I blinked.

Then I blurted, “Are you all philosopher soldiers, or what?”

This got me a smile from Achilles, a chuckle from Draven and a burst of laughter from Alek and I had to admit, all three felt good.

“Come,” Achilles said, offering me his arm even as he tipped his head toward our horses, his eyes on Alek. “I’ll accompany you to the house.”

I caught his eyes when he looked back at me, took his arm and whispered, “I’d like that.”

He lifted his chin.

Alek jogged around us to the horses.

Draven grinned at me before he turned to his mount.

And Achilles tucked me close to his side and guided us forward.

* * * * *

“It grows late, madam, we must get you in your carriage in order to be back at the country house for dinner.”

My heart plummeted, I turned, grabbed Derrik’s arm and leaned toward him, catching his eyes and begging, “No. Please? Can’t we stay in Benies for dinner?”

He stared his down his nose at me.

Suffice it to say, I freaking loved Benies.