Therefore, Apollo reversed his decision not to attend their gale as he had been doing, but only since Calder and his wife Melba took over the House. He packed us all up and here we were.

And I didn’t have a good feeling about it.

Any of it.

Especially that castle.

What I did have was Apollo as well as Draven, Hans, Alek, Remi, Gaston and Laures, not to mention Quincy and Balthazar, and they were armed to the teeth. I’d seen what lay under the green tarps in the back of the sleigh Loretta, Meeta and Bella were in so I knew they understood the dangers and were not messing around.

Luckily, the kids didn’t notice this but I was thinking even if they did, they wouldn’t care. This was because Apollo had clearly created a close relationship between his men and his children and it was obvious the trust the kids shared with Apollo’s boys was absolute.

They were a family, a familiar, caring, teasing, loving family.

This was another thing that made the journey good. I’d never had anything like it, never experienced anything so beautiful, not even on the long trip up from Fleuridia, though that was close. But the addition of the kids and my friends made it even better.

And I loved every second of it.

“Maddie.” I heard Draven call and I looked his way.

He was standing by my sleigh, offering his hand.

I threw the furs off me, got up, reached out and took it.

Draven helped me out of the sleigh and tucked me close with my hand curved around his elbow as he walked me to the door of the inn.

“Are you all right?” he asked as we moved through the packed snow. “You seem preoccupied.”

“That castle is freaking me out,” I admitted.

“Good instincts,” he murmured, reaching out to open the door for us.

But I stopped and looked up at him.

“What do you mean?” I asked, and he looked down at me.

“The Drakkars”—he shook his head—“except for Frey, Calder and their other brother Garik, den of vipers. Every last one.”

Fabulous.

He drew me inside, saying, “You have no worries, my sweet. They’re vipers but they’re far from stupid.”

Well, that was good, I guess.

But with the feel of that place, I had to know for sure.

So I asked, “Okay, what does that mean?”

He stopped at the foot of the wooden stairs and looked down at me.

“That means tomorrow you walk into their gale on the arm of Apollo Ulfr and nothing but that matters. Lo is not a man to cross and they know it. And if anything is done or said to upset you, he would not hesitate to let his displeasure be known in ways they would not like.”

Oh boy.

“Okay, now what does that mean?” I mostly repeated.

“It means, Maddie,” he started quietly and bent close, “you look like Ilsa.”

Oh shit.

I forgot.

How could I forget?

“Right,” I whispered.

“This will be your first event amongst the Houses, love. It has been spread far that the resemblance between you and her is uncanny. I still don’t think that will prepare many for what they’ll see. Most will be well-mannered. The Drakkars, however, don’t often concern themselves with manners.”

Great. Just great.

“It isn’t like you haven’t been confronted with this very thing, repeatedly,” he reminded me gently.

I turned us back to the stairs. “You’re right. I have.”

He stopped us again and I looked up at him.

“There are people who it matters what they think. And then there are those who it does not. I can tell you now, in the case of the Drakkars and anyone who might say or do something that would upset you, they do not matter.”

“I see you feel in the mood to be a soldier philosopher,” I remarked and he grinned.

“I’m always at your service to impart wisdom,” he offered.

“I know and sometimes it’s annoying,” I teasingly returned. “But this time, it’s just plain scary.”

He burst out laughing and moved us up the stairs.

I smiled and leaned into him as we made our ascent.

But inside I was thinking about that creepy castle, the not-so-nice family who claimed it and the fact that my first gale was probably going to suck.

No, I didn’t like it here.

Not at all.

* * * * *

“I do not think good thoughts about this place,” Loretta declared.

I’d had my bath and, even though I could do it, she was brushing my hair. Meeta was across the room, arranging my clothes for the next day.

“I do not either,” Meeta agreed and I looked to her in surprise at her words. She was supposed to be my Spock—level-headed, not irrational. “There’s a chill coming down from that mountain,” she went on and I felt a chill slide across my skin when she did. Her eyes came to mine. “And it is not the normal chill of this icy place.”

“It’s all going to be fine,” I lied, and I did this because I was Captain Kirk. I was supposed to be confident and reassuring, even if I was totally full of shit.

“It will be for you in about ten minutes when Ulfr strides through that door,” Loretta noted, putting down the brush and arranging my hair on my shoulders.

I watched Meeta’s foreboding expression change to a knowing one. A small smile lit her face as she threw the dress I was to wear tomorrow over a chair and did this still smiling.

I had no response because this was true, when Apollo walked through my door, everything would be fine. At least for me.

Loretta scooted her chair around to face the one I was in and remarked, “He has not had maid or cook or wench from the village.”

This confirmation of what Apollo told me was good to know. Even so, I had no clue where she was going with it.

Then she gave me a clue where she was going with it.

“So what’s he like?” she asked.

“Do not answer that,” Meeta demanded. “I have not had a lover in months, my hand is getting tired and I share a bed with you.” She pinpointed her gaze on Loretta. “Therefore, that won’t even be of use until we’re home.”

This was not good news. Not that Meeta couldn’t engage in certain activities. No, that coupled with the fact she hadn’t gotten herself any in months and a bevy of Apollo’s boys was around, she was gorgeous, and they were active.

“I won’t answer,” I stated and aimed a smile at Loretta. “I’m sorry, honey, but that’s private.”

Her head tipped to the side. “Private?”