Page 124 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

But then he looked down at me, all the anger replaced by shock, and I was willing to bet that it was his mother who left all those craters in his heart too.

“I have had to goto warwith myself to accept that I am not unworthy of basic goodness just because I am not whoever someone else thinks I should be. Someone who actually hated me, and for whom I would have never been good enough, no matter what I did!”

I felt tears cresting on my lashes and knew they would make my makeup run, but I held his gaze and refused to look away. I had no idea why I was telling him all this, but he was completely transfixed by my words.

“No one can fight that battle for you. It’s something you have to decide and figure out on your own, but you have the people around you to make it possible. And if… as part of that healing journey you need to tell Riordan how you feel then… I want you to do that,” I admitted.

A flicker of surprise showed in his eyes before they narrowed suspiciously as if he were looking for a catch.

“I know Riordan loves me, and he’s proven that there is room in his heart for both of us, so I am not intimidated by you,” I assured him. “He makes me feel like the world is at my feet, and I…deservethat. And not you or anyone else will tell me otherwise. So I am going to love and support him and give him and this kingdom all of me. And itwillbe enough,” I asserted sternly.

Orion looked grudgingly impressed with me, but more importantly, it seemed like he could finally breathe again. Like my words had lifted a weight from his heart.

“So, I am sorry, but I am not walking away, and neither should you. This step in my relationship with him does not need to close doors in yours,” I said significantly.

Now his shock was unmistakable as he stared at me for a long moment of uncertainty, but I was confident in my decision. I had been thinking about it a lot ever since Sofia told me about the ways in which theskiábond changed for Imítheos males after they were mated.

“What…” he began, but he trailed off when his voice came out a little hoarse before he tried again more clearly. “What are you saying, exactly?” he asked me.

“I am saying that instead of focusing on hating me, perhaps you should be focusing on loving him.”

Orion drew in a sharp breath of surprise and continued to stare at me for another long moment as if he could not believe what he was hearing.

“You… are giving me your blessing.”

“Did you need it?” I asked, and he seemed to consider briefly before he shook his head slowly.

“I had not… thought I could ask for it. He will not… This is not what he wanted,” Orion said dismissively.

“You don’t know. You haven’t asked him,” I insisted, and he turned his face away, but he was contemplative. “Whatever you decide, all I ask is that we can respect one another. I will not be a punching bag, but if you… need to talk like this again, then I would rather we do it like this rather than trade words like daggers. Alright?”

“I… Alright,” he agreed in uncertainty before stepping back from me cautiously. He watched me as if he were still waiting for me to laugh in his face. But I allowed him to see how serious I was until he finally turned toward the door and put a hand on the handle.

“Thank you,” he said finally and turned to look at me again from over his shoulder. “And I am… I’m sorry for what I said. I have known for a while now it was not true, but sometimes I just… I am sorry,” he repeated.

I was so shocked that I could not reply before he had turned and slipped out the door without another word.

Chapter thirty-five

BENEATH THE STARS

Amira

Istood silently in front of the mirror while Sofia quickly got me changed into the delicate, pale lavender nightdress that she’d had made for this night. Much of it was sheer, which was why it included a long coat to cover me until Riordan got there. She unpinned my braids and plucked the flowers out of them before unwinding my hair so it fell in soft waves over my shoulders. She even removed the charcoal from around my eyes so I looked more like my softer, doe-eyed self rather than whatever griffin noble I had been trying to emulate.

Orion had apologized for his unkind words, but it had not lessened the anguish of old wounds torn open again, and I still felt about as brittle as he had looked earlier.

Helena shifted as if looking for the threat when tears began to well in my eyes, but Sofia merely gripped my shoulders to draw my gaze to hers in the reflection.

“Whatever Orion said to you doesn’t matter. He lashes out to hurt you because he hurts. But Riordan choseyou,” she insisted firmly, and I forced a smile to my face.

“I know. Orion… He knew what to say.”

“We all have scabs that bleed when they are picked at. But some of us are losing so much blood that we flounder in it and want to pull others down with us. You will not allow him to drown you too,” she commanded me.

I released a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh as her words gave me an unexpected relief. Though I ached for Orion and his situation, I was allowed to prioritize myself. Ineededto prioritize myself.

“Thank the gods for you, Sofia,” I said, reaching up to wipe the tears from my eyes.

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