“You have it?” he asked back.

“Of course, chéri.”

“Then share it,” he demanded shortly.

He heard the smile in her voice even as she said, “It’s not good. Or, I should say, there isn’t much to it. The scouting party returned, all intact, fortunately, without finding any of their targets, unfortunately.”

“So the she-god Minerva, Baldur and the others remain hidden,” Apollo muttered, frustrated, not to mention concerned.

“They do,” she confirmed. “The Drakkar immediately wanted to send another scouting party, led by him, but I had a word and he’s changed his mind.”

This, he didn’t understand.

“Frey and his men are very good at these kinds of missions, witch.”

She shook her head and retorted, “During their situation, Frey was separated from his love due to injury and knew he would return to her. But you will note that Dax Lahn nor Noctorno volunteered for such a mission. When they were separated from their loves, they had no way of knowing they would be reunited. They are not so eager to be separated again.” She paused and this pause was heavy. When she spoke again, her voice was the same. “I would suggest you learn from that.”

Apollo said nothing. He knew all about the affairs of Frey, The Drakkar the witch referred to, and his Finnie, Dax Lahn and his Circe and Prince Noctorno and his Cora.

Starting the war with Middleland, Frey had been gravely injured and taken by the elves to their world under the ice to be healed. Finnie did not know he lived on and that was her torture. But Frey always knew he’d go back to her.

Lahn’s Circe had spirited herself back to the other world. Lahn had sent a man to search for a way to bring her back, knowing for months, and feeling the accompanying anguish as they were separated that he might not find that way.

And Minerva had torn apart Tor and Cora. As she had united their souls at birth, it was a cruelty unimaginable and brought on physical pain to endure as well as emotional. Both struggled with the agony for weeks, both desperately searching their worlds to find a way to reunite before they bested that challenge.

And he’d lost his Ilsa therefore he knew what that felt like, well worse than the others because there was no way on any world to get her back.

His eyes moved to the bed and before he could form a thought or force his heart to start beating without that tightness shrouding it, the witch spoke again and he looked back to her.

“You are aware that Lavinia and I are concerned that there are too many coincidences linked to our foes and the couples united over the worlds. Dax Lahn and Noctorno take that into account, I would assume, with every breath. I urge you to remember that in your dealings with Madeleine.”

He was aware and he was in agreement that there seemed to be far too much linking the couples who found each other, spanning universes, and the ones who they feared conspired against the peace and prosperity that both the Northlands and the Southlands currently enjoyed.

They had their own strengths, however. The most powerful witch in Lunwyn, Lavinia, was aligned with their fight and had formed a closeness with Valentine, who had, for a fee (and not coincidentally, part of that substantial fee included a sack of the now priceless adela tea) agreed to help.

They were a formidable pair.

It would remain to be seen if they were more formidable than their foe.

“I have taken pains to keep her safe,” Apollo reminded her.

“For a day. The rest of the time, your men have,” she reminded him.

He didn’t reply, for he had none as she was right.

Dawn began to force its way around the curtains but the room was still mostly in shadows as she stated, “Now I will leave you.” She turned and motioned to the door. “You have things to see to across the hall.”

The green mist was forming but Apollo still addressed her. “I have a bath and breakfast to see to for Maddie. Then I’ll address the issue across the hall.”

The mist illuminated the room and her, and he saw her cat’s smile before she purred, “There’s my Goliath.”

He had no idea what she was talking about and no intention to ask. Even if he did, he would have no chance as she faded away.

When she did, Apollo walked to the windows. Pulling a curtain back slightly, he assessed the sun’s rays and noted they were deeper into the dawn than he suspected.

With a sigh, he dropped the curtains and moved to the fire. Pulling back the screen, he fed it more fuel, stirring it until it was blazing.

He then returned the screen and walked to the bed, sat on it and wrapped his hand around the side of Maddie’s neck.

“Madeleine, my dove, wake,” he whispered, giving her a squeeze.

He watched her eyes blink and again, before she turned only her head on the pillow and stared somnolently up at him.

And it wasn’t lost on him he saw nothing but Maddie.

Nothing.

As he felt nothing but her last night. Her mouth on his cock. Her sex convulsing around him. Her eyes burning into him. Her little, inscrutable smile making his shaft ache.

He also tasted nothing but her either. Heard nothing but her whimpers, moans and cries. Her pleas for more. Or harder. Or faster.

Nothing.

But her.

He felt his c**k twitch.

“Is it morning already?” her sleepy voice asked, taking him from his heated thoughts and he gave her another squeeze.

“Alas, it is, poppy, and you must arise as we must be away.”

She blinked again.

Adorable.

Gods, how he wished he had this for the next hour, the next day, as long as he could have it.

Not have it taken away when consciousness fully came to her and she understood the advantage he’d taken.

“I’ll call for a bath, breakfast,” he told her softly. “I’m sorry but you must prepare for us to be on our way. You can sleep in the sleigh.”

She lifted up on her forearm and asked, “If I’m asleep, how can I steer the sleigh?”

She wouldn’t have to. So she could rest, he’d be in it with her, if she allowed that, and he’d do it.

Torment would not like being hitched to the sleigh, but his horse would suffer that indignity for him. And with two horses dragging the load, they’d make better time.

“Leave that to me. Now, rouse yourself. I’ll give you time and be back.”

She blinked yet again and her head tipped to the side, but thankfully, understanding of his selfishness did not dawn and she nodded.

He bent and brushed his mouth against hers. Pulling away, she blinked again, her eyes and the skin around her mouth soft and he felt that softness gather around his heart, memorizing her look because he was sure that was all he’d have.