Page 112 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

Perhaps wishing for that was unfair and selfish of me. There was no doubt that he loved Riordan even more than I did simply because he’d known him far better for far longer than me, but I was not intimidated by it! I wanted to learn from him. Riordan chose him too, and I wanted to learn how to love my mate from him.

“Riordan! The envoy returned from the Silver Moor,” called Ares abruptly, thankfully interrupting my thoughts that had gone in a very questionable direction.

And I tried hard not to notice when Orion’s expression instantly shuttered again.

Riordan strode to my side and gave Ares a nod for him to invite the envoy into the room. I recognized the Ktínos female from his office when he had debriefed her before she left to visit the Sylvan.

Helena and Sofia also slipped into the room from the hallway where they had been waiting, and my handmaid gave a customary glower to Ares when he grinned at her. Although his taunts had evolved into more of a genuine playfulness, she still treated him as little more than a mild annoyance to her. Which seemed to only make him even more determined to antagonize her.

My handmaid had submitted to Orion’s interrogation under the supervision of myself and Riordan who asked her a few questions as well. My mate seemed satisfied, although Orion remained reserved.

“Your Majesty,” the envoy said to Riordan with a bow. “I spoke with the Sylvan, and they agreed to meet you to discuss your concern about the Autumn Prince.”

“And did they give a time and date?” asked Orion.

“The second night after the full moon in four days.”

“That is very fast,” Orion noted to Riordan who was nodding in agreement with him.

“They seemed eager. I believe there is something they want from you too, but I was not able to discern it,” admitted the envoy apologetically. “I must warn you that the interaction with them was quite strange. They did not take me to their city; we met in a void of… nothingness. It is not unsafe or uncomfortable there, but it is a strange experience. And time passes much slower too.”

“Thank you, Pen. You have done well,” Riordan said. “Please have a full written report to me before we depart, so I can review it,” he added, and Pen dipped into another deep bow before she took her leave.

“Well?” Helena prompted my mate after a moment of his thoughtful silence.

“You and Orion will come with me and Amira. I need Ares, Theo, and Iris to stay and make sure there are no interferences with our reforms while we are gone.”

“But I want to see the Silver Ones!” Ares objected.

“You will insult the elves with your very first breath,” Helena dismissed him with a roll of her eyes.

“The Silver Moor is said to be the most beautiful place in the Vale. You could consider it a part of yourmínas agápis. You will be mated by then,” Sofia pointed out to me.

Mínas agápiswas supposedly a tradition in which a newly mated griffin couple would seclude themselves for a month to consummate their union. Like most shifters, griffins were only fertile during the full moon, which was why Riordan’s coronation, and the night of our union, was set for the nightafterthe full moon. Children were out of the question until his kingdom was secured, and the issue of the Wild Hunt was completely resolved.

Besides, we had centuries now, and I was in no rush. Assuming we could prevent this war from happening…

I felt my cheeks flush when I felt Riordan looking at me to see what I thought of Sofia’s suggestion.

“It is unlikely that there will be time formínas agápiswith all the reforms and—” Orion began to protest.

“We can discuss it privately,” Riordan assured him.

My mate had not spoken harshly or even raised his voice to hisskiá. I had learned that he simply did not like to discuss personal matters in front of other people before talking about them first with me and Orion.

Orion knew that too, and yet I watched his reaction with interest when he went instantly silent and stoic.

Riordan was fully absorbed in giving instructions to Ares and Helena about the security measures he wanted to take for me at the coronation. He and I had already discussed everything with Orion that morning, so nothing about the information was new to me.

Sofia was always aware of me and tailed me from a distance to give me the illusion of privacy when I drifted away from where the others stood over a map. I became more interested in my mate’s old apartment and took the opportunity to actually look at the books on his shelves. Military books judging from the artwork when I flipped them open. I admired his ornate tavli board which he had promised to teach me to play and lightly plucked a string on his beautifully painted lyre.

Eventually I wandered around the room to the archway back into his private gym where we had been training before Pen returned. Usually I was working with Riordan, so I hadn’t hadthe opportunity to really look around the room on my own, but it was also an armoury.

I stopped in front of his armour which was displayed on a stand in the corner of the room. I hadn’t had a chance to look at it up close without Riordan in it distracting me, and I was awed by the detail and craftsmanship.

“It is so beautiful,” I said to Sofia over my shoulder as my handmaid leaned against the doorframe. I wanted to touch the intricate engravings, but I was afraid to leave finger smudges on the polished metal.

“Their armour is striking,” she agreed.

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