The room was dark, except for the fire.
But thank f.u.c.k, the chair was comfortable.
So Noc stretched out, stared at the fire, didn"t think he"d get a wink of sleep, but was unconscious in minutes.
Franka I barely woke before I heard Josette"s hushed, "I think she"s awake."
I opened my eyes and tilted them up to see Noc and Josette standing by the bed, Josette looking anxious, Noc looking gentle.
b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l.
"Yep, she"s awake," Noc murmured and started grinning. "How you doin", Frannie?"
I began to push up to my forearms, surprised that the pain in my back was dull rather than sharp, doing this snapping, "I"ll be excellent, when you cease calling me this crude name."
Noc"s grin got bigger but he did it bending closer.
"Move another inch, sugarlips, and I"ll sit on you."
I was groggy from the sleeping draught but I was also Franka Drakkar.
Therefore I was relatively certain the glare I sent his way was scorching.
Apparently I was wrong, for the glare had no effect except to make him stop grinning and start smiling.
He had excellent teeth.
Oh, but the G.o.ddess Adele did not like me.
Our eyes locked in a battle of wills I was physically incapable of winning, though mentally I could best him (perhaps), but movement made the dull pain sharpen and thus I decided (for my own sake, of course) to settle back down to my front.
Noc nodded like he was pleased and straightened, turning to Josette. "Can you make her some of that tea?"
"Right away," Josette whispered and scurried away.
"Kristian?" I said my brother"s name as a question.
Noc looked back down at me. "Your brother"s good, babe. His wife, kid, they"re all good. Valentine got to them in time."
Thank the G.o.ddess.
"My father?" I asked.
"Your dad and mom are both currently sitting in a jail somewhere, on a variety of charges."
That was...
It was...
I couldn"t even decide what it was before Noc continued speaking.
"And Valentine stripped your mother of her magic. Frey"s p.i.s.sed, babe. I mean seriously. They"re not gonna hurt you anymore. They"re not gonna hurt your brother anymore. They"re not gonna hurt anyone anymore."
My mother was stripped of her magic?
I couldn"t help it, I felt my mouth curve into a gleeful, malicious smile.
"I know," Noc stated, and I focused again on him for I had no idea why he said this. "Wish you"d been there, sweetheart. Valentine magicked out your dad"s tongue at one point so he"d shut the f.u.c.k up. If I wasn"t so p.i.s.sed, I would have bust a gut laughing."
I couldn"t fight my eyes going wide.
"She magicked out his tongue?"
"You shoulda seen his face, Frannie. It was creepy as all get out, but still, I"ll never forget it...in a good way."
I thought of the other punishments that my father had given me, hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, none of which involved a whip. But they did involve the verbal lashings of his tongue.
Yes, I too wish I"d been there.
"She gave it back but only "cause Frey made her," Noc shared.
In speaking, he regained my attention and I made an immediate decision.
Kristian well. My parents neutralized.
Onward.
"You need to leave," I declared.
His brows drew together a moment before his expression showed clearly that comprehension had dawned.
Sadly, comprehension might have dawned but he didn"t leave.
He crouched by the bed and offered in a soft voice, "You need me to carry you to the other room so you can have a bit of privacy?"
Dear G.o.ddess.
He thought I needed a chamber pot.
But...
What was happening to my face?
Dear G.o.ddess!
The heat I felt in my cheeks could be nothing other than me blushing.
I didn"t blush. I"d never blushed. Not even when I"d set about seducing my first lover at age sixteen.
I needed to be quit of this man as soon as possible.
"No...I...do...not," I bit out.
"Sure?" he asked kindly.
"I need you to leave, Noctorno," I used his full name in an effort to irritate, something that worked if the flare in his eyes was any indication, "so Josette can prepare me. We"re away to Kristian"s this morning."
Another drawing of his brows before he asked, "What?"
"After my toilette, Josette and I are to my sleigh so we can begin our journey to my brother"s home."
His eyes got bigger as his mouth inquired peculiarly, "Are you high?"
"No," I answered his ridiculous question unnecessarily, "Indeed, I"m low. As you can see since I"m lying abed."
For a second he just stared at me.
Then he threw his head back and burst into loud, deep, beautiful laughter.
I wanted to throw something at him.
Unfortunately, in my current position, this was not an option open to me.
"I fail to see what"s amusing," I noted.
He controlled his mirth only to mutter, "I"ll explain it later." He went on more distinctly, "Frannie, you"re not goin" to your brother"s today. Or tomorrow. Or until you"re fit. Then, maybe Valentine will spirit you there, or whatever the f.u.c.k that"s called. But for the foreseeable future, your a.s.s is in that bed and you"re resting so you can heal."
Well!
Who did he think he was, telling me what I would or would not do?
"As you"ve determined," I began, "this is not the first time I"ve been in this condition so I do believe that I know best what I"m capable of and..."
I stopped speaking because he came slightly out of his crouch so he could put his face into my face and he was no longer looking mirthful.
He was looking angry.
Very angry.
"That was when you had no one lookin" out for you but that"s not the case anymore. So this is how it"s gonna be," he announced.
He then, to my shock, irritation and outrage, announced how it was going to be.
Like he had the right to tell me how it was going to be!
"First, like I said, you"re gonna hang tight, rest and heal. Second, once you start feelin" better, then we"ll discuss what"s gonna happen after that. And the last is the most important, baby, so listen up. You"re gonna take care not to remind me your mom and dad are such motherf.u.c.king a.s.sholes because I got a few solid shots to his face last night but I let Frey"s boys pull me off before I did the damage I intended to do. You keep remindin" me, I"m gonna find those two monsters and do somethin" that"ll mean my time here won"t be about discovering a parallel universe but memorizing every inch of a jail cell."
There were a large number of things to discuss regarding his announcement. So many, on the fly, I couldn"t decide a priority so I said the first that came to mind.
"You struck my father?" I asked.
"Repeatedly," Noc answered. "But not repeatedly enough."
Oh my.
Warmth was filling my belly.
I decided to focus on the second thing that needed to be discussed and not on that feeling.
"I think it"s important to note that I barely know you, thus you"re nothing to me. Although I appreciate your efforts last night, you have no say in what I do or where I go. And even if I were to wish to stay in the Winter Palace for a day or two in an effort to be in better condition to make the journey I fully intend to make, that will be my decision and what happens after that will not be discussed with you."
"Think that, babe," he said, moving out of my face and back into his crouch by the bed, "but we"ll see, and I"ll just say what we"ll be seein" is your a.s.s is not leaving that bed."
"I can"t believe I need to remind you that I"m hardly welcome to remain at the palace," I pointed out.
"Figure that"s changed, Frannie."
I ignored him calling me that dreadful name and said in a scoffing voice, "You would think wrong."
"Babe, had to have a chat with Frey last night, he was kickin" his own a.s.s, thinkin" s.h.i.t about you that wasn"t the way it was. But more, the man is so far not about what went down with you last night, what you and your brother been dealin" with for years, probably thought if he read it right, he coulda done something about it."
"That"s preposterous," I retorted.
"That"s the thinking of a good guy who"s loyal to his men, loves his wife beyond measure and feels the same about the kid they made." Noc smiled a gentle smile. "Know you"re not used to that kinda s.h.i.t, but stick with me, sugarlips, you"ll learn."
I felt a skip in my heart at this offer. At his smile. At his words and knowing they likely not only described Frey Drakkar, but also Noctorno Hawthorne of the other world (when he had a woman to love that was).
I decided to end this conversation at once.
"I"ve no desire to discuss this further with you, Noctorno-"
He interrupted me with, "Noc."
I disregarded his interruption and carried on, "But I"ve asked you to leave. Please do so that I can go about my business."
"Frannie, baby, you are not gettin" this," he stated, leaning into me, but thankfully not so close his face was in mine this time. "I"m not goin" anywhere. If I gotta go somewhere, someone else will be here to make sure you don"t go anywhere. You are resting. You are healing. And that"s just the way it"s gonna be."
"Perhaps I"ll pull the cord, ask a servant to request that Queen Aurora attend me and we"ll see what she has to say about your plans for me."
He directly straightened and reached to the cord, tugging it.
I stared at his actions and continued staring when he cast his gaze down at me.
"Yeah, good call. We"ll request Aurora shows and see what she has to say," he agreed.
Hmm.