Wildest Dreams (Fantasyland #1)(138)

“Well, honey, you probably won’t for awhile because this is an adventure, if given the choice, I would say a big, fat no to but I’ll get through it then I’ll get over it.” I gave his wrist another squeeze and finished, “Promise.”

His thumb stroked my cheekbone then he leaned in and slid his nose along mine as I pulled in a fortifying breath.

Then he must have been assured I wasn’t going to fall apart for he straightened, nodded at Mother, jerked his chin at Father, Father smiled his approval at me briefly (and that made me feel better too) and they moved out of the room.

Mother regarded me over the rim of her coffee cup through another sip before we heard the doors close behind Father and Frey.

Then she dropped the cup again and drily observed, “It upsets me to note that it appears your husband doesn’t like you much at all, my daughter.”

I blinked at her then saw her mouth twitch as I watched her eyes light.

Then I leaned forward, nabbed my own cup, sat back and remarked, “It’s terrible. We simply do not get along,” then I took a sip.

“I see this,” Aurora murmured.

“He’s insufferable,” I added.

“Mm.” This she murmured into her cup while her eyes danced.

“And he thinks I’m a shrew,” I informed her.

“He made that quite clear,” she replied.

“The last few months have been a nightmare,” I shared.

She lifted her chin slightly. “My profound sympathy, my dear, that you are suffering so greatly,” she returned and I couldn’t help it, I grinned, that grin grew to a smile then I burst out laughing.

Aurora of the House of Wilde did not laugh with me but she did smile.

And when I stopped laughing, she leaned forward, picked up the delicate, china plate of petite fours and extended it to me while inviting, “Tell me all about your adventures with your Raider, my Finnie.”

And therefore Mother deftly took my mind off the coming events and to better places, something I not only let her do but was extremely grateful for and we sat, drank coffee, ate cakes and had a long, fabulous mother daughter chat in a beautiful room next to a roaring fire.

I would have preferred our welcome home not to include news of my required presence at a triple execution.

But it ended up great.

And, by the way, the petite fours tasted even better than they looked.

* * * * *

“Don’t be cross, Penelope,” I whispered as I cuddled my cat who I’d been reunited with a few hours earlier and who, I had found, was holding a pretty mean grudge for being left behind.

She stretched her neck over my arm and looked to the side, clearly wishing to be put down and not receive snuggles and soft words from her Momma who she considered abandoned her.

“You told me you didn’t want to go on a ship,” I reminded her.

“Mrrrr that was before you, mrrr went away for, mrrr ages,” she retorted.

“Next time, I’ll take you with us,” I promised.

“Mrrr, let me down,” she demanded.

“You cannot tell me my girls didn’t take care of you,” I stated.

“Mrrr, they didn’t let me go, mrrr outside,” she replied.

“No, you mean they didn’t let you go outside every ten minutes and then jump to let you back in ten minutes after,” I amended.

She blinked at the distance, granting this point with ill-grace by repeating, “Mrrrr, let me down.”

“Just give Momma a cuddle before I do,” I urged, she turned her head and blinked at me then she turned it away again to look over my arm.

She was being ornery and I knew she wasn’t going to give in (just yet) so I moved her to the bed and dropped her on it. She waddled to the pillows throwing a disdainful look down her fat body at me then she collapsed on the comforter at the edge of the pillows and glared at me a second before she curled into herself and started to clean her big belly.

I sighed. Then I looked around the room which was more elegant furniture, tapestries, glittery stone walls and floors but it was decorated in whites and the palest of pale greens and lavenders. It was fantastic.

The other thing that was fantastic was that the sleighs with our things, as driven by Kell, arrived about an hour ago. They included our trunks and much more precious cargo, Skylar.

And lastly Skylar had taken Frey’s spun glass dragon down and now it was sitting on its feet, its wings spread wide, on a bed of silk on a dresser. My girls had been called close after the message was received that Frey and I would be arriving, they’d packed for themselves and me and made haste from the Winter Palace to Rimée Keep, arriving, Alyssa told me, just twenty minutes before Frey and I did. Therefore, next to the dragon, Esther had set my wedding bundle in a beautiful, crystal vase.

I studied the beauty of the adela twigs and Frey’s glass beast and decided in that moment that wherever we went, those two things would be with us. No matter where we were, they would always be with us.

Always.

Then the door opened and Frey walked through followed by Alyssa and Bess.

The girls went to the wardrobe, Frey came to me and I could tell by the look on his face it was time.

He stopped close, both his hands came to my neck and he bent so his face was near mine before he whispered, “We must be away.”

I knew it therefore I nodded.