The door opened, I shoved closer to Frey and held on tighter.
As did he.
Then I heard him order, “Leave it and us. Quickly.”
I smelled food and heard clinking and clunking then, shortly after that stopped, a door closed.
Frey held me tightly long after the door closed and I kept sobbing not realizing how badly I needed to do it but I’d apparently bottled a lot in because there was a lot coming out and in the safety of his strong arms, I let it go.
Once the sobs started to subside, one of Frey’s hands moved under his sweater and up to stroke the skin of my back as I snuffled and lifted a hand to wipe my face.
“All right, wee one?” he asked softly.
“Mm hmm,” I mumbled, nodding my head, resting my cheek on his shoulder and wrapping my arm around him again.
Frey kept stroking my back.
It felt really nice.
And it was then I thought of when we were riding to Fyngaard and Frey telling me about the villages, their names and their gods and what the rivers and forests were called.
He knew then. He knew.
It all came to me in a rush, his gentle explanations, his patience, those weird times when I’d watch him come to some understanding, times that were now not so weird.
He knew. And he’d known for awhile.
“When did you know?” I whispered to his chest.
“Finnie –”
I gave him a squeeze and repeated, “Tell me, when did you know?”
Frey was quiet a second. Then he sighed.
Then he said, “In my gut, when you kissed me back when I kissed you in the Dwelling of the Gods after we were wed. And every second I spent with you after I returned to the cabin, I knew you were not who you appeared to be. You are not a thing like her yet you look exactly the same. I knew something was not right with you. The elves verified it and shared with me that you are not of this world.”
I pulled in a quiet breath.
“Their message,” I guessed.
“Yes,” Frey confirmed.
I nodded and thought that was kind of cool that they knew. And hopefully, the next time Frey spoke to them, he would take me with him and I could ask them how they knew.
Then I got back to the now.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked softly.
His hand stilled at my back for a second then started stroking again when he answered, “Partly, it was because there was much you were taking in and I was concerned about you. But I will admit, my wee one, mostly it was because I enjoyed your response to my world, your blunders, your cover ups. They amused me.” I lifted my head and he looked right in my eyes. “Greatly.” He stressed then grinned before he said, “It was very endearing.”
I grinned back then stated, “You know, I should be pissed at you for keeping it from me.”
His grin turned to a smile, his arm curving around me and holding tight, he stated back, “I know.”
I started laughing softly and informed him, “It’s good you’re hot, Frey Drakkar, and good in bed and command elves and dragons or you’d seriously be in trouble.”
He kept smiling but his brows drew together. “Hot?”