“What I do is send my dragons to Specter Isle to annihilate it,” Frey answered and her eyes grew large with alarm.
“If you do that, they’ll incinerate Antoine,” she whispered.
“Franka,” Frey started, his voice gentling. “It would end his pain and…” he stressed his last word when she opened her mouth to speak. “Ask yourself if one sacrifice is worth saving the lives of many. We know not what they plan, we just know it is ill and every soul on two continents is at risk.”
Her eyes narrowed with hostility. “What I’ll ask is for you to consider the same should it be Finnie who was obliterated and it was you facing an empty bed until the end of your days. Ask your bride. Your Winter Bride knows.” She turned furious eyes to Apollo. “You know.” She leaned toward him and hissed. “You know.”
“You compare this loss to mine?” Apollo asked, his tone dripping with disgust.
“Is there ever a compare?” she shot back. “I couldn’t begin to imagine what you lost for I never knew your wife in that manner. All I know is Antoine has a kind heart, a soft touch and he is the one and only person on this earth who has ever made me feel like I was me. Not a Drakkar. You may not think that’s worth saving. Worth treason. Worth dying for. But I do.”
Apollo took a step away from her but kept his gaze on her.
She also did not move hers from him.
“Remember, Franka, what you did this night,” he finally said quietly. “You nearly cost me something I’ve grown to cherish.”
“I would apologize if the stakes were not so high,” she returned, tossing her head and when she was done speaking, pushing to her feet.
“You have no remorse,” Apollo noted.
She straightened her shoulders. “I think I’ve made it known I have little regard for your Madeleine. And I know who she is.” She looked to Frey. “I know where Finnie comes from, too. Helda told me.” Her eyes moved back to Apollo. “Regardless, I have little time for remorse knowing Antoine endures agony every hour. So pardon me for not admiring her spirit. But in the end, I’ve never been good at making friends.”
Apollo drew in a deep breath and looked to Frey when he let it out.
Frey was studying Franka.
“Frey?” he called and Frey’s eyes came to Apollo.
“Tonight, I send the dragons,” he decided.
Apollo nodded. Franka uttered not a noise but that didn’t mean the depth of emotion emanating from her didn’t beat into both men.
It was just that, in times like these, soldiers had no choice but to be immune to it.
Frey turned to Ruben. “Sequester Kristian and Franka down here. Arrange for them to be made comfortable.” He looked to his mother and father. “Will what you’ve seen and heard here be shared with anyone? Or do we have to arrange for your accommodation in Brunskar’s dungeons as well?”
“I will not say a word,” Valeria declared quickly.
“And I will be too busy dissolving my union with my wife to be bothered with this…mess,” Eirik stated.
“My wife and son,” Kristian said quietly.
Frey looked to his cousin. “They’ll be sequestered with you.”
Kristian opened his mouth to speak but Frey lifted a hand.
“Until the dragons return, it’s necessary anyone who could be connected even remotely to the plot that evolved this evening needs to be isolated,” Frey explained, turned his head and jerked his chin to Lund who immediately left the room.
Kristian took a step forward and regained Apollo’s attention.
“They know nothing of this,” he stated.
“They will be made comfortable.”
“But—”
“Kristian,” Frey interrupted him, his voice low with warning. “Your loyalty to your sister is admirable but it is also beyond foolhardy. You committed treason.”