Iron Seas 03 - Riveted

David to herself.
    Soon, she would. She all but danced, tightening bolts and checking the coal level, stoking the furnace and waiting for her to steam. Finally, she emerged onto the street again, where the others had gathered while the trolls heated. Her gaze quickly found David, who was helping Lucia into Källa’s troll. His aunt had volunteered to watch over Olaf while she drove—Källa breaking ahead of them to reach Smoke Cove as quickly as possible, where she intended to help Paolo smooth over the chaos that must be left in Lorenzo’s wake. Frida, Hildegard, and Annika would follow at a slower pace.
    Frida pulled her close, kissed her cheeks. “We will stop at Thor’s Spring tonight.”
    An eight-hour trek. “All right. But don’t be concerned if I fall behind.”
    Her mother’s wry gaze flicked to David. “I won’t be too concerned,” she said. “But do rest often.”
    “Do not promise anything, Annika,” Källa said from behind her. “Just say that you will be in bed.”
    “Källa!”
    Her sister grinned, slipped her arms around Frida. “Do take care of my mother.”
    “I will try.” Frida rubbed her shoulder. “She will come ’round. She is only afraid to lose you again.”
    “I know. It will be a while before I can find a proper airship, anyway. Until then, Paolo would like you both to come to the station house. He should be there for some time while he begins work on the southern peninsula. I believe he has invited everyone in Vik to stay there, in fact. But we would be especially pleased by your visit.”
    “We will come.”
    Källa drew a deep breath. “Perhaps ask Lisbet if she’d like to visit. Tell her of Olaf. And if she can’t…I’ll understand.”
    Frida nodded, watching after her as she left them, climbed into her troll. Hildegard approached, her eyes narrowed.
    “Did I hear her worry that Lisbet would not come?”
    Frida smiled slightly. “You did.”
    “Ridiculous. Lisbet is not even a hair as stubborn as you.”
    “And hurt more easily.”
    Hildegard’s expression softened when she glanced back at Frida. “Then let us hope they are not fools to waste as much time as we did, yes?”
    “I was not the fool.”
    Oh, Mother. Annika prepared for another storm, but Hildegard only threw her head back with a laugh—then hauled Frida up for a hard kiss. Oh. Annika averted her gaze out of respect, saw everyone else staring, wide-eyed…and none of them half as astonished as Maria Madalena. Her mouth had dropped open, her eyes rounded. She looked to her nurse, who had begun to smile.
    Hildegard set Frida back on her feet, leaving her mother laughing after her as Hildegard stalked to her troll. At the chest hatch, she paused, looked back. “You were well worth the wait, Frida Kárasdottor!”
    She climbed in. A second later, Maria Madalena raced after her, holding on to her lover with one hand, her skirts hiked high in the other. “Wait! Oh, wait! Let us ride with you, instead!”
    With a grin, Frida slanted a glance at Annika. “Tell Mr. Dooley to hurry. He’s apparently intending to keep me company as I’m driving.”
    As was Goltzius. “And what will you tell him?”
    “All but the location, most likely.”
    “Mr. Goltzius is family to Hanna’s husband, and he will report what he finds.”
    Frida’s lips pursed. “Will he?”
    “Yes.” And it might behoove them to stop telling stories of witches and trolls, but a story of some sort still needed to be told. “I think that he will like to hear that her descendants have been caretakers of this island, keeping others from staking claim on this land. His people will have more reason to defend ours if we are family—and if they are coming anyway, we ought to create as much common ground as we can.”
    “Who is clever? Perhaps I will also not mention the murder, then, and only say that Hanna liberated the Englishwomen.” Frida kissed her cheeks again. “Thor’s Spring, little fox.”
    “Safe journey, Mother.”
    Wearing a smile, Annika joined David. Both he and Dooley were regarding Goltzius with concern. Goltzius was shaking his head.
    “I am happy for her,” he said. “I truly am.”
    “Happy for her doesn’t mean you can’t be sorry for yourself.” Dooley clapped him on the back. “But love will come around again.”
    “I’ll wait before looking for it again.”
    David met her eyes. “I don’t think it waits until you’re looking.”
    No, it didn’t. Oh, but she was looking now. With a