Page 62 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

Thankfully, my handmaid was no pushover, and she was already narrowing her eyes at Orion. With another cautious glance at Riordan who smiled at her reassuringly, Sofia sat back down next to me. It was a little crowded on our side, and I frowned at Orion who was freely lounging across from us, but he didn’t move over.

“How did you sleep?” Riordan wanted to know.

“I slept well, actually! And I woke up this morning to this wonderful meal and a new handmaid,” I answered.

“And who are you, exactly?” Orion demanded of my handmaid, completely disregarding my earlier assertion for him to leave her alone. He had not taken his eyes off her since she sat back down at the table.

Sofia bristled again at his tone but maintained her cool surprisingly well. I wondered if handmaids were subject to a lot of abrasive behaviour and whether that made her more tolerant than most of the other Imítheos.

“I am Lady Amira’s new handmaid,” she answered as if this were rather obvious, and I could not help smirking. But Orion growled at her tone. An actual fucking animal growl that rumbled alarmingly in his chest.

“You know what I meant,” he muttered at her with a deadly seriousness.

“Riordan—” I began in exasperation.

“Enough,” my mate ordered hisskiáwho only coiled himself tighter as if he might leap across the table at my bristling handmaid.

“She needs to be interrogated. What if she is a spy?”

“A spy, Orion,really? What is she going to tell people? My cup size?” I scoffed at him, although I realized too late that no one at the table could appreciate my joke.

“She will be in proximity to you and privy to sensitive information,” Orion argued, looking only at Riordan as if the opinions of the rest of us didn’t matter.

“I am not a spy. I’ll gladly answer all his questions,” Sofia assured us without a flinch of concern. “But youwillwait until after my lady has enjoyed her breakfast,” she informed him sternly.

I was starting to really like this woman.

“An excellent idea, Sofia,” Riordan cut in when Orion opened his mouth to protest her declaration.

“What are your plans today?” I asked the king in an attempt to have a nice, normal conversation with him.

“That is why I’m here now,” he admitted with a wince. “I have a great many meetings scheduled.”

“Ah,” I grunted in deflated understanding. “So this will be my only opportunity to see you.”

“You will join me for all of them soon, but I want you to focus on becoming settled for now. I hope Sofia can help you with that,” Riordan added to my handmaid.

“I have a seamstress coming after breakfast and a tour of the Metropolis planned, your Majesty. Would you like me to plan for these breakfasts to be a daily occurrence?” Sofia asked my king.

“Thank you, please do,” he replied.

“I would actually prefer to see the Rookery,” I spoke up which earned me several shocked looks and a moment of silence around the table. “Is that a problem?” I asked.

“Not in the least. I am glad to hear it,” Riordan told me with a smile.

“But why would youwantto see it?” Orion demanded in evident disgust. “There is nothing to see but rundown buildings, dirty cobblestone streets, and homelessness.”

“That is untrue,” protested Helena.

“It sounds like I will be right at home then. That is just how I grew up,” I retorted to Orion.

He and Helena hesitated with their forks half raised to their mouths and eyes on me, but Riordan merely put his hand over mine on the table and squeezed it.

“Is it safe for her to go?” asked Sofia with caution

“I will send Ares with you,” Riordan advised us both. “No one there would attempt to hurt you if they knew who you were, but they might overwhelm you.”

“And try to keep Ares out of your bedroom afterward,” Orion suggested, earning him a frown from Riordan.

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