Wildest Dreams (Fantasyland #1)(121)

I looked from my book to him to see he had a stack of dirty but devoid of the barest hint of food trays in his hands and his eyes were on me.

“Yes, Skylar?” I responded quietly.

He licked his lips then worried them by pressing and rolling them together.

I waited.

Then he said, “You coulda died today? Uh… makin’ that journey to the king an’ all.”

Even more surprised at his question and that he’d ask it, I quickly assured him, “It turned out not to be that dangerous.”

“But…” he hesitated, “you didn’t know that.”

“No,” I said softly, studying him and taking care with the first conversation he’d instigated between us. “I didn’t know that.”

“And you did it for the captain?” he asked.

“Yes, I did it for the captain,” I answered.

He nodded then worried his lips again.

Then he whispered, “And you’d do it again? Like you said, in a heartbeat?”

“Yes honey,” I whispered back, “for my husband, I’d do it again.” I paused then finished, “In a heartbeat.”

He worried his lips again and his face went from cautious curiosity to fear and I felt my heart hurt because I thought we were making some headway.

Then he took a step forward before he immediately retreated and took a step back.

Then he blurted, “Mama used to try an’ teach me.”

I blinked. Then I asked, “What?”

He didn’t repeat himself. Instead he said, “She got real mad when I got things wrong.”

I felt the backs of my eyes start stinging and I held his gaze as I felt them get wet but didn’t say anything.

“Tried real hard,” he whispered, “to make certain sure I got nothin’ wrong.”

I bet he did.

I didn’t respond.

“Always got somethin’ wrong,” he murmured, his voice aching from old wounds that in no way were healed and I felt them score at my own insides.

“This is life,” I whispered as I steadily held his gaze. “Skylar, know that. It is life to get things wrong. It happens all the time to everyone. We make mistakes, all of us. There is no shame in that. None at all. The thing that’s important to understand is, if you make a mistake, you try and learn from it. But honey, you will make mistakes and that’s okay. One thing I can promise and you can take your time to trust me, is that if you do make mistakes with me or with Frey, we won’t get mad like your Mama. We might get upset or disappointed but we won’t get mad at you like her. You don’t have to believe me now, Sky, but I hope, someday, you do.”

He stared at me while worrying his lips and I held his stare.

Then, when he screwed up the courage to go on, he said quietly, “I like it here on the ship with Captain Drakkar.”

“I’m glad, Sky,” I said quietly back.

“Wouldn’t want nothin’ to happen to him,” he went on.

“Me either,” I agreed.

“You faced bad things to make certain that didn’t happen,” Skylar kept going.

“Yes,” I said softly.

He bit his lip. Then he whispered quickly, “Thanks,” and before I could say a word, he dashed out of the room.

I stared at the door after he’d gone. Then I put the ribbon in my book, closed it and set it on the table before I bent my neck, lifted both hands to my face and pressed my fingertips into my forehead.

“Finnie?” Frey called and I dropped my hands and looked to the door to see my husband striding toward me. “Gods, love, what on –?”

“I want,” I started, my voice trembling, “you to take,” I paused in order to gain control, “me to that woman,” I paused again to suck in a breath, “so I can tear her f**king hair out at the roots.”

Frey had made it to me and stood by the chair looking down at me.

“What woman?” he asked quietly.

“Skylar’s mother,” I hissed.

He studied me for a moment then I found myself plucked out of the chair only to be settled in his lap when he sat in it.

His arms wrapped around me as I tipped my head to look at him and put my hands on his chest.

“I’m being very serious, Frey,” I whispered.

“I know you are, wee one,” Frey whispered back, watching me closely and one of his hands started stroking my back.

“He just opened up to me,” I informed him.

“I guessed that,” Frey muttered, still watching me.

“I’m angry,” I announced.

“I guessed that too,” Frey replied.

I glared at him then suddenly my eyes filled with stupid, stupid tears and about a nanosecond later my face was in Frey’s neck because he tucked it there and his arms were tight around me.

“I… I don’t like kah, kah… crying,” I cried into his neck.

I heard his sigh and felt his chest rise and fall with it before he murmured, “My wee Finnie has had a trying day.”

He had that right.

I pulled in a deep, shuddering breath that fortunately controlled my tears but I didn’t move my face from his neck. Instead, I lay cradled in Frey’s lap, held in his arms and I let his strength envelope me.