Breathing.
Alive.
Alive.
He rode straight to her, not slowing Anguish, and the huddle swayed out of his way as he threw his leg over the saddle and dismounted with Anguish still at a run.
His legs bore the impact of his dismount but he didn’t feel it.
He took two long strides to Madeleine, lifted his hands and framed her face. Unable to stop them, he moved them over her hair, down her neck, under her jaws and back to the sides of her head as his eyes scoured her face.
Standing.
Breathing
Her eyes open and looking into his.
“I’m all right, Lo,” she whispered and he felt her hand light on his stomach as she leaned in. “I’m all right, baby.”
At her words, he crushed his mouth down on hers, thrusting his tongue in, tasting her, drinking from her, devouring her.
Her arms curled around his middle and went tight as she tipped her head back to give him what he needed.
More.
Approaching horses and voices pierced his extreme relief and he tore his mouth from hers. When he did, he cupped the back of her head, shoved her face in his throat and curled an arm around her, hauling her deep so she was tight to his body and he could feel her everywhere. Smell her close. Absorb the fact she was still alive.
His eyes went to Frey.
“What was it?” he barked.
“Hewcrows,” Frey answered. “Minerva,” he went on, telling Apollo something he already knew.
Everyone knew the bird-headed hewcrows were Minerva’s magic.
But the black mist that he’d seen envelope Maddie was something else.
He couldn’t think of his Madeleine being attacked in the forest by hewcrows. Not then. His nerves were frayed, his fury at the surface. The thought of his broken dove battling hewcrows in the snow would cause him to lose control.
Instead, he glanced around at the destruction, taking in the three dragons at rest.
Hostilities had escalated.
“Lo,” Maddie breathed.
He ignored her and looked back to Frey.
“You’re here because?” Apollo asked.
“I’m here because my family gathers,” Frey answered.
Enough said.
“I’m also here to seek Lavinia,” Frey added.
“The others?” Apollo went on.
“We’ve had a message from the Circe of the other world. She wishes to help with our plight and she’s discovered a way to recover her magic. It’s a dangerous process and she would still consume all she recouped if she made the journey between worlds. We need Lavinia and Valentine to transport her here. Once here, she’ll be a formidable addition. That said, she’s explained this process and Circe, Cora, Tor, Lahn and their men journey to the font where Lahn’s Circe can recoup her magic as well.”