Kristian’s expression turned baffled at the same time concerned. “I cannot imagine how that could be, sister,” he whispered.
I shook my head and readjusted my position, turning my gaze back to the window.
In other words, hiding in the only way I could from my brother even as I gave him everything.
“I did not know who I was without my existence being the way it was.”
“Franka,” he said quietly in a way I knew he was no longer baffled.
“I still am uncertain,” I admitted. I looked over my shoulder at him. “Do you…or perhaps did you feel the same?”
“No, love,” he stated quietly. “When that witch stripped Mother of her magic and shared with me Father had been detained by Frey, I felt like great stones had been weighing me down for centuries and they’d suddenly been lifted so not only could I take my feet, I could lift my arms and fly.”
This made me feel something I’d never felt.
My heart taking flight for my brother.
Without thought, my hand darted out to find his.
Our fingers curled around each other’s.
“I’m happy for that, brother,” I told him.
“You’ll find your way, sister,” he told me.
I hoped so.
Though I’d thought my way was an adventure across the sea, but Kristian had done something about that.
Now I needed to find another way.
Oh well, I would. Eventually my back would be fully healed and the shocking knowledge of what had been before for Kristian and I would mean all the attention I was receiving would fade. People (I assumed) would feel less protective (or, by my way of thinking, overprotective). And then I (and Josette, not to mention Irene), would be at liberty to go about our business again.
I just needed patience and I’d had that once. I’d find it again. Utilize it.
And onward we’d go.
“Shit, sorry to interrupt.”
This came from the door, and Kristian let me go to step aside as we both looked to see Noc backing out of the space.
“No, Sir Noc, or…um, Master Noc,” Kristian called clumsily but quickly rallied. “If you seek Franka, you’ve found her and I’m off to join my wife.” My brother looked to me. “We’ll breakfast together?”
I nodded. “That would be lovely.”
He smiled and moved toward me leaning in.
He touched his cheek to mine and whispered, “Goodnight, my valiant.”
I felt my mouth tighten because his words vexed me. And they vexed me because they meant the world to me and I found this constant overflowing of feeling decidedly annoying.
This meant when he pulled away and looked at my face, his head jerked before his mouth broke into a wide smile.
“And with gratitude, some things never change,” he murmured, still smiling as he moved away.
I watched him leave, hearing him bid goodnight to Noc as he did so, Noc returning that gesture.
My attention moved to Noc only when my brother disappeared from view.
Noc was now in the middle of the room, looking at me, and he didn’t appear to be in a good mood.
“Is aught amiss?” I queried, hoping to sound innocent of the wrongdoing I knew I’d done, which he knew as well for it was written all over his face.
“Aught’s definitely amiss,” he stated shortly. “Babe, we had a date and I’ve been sittin’ in our room for the last two hours waitin’ on your ass.”
Drat it all, his using the words our room made warmth flood my belly.
“Our room?” I asked even though I knew precisely what he was referring to.
“Babe,” he growled low, knowing I knew.
All right, onward from that.
“Why didn’t you ask a servant where I was?” I inquired.
“Why didn’t you come to our room like we agreed?” he fired back.
“We agreed on an assignation, Noc, we didn’t agree on a location.”
This, at least, was true.
He tossed an arm out wide. “Have you been waitin’ in here for me?”
No, guiltily I had not. I had been in that room somewhat avoiding him but doing it in order to brood and lick my wounds from dinner, which turned into me madly planning a variety of elaborate escapes I wouldn’t be able to execute and losing track of time.
But mostly I was avoiding him, and I was doing this because he did simple things, like say two innocuous words, and doing such made warmth flood my belly.
“Well…” I said that word slowly and trailed off, attempting to find an inoffensive, slightly factual answer.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered, prowling to the cord in the room and tugging on it. He then turned again to me and crossed his arms on his chest. “You gonna get your ass over here and sit with me by the fire or are you gonna stand in front of that window until the cold coming through freezes you to death?”
“There’s no need to be surly,” I noted (although there was), shifting from the window (which was indeed cold) and moving his way where there were two chairs with a table between them angled toward a hearty fire.
“Frannie, I waited two hours for you.”
Gods, the guilt assailing me was going to make me bite my lip!
I managed not to do something so ridiculous and simply stopped in front of a chair, keeping my gaze on him.
I opened my mouth to say something flippant.
But, “I’m sorry, Noc, I’ve got much on my mind,” came out instead.
Some of the ire in his face faded as me moved toward me.
I expected him to stop in front of his own chair but he was Noc. He didn’t do the expected.