Page 22 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“I am sure Rhea is already thinking about it, but I will ask her to find you a suitable handmaid who will ensure your clothing is more to your taste,” Riordan told me.

“That sounds convenient,” I admitted, turning my head to smile gratefully at him over my shoulder.

“Come eat with me,” he invited as his fingers trailed down my arm to take my hand. “I’ll come to your quarters in the morning,” he added to Orion who blinked at him as if Riordan had just asked him to jump out of the tower.

“I am not leaving the two of you alone! It is already scandalous enough with the three of us unsupervised in her personal chambers,” Orion added unwillingly.

Right. Because if things were different, and I was even remotely open to it, then the three of us could have been in a relationship together. And being the naive virgin that I was, I began to wonder how such a situation was even supposed to work. Emotionally.Physically.

Not that I would everwantanything like that.

“Control yourself,” snarled Orion, startling me as he turned away in evident disgust. “Your scent betrays you.”

“My… scent?” I repeated in misunderstanding before his meaning suddenly became all too clear to me.

He meant my arousal. He couldsmellit.

My cheeks felt like they were on fire as my head jerked in Riordan’s direction, but there was no judgement in his expression. In fact, I thought there might have been a gleam of interest in his eyes.

“Canyousmell me?” I whispered in mortification.

“A little, yes, but the senses of Ktínos are far superior to those of Imítheos,” he assured me. That was why Orion seemed to be able to sense my body’s involuntary reaction to my own thoughts. Which was not only embarrassing but extremely inconvenient! How the hell was I supposed to control my everythought and unconscious butnaturalbodily response all the damned time?

“I would prefer to talk to you about this alone if it is allowed,” I told Riordan honestly, and he nodded.

“You would disgrace him further—” Orion began.

“That isenough,” Riordan chastised him immediately, his hand tightening on mine in reassurance. “This is an important conversation we need to have, and my mate is entitled to privacy for it,” he added with stern finality.

“Riordan, please,pleasedon’t be stubborn about this,” pleaded Orion in exasperation.

I could tell Riordan was about to double down for me, but if Orion felt so strongly that we should not be alone in my room, then I would comply. I didn’t want to make things more complicated, and Ireallydidn’t want to be a source of contention between them if I could help it.

So I squeezed my mate’s hand to garner his attention and then shook my head to let him know it was fine that Orion stayed.

But he was definitely going to be uncomfortable.

“Nell told me more of thetaíribond between mates and how sometimes it can encompass yourskiáas well. Not the way you suggested in a platonic relationship but as a romantic one,” I began, surprising both of the men. “Why did you not tell me about that?”

Riordan glanced at Orion as if to confirm that hisskiáreally did want to stay despite the private nature of the conversation. But although he was highly unimpressed with the topic of my curiosity, Orion seemed committed.

The king turned and tugged me with him over to my bed where we sat down. He raised my hand to his mouth for a sweet kiss on my knuckles which made Orion exhale softly in exasperation.

“I did not tell you about the potential of the bond with Orion because it is not expected,” Riordan told me as he released my hand and set one of the plates on my thighs.

“But is it usual?” I asked as I began to stack the meat and cheese on the bread like a sandwich.

“It is usual,” Riordan admitted with a glance at Orion who shifted in discomfort. “But again, it is not mandatory, and for Orion, the reasoning for this tradition is irrelevant since he is not Imítheos.”

“What is the reason for the tradition?” I asked before taking a bite out of my sandwich. Whatever the meat was, it was the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

“Well, you know Imítheos do not feel desire until we have chosen a mate, and we are typically bonded to askiáby the time we do pick a female. Once one male in the pair begins to feel attraction, then it is almost inevitable that hisskiáwill be impacted with the same craving.”

“Which will not happen for Orion because he can feel desire now,” I confirmed between bites of my sandwich. The Ktínos in question scoffed at my comment, so I rolled my eyes at him. “You’re the one who insisted on staying here while we had this conversation,” I reminded him.

“If you were a griffin, then there would be no need to have this conversation at all,” Orion fired back.

“Well, I’m clearlynota griffin, so I guess that means we will talk about it,” I retorted before looking at Riordan who tried not to smirk at me. “Women don’t haveskiá?”

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