Scandinavia so that’s why they decided on that. They were going to name me Tabitha.”
His body shook with a brief chuckle before he stated, “You are not a Tabitha.”
No, this was true.
“It’s spelled differently,” I informed him. “No one would get it the way it was spelled and they didn’t want people to mess it up so they spelled it S… e… o…a… f… i… n.”
He pressed closer to me, indicating, like he always did in some sweet, gentle way when I shared something he liked learning, that he liked learning the spelling of my name before he muttered, “This was probably wise.”
“They were very wise,” I concurred then I said as if to myself, “I wonder if it’s the same goddess in both worlds.”
“This, my wee one, we will probably never know.”
Probably not.
“Though,” Frey went on, “I find, if you pay attention, there are curious links to your world and mine. For instance, the Aurora of this world could clearly be your mother in both.”
This was also true, I’d noticed that too.
I sighed. Then I muttered, “I wonder what the you of my world is like.”
His arms got tight and he said gently but firmly, “This, my Finnie, you will definitely never know.”
I had to admit, his firm response was a tad surprising but the words he said were undoubtedly true.
I brought the conversation around full circle and said softly, “You’re hungry.”
His arms relaxed and he murmured, “Indeed.”
“One of us should rustle up some food and since I haven’t decided how to get Skylar not to be terrified of me, that person should be you.”
“Indeed,” he repeated, again on a murmur but this one held humor.
“We need to eat and then we need to talk about Skylar,” I said softly.
Frey sighed before he murmured, “I had wondered when you’d get to that.”
My head tilted into the pillow. “Get to what?”
“You have been very patient, wife, but I knew eventually you would make your play to win Skylar. I see your face when you note someone is troubled. Atticus is an example, you felt his disappointment keenly, allowing it to settle in your heart, determined to do something about it. It is almost as if you experience other’s discomfort as your own and cannot abide it. Naturally, you bring light into every situation with a smile, an understanding look or a laugh, helping others to be instantly comfortable when they’re in your presence and if you don’t find this reaction, you set about doing something about it.”
God, what a nice thing to say.
And, incidentally, yes, I was so totally in love with this man.
Then he finished, “But I fear Skylar will be a challenge, even for you.”
“You’ll help me,” I guessed.
“I will, my winter bride, but he was gravely mishandled and the way he was, those wounds run deep in very dark places even your light might not penetrate.”
“Can it hurt to try?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” I answered.
Oh yeah. I loved my husband.
Therefore I melted into him and declared, “So tomorrow, Operation Skylar commences.”
His arms convulsed and he laughed straight out. Then he bent in to kiss my forehead.
He left his lips there when he murmured, “I’ll see about food.”
He kissed me again then slid away but he pulled the velvet and hides over me until I was cocooned in warmth. In the dark, I heard him dress and then he lit the lantern by the door before I watched him pass through it.
And it felt wrong, his leaving the bed after what we’d shared and me not whispering “I love you” and also Frey not returning the sentiment.
I pulled a pillow to my front and held on tight.
Then I tilted my head to look out the window at the back of the ship and sighed deeply.
Then I forced my thoughts to food and Skylar.
There would be a time to discuss what I wanted to discuss but that time wasn’t right before Frey intended to enter a country in secret, penetrate the prince’s lover’s home and steal a priceless, ancient relic.
But there would be a time and it would be the right time.
And I’d find it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
King to Princess
Five days later…
I sat curled in the corner of the bench in front of the window and studied Skylar, who looked very small sitting behind Frey’s desk.
The tip of Skylar’s tongue was poking out of the side of his mouth as he concentrated on some addition and subtraction questions I’d written on a piece of paper.
He looked cute, very boyish and even younger than his eleven (I’d learned) years.
I was giving him distance and time so he could concentrate.
I was also trying not to think of my husband and his men off on their adventure, something I didn’t even try to talk Frey into allowing me to participate in. I was okay on a horse and now wasn’t a total amateur with a bow and knife but I’d had not that first lesson in being stealthy or participating in a raid and was in no way experienced enough with the limited skills I had to try them out on a mission as important as this.
So, three nights ago we set anchor and without delay, under the moonlight, the men lowered a boat into the water and rowed ashore.
Frey said the operation, if it went well, would take five or six days. One would be spent on travel, three or four would be spent on gathering updated intel and reconnaissance, then they’d do the deed (hopefully) and it would take a day to come back.
Then we were again away, back to Lunwyn so that Frey could meet with Ruben to hear his report on how his business went. And after that, Frey gave me the choice of seeing his lodge, his chalet, his fishing cottage, travelling to one of his foreign properties or returning to his hunting cabin.
I was still considering this choice and about every other minute I settled on a different location.
But I had time to think about it.
And hopefully I would have a lifetime to experience them all.
Before he left, Frey had decided how I would work through Skylar’s discomfort and I thought his decision was excellent.
That was for me to teach Skylar reading and math.
Kell had taken an interest in the boy but Kell, being Kell, had not devoted his days to these endeavors. Therefore, whenever the fancy struck him, he would work with Skylar.
I had learned in short order after Frey called Skylar to his cabin and told him he would begin tutorials with me that the fancy hadn’t struck Kell often. I also learned that if Skylar was uncomfortable around me normally, the thought of me teaching him anything terrified him and, even though he fought to hide it, especially in front of Frey, he didn’t succeed. Lastly, upon gently instigating some simple exercises, I found his skills were rudimentary at best. But at least we weren’t starting from the drawing board.
The first two tutorials began with Frey in attendance but he didn’t stay long, leaving the boy with me after Skylar’s attention was turned from his fear to his work. The ensuing days without Frey it took me longer to settle him in. But today he was settled and I was giving him space to work through his assignment without me hovering.
