Atlantis Betrayed

Chapter 28

Campbell Manor, later that evening

Hopkins was standing in the middle of the floor when Fiona and Christophe stepped through the portal into her drawing room.

“Welcome home, Lady Fiona,” he said. “Would you care for tea?”

She started laughing. “Only you, Hopkins. Only you would offer me tea when I’m stepping through a magic doorway.”

“If it were my place, I would be asking where you’ve been for the past several hours. I might ask where Denal is. I might ask how you stepped through a ball of light to appear in the middle of the drawing room. But I won’t ask any of it. So I repeat, would you care for tea?”

Only a slight reddening of his face and his exceedingly clipped tone gave away how worried he must have been, and she felt like an utter heel. She hugged him. He stepped away, but not before she saw the relief on his face.

“I do adore you, Hopkins. And I owe you an explanation. Why don’t we have tea, and I’ll tell you all about Atlantis. How is Sean, and where is Declan?”

“Sean is fine, healing rapidly. Sunday is his day off, of course, so he’s off with his friends somewhere. Declan is doing the same. I made up a story about you showing Christophe the sights of London when he asked where you were.”

“Thanks. I wouldn’t want him to worry, and I’m sorry I made you do so.”

They followed Hopkins into the kitchen, and he set about making sandwiches while Fiona filled the kettle and put it on to boil. While they ate, she told him about Atlantis, and after the first thirty minutes or so, he finally quit treating her as if she were mad. Christophe sat silently, eating several sandwiches, and let her tell the story. A couple of times she caught him examining her as if she were a new species of butterfly and he a scientist. It was oddly disconcerting.

“I can hardly believe you were really in Atlantis,” Hopkins said. “Maeve a Fae princess. Now, that I can believe. I always thought there was something off about her.”

Christophe’s expression darkened. “If she harms him, she will answer to me. I have little love for the Unseelie Court.”

“I truly believe she won’t,” Fiona said.

“I hope you’re right.”

He didn’t sound convinced, but to be honest with herself, neither was she. The Maeve who could hold such secrets so closely for so long wasn’t the woman Fiona knew.

“I’d love to see it someday,” Hopkins said. “I’ve long been a student of mythology—although, we’ll have to reclassify, won’t we? You’ve just changed everything. Fiction has become fact.”

“The world should be used to that, after vampires and shape-shifters revealed themselves,” Christophe said. “But we’re not openly announcing anything until we can raise Atlantis to the surface to take its place in the world once more.”

“It seems like a lot of people know,” Fiona said doubtfully.

“Yes, but what can they say? Atlantis exists? It would show up as a tabloid story.” Christophe shrugged and, standing, took the plates to the sink and turned on the faucet. “We still have to retrieve the Siren and two other gems before Atlantis can rise.”

“I can understand your urgency,” Hopkins said, jumping up to help clear their few dishes. “Even after you gave us your proof, we didn’t believe you. I’d so very much like to see it.”

“That can be arranged,” Christophe said, grinning. “Be nice to me and you’ll get your chance.”

“Then again, I’ve heard Morocco is an interesting place to visit,” Hopkins replied, not missing a beat.

Fiona laughed at the two of them and crossed over to the sink where Christophe was washing their dishes. She picked up a hand towel and began to dry them.

“Lady Fiona,” Hopkins said, sounding shocked. “A lady does not do dishes.”

“You know, that’s silly,” she said. “I have to eat. Why should I be exempt from cleaning up after myself? If you really want to help, will you please figure out another disguise as good as the Uma Thurman look? We’re heading out to a werewolf pub, and this time we’re taking the Ducatis.”