Page 66 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“There is a landing dais in the hallway,” said Helena in reassurance. “I will carry you down.”

“I was almost skewered for using it and told never to do so again,” Ares told her, his shoulders tensing again, and I realized he was probably glaring at the guards.

“Then we will use the one in my room. Orion can piss off with his rules,” I informed them, but I was met with silence and widened eyes. “Just get in here! Orion is gone with Riordan and won’t know the difference,” I insisted.

“My lady, I… I gave my word to the king to ensure no other males entered here,” Sofia protested.

“I take full responsibility. Riordan will have to either have a little word with the guards or allow Ares to use the dais in my room. Either way, he will know that this was not your decision today,” I reassured her.

Sofia hesitated with an uncertain glance at Ares who narrowed his eyes on her, but then she nodded grudgingly, and he swept through the door.

“I will direct Orion to you as well. I suspect he will be less inclined to beat hisskiásenseless for disobedience,” Ares declared with a wicked grin as he prowled toward the dais behind Helena.

“Valiant of you,” she muttered at him.

“Orion is not, nor will he ever be myskiá, thank you,” I said as I followed him.

“Uh huh,” the smug warrior smirked over his shoulder, confidently striding onto the narrow stone ledge before he spread his wings. He leaped into the air like he was diving into a pool and not off the edge of a fucking mountain.

“Let us go quickly,” Helena advised me, pausing long enough for me to nod before she scooped me up with the same ease that Riordan carried me. She too waltzed across the ledge with nimble steps despite the way my stomach somersaulted in terror when I looked down thousands of feet to the earth below. And then she was simply stepping out into the open air unexpectedly, her wings flaring as we instantly started to plummet straight downward.

A scream ripped from my throat, and Helena scoffed at me as her wings caught the mountain drafts so we began to glide more smoothly.

“Oh, shush,” she chastised as if offended. I couldn’t even muster the will to tell her that I was not worried she woulddrop me. My knee-jerk reaction was a completely natural human response to the sensation of free falling.

Flying with Helena was not nearly as pleasant as it had been with Riordan. My mate’s mere proximity seemed to set my whole body at ease somehow, and he was careful to fly in a way that made me feel confident and safe.

Ares was above us, watching over our descent to the waterfall where we passed between two watchtowers on either side of the river. My stomach wanted to dip again at the sensation of diving more sharply over the edge and into the valley, but I managed to repress the urge to wrap myself around Helena.

We reached the wall of the city nestled at the bottom of the waterfall, and my relief was instantaneous when I was set back on my own two feet on solid ground.

Ares landed next to us, and then Sofia touched down right behind him. She untucked her skirt from her belt to drop it back around her legs and then glowered at Ares when she saw he had noticed that her legs were exposed. My guardian smirked at her before he stalked forward to meet with the gate guard who had come out to greet us.

“I’m going to need to learn to speak Aeolian,” I said, listening to their lyrical conversation.

“I will arrange for a tutor,” Sofia assured me as she came to stand at my side.

“I also… I think I should learn to fight,” I added. I did not want to be left behind anytime that Riordan was called into battle. I wanted to be able to stand beside him the same as Orion did. To support him wholly.

“Riordan has expressed a hope that you would consent to train with me,” Helena admitted, offering me a smile of the greatest approval. “So we shall begin at your leisure. But you must be fairly warned,thárrosi, that mate of my king or not, I willendeavor to train you with the same ferocity with which I train all my recruits.”

“Oh… Good! Thanks,” I said, even though I was sure I would come to regret this decision.

“Is there a part of the day you would prefer to pursue this endeavour? I will need to make time,” Sofia advised us.

“Is my schedule that busy?” I asked her in surprise.

“Princess Rhea has indicated that she intends to ensure your social calendar is as flourishing as any Imítheos lady should ever hope,” she admitted.

“I see,” I muttered as Ares and the guard turned to walk back toward us. They were chatting and laughing as if they were great friends before reaching our position. “We’ll discuss it after, I suppose.”

“Thárrosi,” the guard greeted me with a deep bow that bent him dramatically over at the waist. His wings flared wide enough that one of them knocked into Ares who smacked it away. “We are truly honoured to receive you here,” the guard continued seamlessly.

“Thank you! I cannot wait to see the city,” I admitted, smiling at the sight of Ares so flustered.

The guard held out his arm in invitation, and I walked behind Helena who spearheaded the way toward the open gateway. Ares took up the rear behind me, falling into stride with predatory grace next to Sofia.

“Not too afraid to dirty that pretty silk skirt in the mud with the dogs, hmm?” he taunted.

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