Wildest Dreams (Fantasyland #1)(137)

I sat back, looked at the fire, took a sip of my coffee and tried to pull my shit together.

Okay, well, I was princess now and maybe forever. This was the gig. It was a shitty gig, but it was the gig. Apparently being princess wasn’t all about beautiful palaces, fantastic castles, shopping, archery lessons, wearing awesome crowns and kickass underwear and being married to a hot guy who named his ship after you. Apparently there were drawbacks.

And this was a big one.

Hells bells.

Aurora spoke and my eyes went to her as she did. “You will need to be strong, my dear. If she were here, Sjofn would not blink. You will need to look on, show strength and no reaction.” She paused then her eyes got soft before she finished, “It does not take long and we will soon be away.”

“Right,” I whispered, Frey’s arm again slid around my shoulders and he pulled me into his side.

Then he somewhat changed the subject.

“Explain why Grieg is amongst today’s condemned,” Frey demanded and I knew who Hernod Grieg was and Berg Enger. Frey had filled me in.

Atticus’s eyes moved between Frey and me swiftly, clearly catching on that Frey had shared before he asked, “The messenger did not reach you in Hawkvale?” At Frey’s shaking head, Father went on, “And, at your return, you did not received a briefing?”

Frey kept shaking his head. “Ruben arrived in Hawkvale with the news Grieg had been incarcerated and was being interrogated but not tried and condemned. And, as I explained, we made haste to Snowdon for Finnie wished to see you, news of this did not reach us prior to our leaving The Vale and no one met The Finnie with a report.”

Father’s lips tightened before he replied, “Your men picked him up, worked with him and he has confessed to being the man behind the plots.”

“Simple as that?” Frey asked, sounding disbelieving.

“Apparently,” Father answered cautiously, communicating to Frey with his eyes something I could not read but I could tell he didn’t believe it either.

“I’ll want to speak to Balthazar and Quincy,” Frey stated.

“Quincy is not far,” Father told him. “Once we received your message, I sent word to both of them you would be arriving and learned your man Balthazar is away, I do not know where. When the messenger arrived, I had assumed he’d heard word you were back in Lunwyn and rode to you. But Quincy is close. I’ll have him brought to you.” He paused a moment before continuing, “But, Drakkar, Grieg’s name is on the proclamation. The people will expect him to be there. There is no circumventing that. He will be hanged tonight.” Atticus leaned forward slightly, his eyes intense and said quietly, “Therefore, if you wish to have a word, your time is short.”

I had a feeling something was going on here I didn’t get but I also didn’t get the opportunity to ask.

Frey didn’t hesitate to stand, saying, “Then I have little time so I should make haste.”

Father nodded and stood too, setting down his coffee before he straightened. It was then I heard my cup clatter in its saucer and I looked down at my hand to see it shaking.

At about the same time, my cup and saucer were swept away by Frey. I watched vaguely as he set it on the table and then I saw nothing but his face for he had bent close to me and lifted his hand to my jaw.

“I will be with you,” he whispered and I nodded, knowing he meant at the executions and his eyes moved over my face before he noted, “They do not do this in your world.”

I shook my head and said softly, “They do, it’s just not public and criminals aren’t hanged. They’re injected with poison and, well… whatever, but it’s private and it happening at all is controversial. Many of my world do not believe in the death penalty and some are vehemently opposed to it.”

“And your opinion on that?” he prompted and I bit my lip.

Then I replied, “I’m not a big fan.”

Frey’s eyes softened before he assured me, “It is rare here, my love, and the only times this sentence is carried out is for traitors, ra**sts and murderers. And your attendance would only be expected at the executions of traitors.”

Well, this was good news except for the fact that there just happened to be three traitors who needed hanging.

“Fabulous,” I muttered.

“That is rarer still, my Finnie,” Frey whispered, his fingers tensing at my jaw briefly. “I only remember one other in my lifetime and that was decades ago.”

I nodded and that made me feel better, just not much.

Frey leaned in, touched his mouth to mine and that made me feel better too, this time a lot more.

“It will be swift and we will be away,” he said gently.

I nodded again and he again tensed his fingers on my jaw.

Then he said, “I must make haste to talk to the conspirator.”

I nodded yet again.

Frey went on, “I will return as soon as I can.”

That was when I realized that he was keen to get away but he was worried about me and staying to make sure I was okay before he went.

So that was when I lifted my hand, curled my fingers around his wrist, squeezed and gave him a small smile.

“I’ll be all right,” I assured him.

He still didn’t move as he replied, “I do not like the light I see in your eyes.”