He chuckled, pulled me closer and aimed his eyes at our onlookers.
“Christophe, Élan, it’s time to get back to your studies. You’ll be able to visit with Madeleine at dinner.”
That got a nod from Christophe but Élan opened her mouth to speak.
Apollo cut her off.
“Studies, precious girl,” he said firmly but gently.
He called her “precious girl.”
That was so freaking sweet it made my jaw hurt.
I closed my eyes.
“See you at dinner, Lady Madeleine,” Christophe said and I opened my eyes.
I nodded and forced out, “Looking forward to it, honey.”
He grinned at his dad, went to his sister and grabbed her hand, pulling her as he moved to the house.
“I liked your cookies!” she told me excitedly as she was dragged behind her brother.
“I’m glad, sweetheart,” I replied.
“You need to make more,” she shared.
“Élan,” Apollo said in a warning father’s voice.
“I will,” I told her quickly. “Sugar cookies next time.”
“Hurrah!” she cried even though I knew she had no clue what sugar cookies were just as her brother tugged her nearer the house, murmuring, “Come on, Élan.”
She waved at me.
I waved back.
They disappeared into the house.
Okay, well, one could say Captain Kirk was a whole lot better getting the crew of the Enterprise in and out of trouble than I was.
But I had the in part down.
“Quincy, Zar, we’re to meet,” Apollo stated.
I stopped kicking myself and looked to him then to the men.
“This may be delayed as I’ll need a medic to look at my arm. I think it’s fractured,” Quincy, the tall, strapping, fair-haired, russet-bearded one declared.
Oh shit.
“If it is, I’m sending a bird straight to Kell so he can share with the boys that you got your arm broken by a woman,” Balthazar, the tall, strapping, dark-haired, dark-bearded one said as he walked to Quincy and stopped.
A bird?
Before I could ask about the bird, Quincy told Balthazar, “She got the drop on me and clobbered me with a branch, Zar.”
“She got the drop on you and clobbered you with a branch, Quince, and the operative word in that is she,” Balthazar returned, grinning big.