Broken Dove (Fantasyland #4)(30)

He most assuredly did not need her talking about having a bath. It brought thoughts of her pressing close to him when she was in his arms in his bed in Fleuridia and when she did that, she’d been fully clothed in her world’s garments. Thoughts of that, and worse, thoughts of her naked, were thoughts he did not need.

Therefore to end them, he stated, “I should have given you some time to refresh yourself. But now we’re both here, we should proceed.”

She nodded, took a step into the room and began talking.

And when she did, Apollo couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You’re right. We should proceed so we can move on. And I’d like to start by thanking you for the guard and the clothes and, well…everything.”

“It’s my duty to—” he started but she spoke over him.

“And I’ll ask that you allow me to keep them when I leave.”

He blinked. Slowly.

She carried on.

“I’ll also ask for a loan. A small one and I’ll leave it up to you how much it is because you’ll know better than me how much it should be to get me to where I need to go so I can do what I need to do. But it’ll need to be enough to get me back to the Vale, maybe Fleuridia, and help me to get set up.”

She lifted a hand and quickly continued.

“I want to assure you that it’s pretty obvious in your world you’ve got a wad, or about seven of them, of cash, but still, I’m not taking advantage. I’ll keep track, and when I have a job, I’ll start to pay you back.”

“When you have a job?” Apollo repeated her words in a question because he was not sure of every word she’d said, but he thought he was sure of her meaning.

He just couldn’t believe it.

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“A job in Fleuridia or the Vale,” he stated.

“Yes. It’s pretty here but it’s also pretty cold and, uh…well, kind of close to you,” she replied.

Apollo said nothing.

But he felt a number of things and none of them were good.

“I’d actually like to be on my way tonight,” she informed him. “Is that too much of a rush for you? To get me a loan, I mean. That is, if you agree to the loan. If you don’t, I understand. I’ll ask Achilles. Or Derrik.”

He had something to say to that.

“You’ll not be seeing Derrik for some time,” Apollo declared and watched her head give a small jerk.

“Sorry?” she asked.

“You and Derrik will not be in each other’s company for some time,” he stated.

“Um…I…well, I know. As I said, I’m going, like, tonight. And I’m not good at good-byes so if I could ask one more thing of you and that is for you to tell all the guys I said adieu and thank them”—she put her hand to her chest— “from the bottom of my heart for being so cool, I’d appreciate it.” Her head twitched again and she clarified. “I mean, I won’t see Derrik again unless I have to ask him for money. After that, I probably won’t see him at all.”

She said this and she didn’t like saying it. There were many ways she was surprising him but that message was clear.

She would miss the men, and specifically Derrik.

Apollo felt his skin start to prickle again.

“You won’t see him again not because you’re leaving to go somewhere to get set up.” he said, attempting to keep the annoyance out of his tone. “You won’t see him again because I’m not allowing it.”

Her back shot straight and she whispered, “You won’t allow it?”

“No,” he replied.

“But—”

“You’ll also not be going anywhere but Karsvall.”

“I—”

“And you’ll not be working at all. An Ulfr woman does not work.”

She blinked.

Then she stared.

“And you may not be of this world, but you’re an Ulfr,” he finished.

“How can I make money if I don’t work?” she asked.

“If you need anything, you ask for it. It will be provided for you,” he answered.

“But—”

“Now,” he interrupted again. “As for the children—”

It was she who interrupted this time, and she did it by snapping, “Hang on a ding-donged second.”

“Ilsa—”

“No.” She kept snapping and now she did it advancing; her hand up, finger pointing at him and jabbing the air. “You listen to me now and stop cutting me off. It’s rude.” She stopped moving and dropped her hand. “You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do; where I can go and who I can see.”

She stopped talking so he requested, “May I speak?”

“Only if you don’t piss me off when you do it,” she allowed and he really didn’t want to find her amusing.

But, damn it all, he did.

He just didn’t let it show.

“I’m afraid what I’m about to say will do that…if I take your meaning as I’ve learned what those words mean from Finnie, Cora and Circe.”

Her head tipped to the side. “Finnie, Cora and Circe?”

“Women here from your world married to men from mine.”