I looked there just as Franka Drakkar murmured a purring, “Norfolk.”
But her eyes were on me.
Oh boy.
Here we go.
I straightened my shoulders.
“Who do we have here?” She kept purring before Norfolk could return her greeting.
“Franka,” Norfolk stated tersely. “This is Lady Madeleine. Madeleine,”—he looked down at me—“I present Franka Drakkar, cousin to Calder.”
“Cousin to The Frey,” she corrected, an edge to her voice, her meaning clear. She had that powerful connection; she was not to be trifled with.
Frey was known as The Frey and The Drakkar. The first meant he commanded the elves, the second, dragons.
In other words, a very powerful connection.
“And cousin to Frey Drakkar,” Norfolk bit out, humanizing Frey and telling her, I guessed, to go f**k herself.
“Lovely to meet you,” I murmured into the exchange, deciding to be rude and not offer my hand.
“Oh, agreed,” she whispered in a way that I could swear sounded suggestive.
“We’re to dance,” Norfolk declared and that was a good gambit to get us away from this obviously vile woman but still, my heart lurched.
I wanted to get away from her but I’d seen the dancing. They weren’t swaying to rock ballads (which I could do, no sweat) or waltzing a basic box step (which I could try to do and might have a small chance of not making a fool of myself doing it). No, each dance had steps, some seemed complicated, but it wouldn’t matter because I knew none of them.
Franka’s eyes moved to Norfolk. “But I’ve just met this lovely specimen,” she protested. Her gaze came back and at the wicked look in her dancing eyes, I felt my neck get tight. “Or have I? You seem very familiar.”
Bitch.
“She is of Ilsa’s blood,” Norfolk put in curtly.
“Of her blood or is her blood?” Franka asked, not looking from me, her voice saccharine sweet.
“A distant cousin,” Norfolk stated like he’d rather have acid poured on his skin than continue the conversation but clearly he was momentarily stuck by good(ish) manners as Franka was refusing to let us go.
“Not that distant,” she replied, keeping her gaze glued to me. “Ulfr seems smitten, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at that.”
Total bitch.
“What surprises me,” Norfolk started firmly, “is that you’ve noted she has Ulfr’s arm and yet you approach with claws bared. You’re craftier than that, Franka, surely.”
“Oh dear,” she put her hand to her spilling cle**age and I was a girl who figured if you had it, you should flaunt it. That said, you shouldn’t expose it. “Have I been rude?”
It was safe to say I was done with this.
“No, you’ve been reckless,” I told her.
But I didn’t stop there.
It was maybe stupid but seriously, my life hadn’t been all that great (until recently) and I didn’t need to put up with catty bullshit. In fact, no one ever needed to put up with catty bullshit.
“Yes, I am aware I very closely resemble Apollo’s sadly deceased wife, unfortunately for you, as you clearly wish you could have drawn blood by imparting that wisdom. But as you’ve noted and Ravenscroft confirmed, I have Apollo’s arm. So I must admit, I’m disappointed. I’ve heard a bit about you and thought you were far cleverer than instigating a thinly veiled frontal attack. One I can assure you Apollo won’t need me to inform him of since he’s quite protective of me and is no doubt watching this exchange. And I would suppose you also already know that this exchange is one which will displease him greatly.”
Her expression showed excitement as she tipped her head and asked, “Is that an invitation to instigate a different kind of attack?”
“Do as you wish,” I returned. “However, you should know, I find games tedious and tend not to play them.”
“Now that I find unfortunate,” she replied on a venomous grin which stated plainly she didn’t care if I was going to play or not.
She was.
“And that I find unsurprising,” I retorted. “You’re obvious. Which means, if I did intend to engage in such diversions, I would hardly choose to do it with you. If you’re going to spend time in such pursuits, it should be worth it, not an easily bested challenge.”
Norfolk’s hand still on my arm squeezed and he let out a strangled noise that sounded like a smothered laugh.
Franka’s eyes narrowed.
“I think you mistake me,” she said.
“I think I don’t and that’s why you’re a disappointment,” I countered. “I had hoped, when you made the approach you so obviously couldn’t wait to make, that this would be much more fun. Instead, it’s been rather boring.”
This time, Norfolk coughed to hide his chuckle and Franka’s eyes turned cold.
“I’ll clarify. It’s a mistake to underestimate me,” she stated flat out.
“And it’s a mistake to threaten me,” I shot back. “For I have the arm of Ulfr and I’m not averse to calling in reinforcements.”
Franka opened her mouth to speak but Norfolk got there before her.
“I find it’s always best, Franka, when blood has been drawn, to retreat at least long enough to assess the damage.”
Her gaze snapped to him but he wasn’t finished and his voice lowered meaningfully when he did.
“And when you retreat, I urge you to grasp, however belatedly, the fact that you’ve discovered a worthy adversary at the same time realize the she-pup you thought to play with has an alpha who, when a member of his pack is threatened, will not hesitate to tear you apart with his teeth.”
She glared at him for long moments before she sent a cold look to me and turned, gliding away.
“Well done, my dear,” Norfolk said into my ear, moving me from the food tables and positioning us by a wall that was close to Apollo, but not too close.
“Thanks,” I murmured, looking Apollo’s way to see his face stone-cold, his eyes aimed where Franka’s departing back had just been, before they turned to me.
I gave him a grin, a wink and added a finger wave for good measure.
His chin jerked slightly back when I did, even as he blinked.
Then he smiled.
Slowly.
God, seriously, I’d essentially been looking at that face for over a decade and still, seeing it as Apollo, I wondered if I’d ever get used to his beauty.