Page 25 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“Honestly, I was…” I hesitated, uncertain at first if I wanted to be vulnerable around Orion, but then Riordan turned toward me, and I decided to continue. “You spoke so highly of him that I was initially excited to meet him. But he has made it clear from the beginning that he feels I’m unworthy of you. My very existence is abhorrent.”

“Orion?” Riordan prompted, turning his angry eyes on hisskiá, and the other griffin shot me a glare as his tail whipped with obvious agitation.

“I have already expressed the reasons for my distaste. She is not what you need, Riordan.”

“That is not your decision to make,” insisted my mate before I could voice my own angry retort.

“I have only your best interests at heart. You wanted me as yourskiábecause you trust my judgement, but in this matter you seem blinded. Would you rather I indulge your every whim against my own instincts? That is not theskiáyou professed to want,” Orion reminded him.

“Your distaste was clear before you’d spoken to her,” Riordan maintained.

“Riordan, she is awitch. Do I really need any other reason to distrust her? You of all people shouldhateher!” Orion insisted in exasperation.

“And you of all people should be relieved that I do not allow prejudice to dictate the bonds I choose to nurture,” Riordan responded. His hand rested on my shoulder when I almost lost the battle to keep my mouth shut. He wanted me to let him handle it, but holy gods, it was not easy to listen to Orion spewing hate.

Orion looked incensed by the obvious comparison that Riordan was making between me and the Ktínos.

“This is different! Her kind has actively harmed both of our people while Imítheos haveunfoundedhatred for Ktínos even though we have never acted against them. This isnotthe same thing!” Orion reiterated.

“Don’t make this aboutmy kind,” I spoke up, unable to keep silent anymore. “You are the only one among the Ktínos who seems to feel this way.”

“I am the only one who ispermittedto feel this way! Riordan has forbidden everyone else from speaking up,” Orion tried to reassure me.

“That is not true!” I insisted in earnest as I leaped to my feet next to Riordan. “The others have shown me genuine kindness. Ares and Helena even call methárrosiwhich I know is a great honour. Not because of Riordan, but because they know I fought to protect him.”

I hesitated in astonishment at myself and then glanced up at Riordan to find him smiling at me in admiration of my self-advocacy. Since Jade’s attack, I seemed to have finally decided that I didn’t care if I was worthy of a king. I wanted Riordan, and I was willing to defend my right to build happiness with him.

But Orion was unmoved. He merely stood by the wall with his tail flicking and his arms crossed impassively.

“You don’t hate me because I’m a witch. You are just afraid that I will take him from you,” I accused him.

It was not a full revelation of his secret, but it was about as close to the truth as I could get with Riordan in the room with us.

“Is that the truth, Orion?” asked Riordan, and his voice had gentled in understanding. Perhaps it should upset me to hear him take such a tone with someone who blatantly hated me. But it didn’t. I felt… strangely hopeful.

Orion bristled and then turned away, but it seemed to be enough of a confirmation for Riordan who sighed as he stepped toward hisskiá.

“My bond with Amira changes nothing between us,” Riordan assured Orion in earnest.

“She endangers you. You are already disdained among the Imítheos because of me. How am I supposed to keep you and your mate safe when you always insist on doing everything the hard way?” Orion demanded.

“I was despised before I met you, so doing what they want now won’t make them approve of me. I have always followed my heart. I think I recall you telling me that it was something you admired,” Riordan reminded hisskiá, but Orion did not smile.

The Ktínos warrior turned his head away, and I was surprised by the genuine display of emotion on his face as he debated. It changed his whole appearance and made him seem so much more vulnerable and relatable.

“I need you on my side. I need you both with me,” Riordan insisted as he looked from Orion to me.

“I am with you,” I assured him.

“As am I, Riordan,always, but I…” Orion hesitated, seemingly searching for the right words before he shook his head. “Just… Allow me some time to think about this. You need to rest,” Orion reminded the king. “I will stand watch at her door until Helena returns to retake her post.”

It was not the answer Riordan wanted, but he seemed to know there was no more to say until Orion had the time he wanted to think, so he nodded in agreement.

“I will ward the room,” he told me, and he did in spite of both me and Orion protesting that he needed rest before he left me for the night.

Orion followed him out with a final disdainful glare at me from over his shoulder.

Chapter eight

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