I snort. “Me, terrify Hart?”
Malachi smiles. “Just stay the course. Trust me on this. Hart needs to get out of his own way for once to embrace his own happiness.”
I fall silent and process his advice as I watch the damsels dance with their partners, slowly drifting to their own dwellings hand in hand. I glance over my shoulder at the door Hart, Penny, and Nash have disappeared through.
A yawn takes over me and I lean my head against Malachi’s shoulder.
“Come on, let’s get you inside so you can eat and then rest.”
Malachi stands and pulls me to my feet. Theo flanks my other side as we stroll toward the house. We enter the door, landing inside a living space which offers two double sofas, a small but practical kitchen, and steps which must lead to their chambers.
Penny appears down the stairs making my stupid heart trip over itself as I wonder how she has been comforting Hart and Nash. “I will have a basket of food brought to you shortly,” she says as she hangs around in the doorway. “And if you have any further questions, I would be glad to answer them, Daphne.” She pulls the door closed and leaves us.
Hamish and Eugene cluck from their hideout under the dining table. I unhook the lamp from my belt and place it on the round dining table.
“You’ve done so much good here with the damsels,” I tell them. “But how long will this ruse continue?”
“Our father is in no hurry to give up his crown and castle,” Theo says, filling a kettle with water from a bucket. He opens his mouth and breathes fire into the open hearth, then hooks the iron kettle over the top.
“Sit down, pretty mouse, and warm yourself.”
I drop onto the sofa, taking the position closest to the roaring fire and raise my hands, marveling at the soft glow of the flames that came from my dragon. That will take some getting used to.My dragon.
Nash trots down the stairs. “Where else do you want to see, Daphne?” Nash asks, taking the seat opposite mine, while Theo opens cupboards and pulls plates and cups from them.
“I need to see the sisters from the Cinderella storyline.” That seems important, because when I explain this to Gwyneth, I need her to understand the extent of Charming’s attention and the ramifications of her becoming his princess. Not that I think she’s in danger of giving in to him, but just in case he tries to force the issue.
“That’s a village on our return journey anyway,” Nash tells me.
“There are many more,” Theo calls out from the kitchen. “We can return with you at a later date, but I worry what your sister will think if we linger much longer than another diurnal.”
“Agreed,” Malachi says, dropping next to me and sliding his arm over my shoulders. “There are more than a hundred villages to explore, and just as many pockets of poor folks living in terror that The Hallowed should decide they are too much of a burden.”
It’s almost inconceivable that such atrocities take place. A gentle rap sounds against the door and Hart appears down the stairs and flings it open. Penny hands him a picnic basket overflowing with food. Her hand touches his. “I shall return with another basket of supplies on the morrow. Be gentle with her. She may look like your words and actions do not affect her, but you would be wrong in this assumption,” she says before spinning and closing the door behind her. I frown. Those aren’t the words of a lover. A warm yeasty scent of freshly baked bread drifts through the room.
Hart swallows hard and hands the basket to Theo. His gaze collides with mine before he stomps up the stairs and out of sight.
“What’s eating him?” I wonder.
“Penny is the twins’ half-sister,” Nash says, easing the squeeze around my heart. That’s the relationship I am sensing.
“So you don’t all have the same parents?”
Nash leans forward. “No, our father is quite generous with his attentions.”
It’s always confounded me how men who sleep around are viewed in a positive light. Oh, how well-endowed he must be, what a fine specimen of a body he must have, etc. Yet women are harlots who can’t keep their legs shut.
“The twins’ mother had another child, Penny. She was immediately earmarked for damsel in distress duty as soon as she became of age. It’s what sparked the need to have a sanctuary.”
“For the record, I hate your father,” I tell them. “I should have stabbed him a little harder.”
“No complaints from me,” Malachi says as Theo empties the basket of goodies onto the table. Fruit, cheese, and bread. Yum.
I want to devour it all. Theo divides the food up into five plates before bringing one to me. I take it with a big smile on my face and dive into the food.
“If she keeps making those noises, I can’t be held responsible for my actions,” Malachi mutters.
I ignore them all and munch on the softest bread I have ever tasted. It’s still warm. “We need a good sleep for the journey ahead,” Nash reminds him. I’m too tired for a Stirling brother’s attention, anyway. I lean my head against Malachi’s shoulder.
