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.