A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,98
It’s hard to say exactly what changes have been wrought.”
“Addie.” Gabe pulled my attention back to him. Despite the news from my godmother, horror filled his eyes. “Were you dying because of me? After my announcement, I took you—Audrey, I mean—aside somewhere quieter, and that’s when I realized…” He swallowed, seeming to find it difficult to breathe. “She broke down and told me what Leander made her do, but I couldn’t understand the point of it all. All I knew was that you were gone, and something terrible was happening. I was searching for you when I saw you fly overhead.”
He stood to his feet, swaying once but then steadying, and pulling me up along with him. He grasped both my arms, his eyes burning into mine.
“You know I would never betray you, don’t you? All my promises were made to you regardless of who stood beside me.”
I nodded. “I know.” A deep certainty, a peace, settled inside me. I believed him—I trusted Gabe completely. And a life with him was worth any risk that one day he might cause me pain.
He slipped his arms around me, and I leaned into him.
“Ahem.” The disruptive throat clearing made me draw back, my searching eyes finding my brother.
“Dominic. You’re here. How is it possible?”
“I sent for him at the same time as I sent for help from my parents,” Gabe said, one arm still around me. “I thought in the circumstances I might find better help from Palinar than from my own capital.” He grinned. “And I knew one mention of your name would bring Dominic running, no convincing needed.” He turned to my brother. “I’m not sure how you got here so fast, or how you found this lake in the nick of time, but I’m certainly glad you did.”
Gabe dropped his arm from around me and held his hand out toward Dominic. The two clasped arms, whacking each other on the back.
“We rode without ceasing is how we got here in time,” one of the men with Dominic muttered. “Frequent changes of mounts, and we took turns sleeping tied to our saddles.”
“Plus, a little help from me,” the godmother added. “I thought they might have a little trouble finding their way to just the right spot.”
When I looked over at her, she gave me a prim smile. “You did ask me for help, did you not? And I think there’s one last bit of assistance you might need.”
She waved a hand, and Gabe and I instantly dried, a pleasant warmth rising from our clothes. A delighted smile broke over my face, and it must have been thanks enough for her because a heartbeat later, she had disappeared.
“I hate it when they do that,” Dominic muttered, and our eyes met, my mood instantly falling.
I knew my brother and I were in the same place in our minds—the last time we had stood together in the presence of our godmother. On that occasion, both of our parents’ broken bodies had lain below us at the bottom of a long flight of stairs thanks to my father’s rage. A sob from deep within my belly broke free.
“Dominic,” I gasped, as he whispered, “Adelaide.”
And then we were embracing, the years of separation and pain falling away.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, his voice low and broken. “I’m so sorry.”
“I forgive you,” I said, and I knew I meant it, no shade of anger or betrayal remaining behind to poison my future. “It was so long ago, and we are different people now.” I paused. “I hear you’ve changed.”
He pulled away and smiled, the expression reaching deep into his eyes in a way I never remembered seeing before.
“I have,” he said. “And I swear to show it to you. And I’ll also show you the girl who helped me do it.”
“I’ve heard about her,” I said. “Sophie.”
He nodded, a new glow lighting up his face at her name. “She was desperate to come along to meet you, but she couldn’t have managed the ride.”
“Ah yes,” Gabe interjected, “congratulations. Double congratulations, I’m told.”
“Thank you?” Dominic said.
“Ha!” Gabe clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s not supposed to sound like a question, you know. You might want to work on that before Sophie hears you.”
“Double congratulations?” I asked, looking between them.
“I might have forgotten to mention that.” Gabe looked guilty. “I’ve had a few other things on my mind.”
My head whirled as I struggled to absorb the new information, my capacity for the day long since reached.