Fantasyland 01 Wildest Dreams (51 page)

Therefore I admonished, “Kell, there’s a
lady at the table. Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

His eyes came to me then he smiled huge
exposing meat in his teeth.

I shook my head and couldn’t stop my quiet
laughter that mingled with the same coming from Frey’s men around
the table.

Then Kell reached out for another hunk of
meat while barking, “Boy! Where’s my horn?”

My eyes moved to Skylar who I was stunned to
see was looking at me and as he did it he was clearly in another
world. His boyish face was soft, his eyes active and wheels were
turning in his mind.

“Boy!” Kell barked again and Skylar jumped
then dashed to the chart table where he’d put the pitcher of ale
and the horns.

I looked to Frey to see he was also studying
Skylar then I called, “Husband,” and he turned to me. “Are you
still angry?” I asked.

He shook his head and lifted his hand to
trail his fingers along my jaw while his eyes roamed my face and he
muttered, “No, as all is well.” Then he dropped his hand, faced the
table, his gaze circled the men and stopped on Gunner. “Not that
this will happen again but if it does, Finnie goes nowhere without
heavy guard. I don’t care if you have to arm half the crew and take
them ashore.”

“That was my idea, Frey,” Stephan put in and
I looked to him. “Gunner, Kell and I discussed it and we thought,
considering it was simply a visit with her uncle, if we went in
with three boatloads of men, it would expose too much. A visit of
niece and uncle wouldn’t normally require that precaution. We
decided it was likely he was there because he was suspicious about
your ship anchored offshore and what you were doing and wasn’t
there to take action against Finnie. And we hoped that she and Kell
could pull off something to provide you cover. With that, we didn’t
think you’d wish to tip the fact you consider him a threat by
making that show.”

“It was an understandable risk you took,
Steph,” Frey conceded, “but it is likely, if he’s not behind them,
that by now news has travelled to Baldur that at least one attempt
has been made on Finnie’s life. Therefore, he would understand
because of this, even on a visit to her uncle, her guard would be
intensified.”

Stephan inclined his head, Frey nodded to
him and I watched in fascination mainly because Frey thought
Stephan, Gunner and Kell had fucked up and that fuck up could have
been huge. Frey was angry about it but he didn’t blister them with
his wrath or order them tied to a mast and flogged. He listened,
disagreed, explained why and made his wishes known.

It was a cool way to command and I liked
it.

“Uh… you think we could quit gabbin’ like a
bunch ‘a women, pull anchor and get the bloody hell outta this
place?” Kell asked, grumpy eyes on Frey.

“Yes,” Frey agreed and turned to Thad. “Take
the helm, Thad. We’re away home to Lunwyn.”

“Uh… don’t think that’s such a good idea,”
Kell stated quickly and Frey and I looked back to him. “We kinda
told the king we were on our way to Hawkvale. It probably ain’t a
leap to think he’s already dispatched boys to the shoreline to
watch where we’re goin’ if he hasn’t set sail to ships to follow
us. Best we head in that direction.”

Frey studied Kell then he sighed and looked
at me.

“
Fancy a stay in my chateau?” he asked and
I grinned…
big.

Frey’s eyes dropped to my mouth, his lips
twitched then he turned to Thad.

“Pull anchor and make way to Hawkvale. The
minute we’re out of Middlelandian waters, send a man ashore to head
up to Lunwyn to meet with Ruben. He’s to tell Ruben to make haste
to my chateau. Yes?”

“Right, Frey,” Thad muttered, sucked back
what was left in his horn, set it on the table, got up and left the
room.

The rest of the men fell on the food.

Suddenly starving, I did too.

“Sky, refill your lady’s horn,” Frey ordered
and I looked to my husband, a cracker with cheese on it in my
hand.

His eyes came to me then his hand came to
me, curling around the back of my neck. He pulled me to him as he
leaned into me and touched his mouth to mine.

When he pulled away slightly, I smiled at
him and I knew my face was soft because I saw his eyes move over it
and his got soft too.

“That, wife,” he whispered, “is the welcome
back I’d prefer in the future.”

“No way,” I whispered back, “as soon as I
get good with my bow and daggers and learn some stealth tactics,
I’m totally going with you…” I paused then finished, “in the
future.”

Frey stared at me.

Then he pulled me super close, so close, I
nearly came out of my chair. Then he shoved my face in his neck and
burst out laughing.

* * * * *

The men were gone, including Frey to check
with Thad at the helm.

I was curled under a blanket in the chair
reading by lantern light a book that my girls had packed for
me.

Skylar was tidying the table and I was
pretending he wasn’t there so he could do it comfortably.

Therefore, when Skylar called, “Er… milady?”
I was surprised.

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
fucking
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.

When I had myself together, I informed
him, “Baldur, by the way, is a
jerk,
”

“This I know,” Frey muttered.

I pulled in another breath then lifted my
hand to wipe my face and pulled up to look at him.

“Sorry,” I whispered and Frey grinned.

Then he said softly, “I prefer your smiles
and laughter, wife, but there are far worse things than your tears
wetting my skin.”

I stared at his handsome, bearded face
thinking,
God, I really,
freaking
love this man.

Then I smiled at him, slid a hand up to
curl around his neck, leaned in close and decided a change of
subject was in order therefore I asked, “Any chance you’ll tell me
why Kell was all fired up
not
to
let Baldur’s men board your ship?”

Frey’s lips twitched and he hesitated only
a moment before he answered, “While we were rescuing the sorceress
Circe, some of the men
might
have nicked a few things that it’s highly likely were
important enough for some to notice are missing and want them back
badly and some of those things
might
still be aboard
The Finnie
.”

I felt my lips twitch too then I asked,
“What’s this spirit Kell’s talking about?”

Frey lifted a hand to my temple and trailed
it along my hairline as he tucked the hair back behind my ear
before pushing a mass of it that was at my neck over my shoulder
before his eyes left the movements of his hand and came back to
me.

Then he answered, “I told him you have the
spirit of the sea, the spirit of a Raider. I told him you’re a
Voyager like him and like me. The Voyager doesn’t settle, his feet
itch to move, be it on ship, on land, in stirrups. The Voyager acts
fast and thinks faster. He has courage. He doesn’t wait to face the
risks that come his way, instead, he rushes to greet them.” He
paused and his eyes held mine before he finished softly, “Before,
Kell didn’t believe me but, today, he believes me.”

Oh my God.

Oh my
God.

I felt tears well in my eyes as warmth
swelled in my heart.

Then I accused, “You’re going to make me cry
again.”

Frey grinned and noted, “Finnie, I think I
may not have made this clear but this does not bother me.”

“I bet a Voyager doesn’t burst into tears at
the drop of a hat,” I returned in between deep breaths I was taking
to control my emotion.

“I wouldn’t know, wee one, I’ve never met a
beautiful one with white-blonde hair and soft curves. But I’m
learning those kind do a lot of things differently.”

His words made me laugh softly and the tears
melted away then I slid my arms around his neck and pressed close
to whisper the God’s honest truth in his ear, “I’m pleased you’re
home, husband.”

His arms gave me a squeeze and in my ear he
asked, “How pleased?”

I held on tighter and answered with
feeling, “
Very.
”

His hand drifted up my back to curl around
my neck and he replied, “If this is so, wee wife, right now, I wish
you to show me how much.”

I lifted my head and looked down at him to
see his beautiful green-brown eyes had changed in a way I liked a
whole lot.

“Okay,” I breathed, he smiled his wicked
smile then he got out of the chair, taking me with him and he
carried me to the divan where I did not delay in setting about
showing him just how happy I was he was back.