Page 101 of Whisper Woods

Just not when my assistant is screeching my name like a valkyrie battle cry. Turning on my heel, I watch Mathensiu’s glowing orange body dodge the other beings as they run as fast as they can to catch me. It’s what I get for hiring the family of friends. The kid is Red’s nephew and while he’s helpful and eager, he’s got a lot to learn.

But we’ve all been there, I guess.

I wait patiently for him, arms crossed over my chest as other palace officials dodge my flailing assistant. He almost knocks me over when he skids to a stop. I waiteven morepatiently as he braces his hands on his knees to catch his panting breath.

“They—are—here. Your—guests—are—here.” Mathensiu gasps, his orange glow flickering so bright it’s almost blinding.

Shit. I really must have lost track of the time if everyone has already arrived. But in my defence, the day has been murder. I wasn’t even meant to be in today, but one meeting had turned into another and boom, now I’m here at the palace when I have a house full of guests and a party to host.

Rafe is gonnabe so mad.

He can punish me later—in fact, I’m kind of looking forward to it.

Rolling my neck, I place a hand on Mathensiu’s back, trying to not flinch at the heat radiating off him from his panic. My hand raises and falls with his gulping breaths.

“It’s fine, Mathensiu. I’m done here anyway. I was just about to leave.”

Only a teensy, tiny lie—one I don’t think Mathensiu would have believed anyway. I’d actually been off to see the Grand Master in charge of Munish Affairs to rip into him about vampire discrimination. Again.

It turns out, when I love what I do—and who I do it with—and I’m not labouring under a lifetime's worth of obligation, I am a bit of a workaholic.

Sure, there are days when I miss the camaraderie of the crew at the site and the physical nature of my old job, but working here at the palace has given me something that working at Everfyr Construction Co. didn’t—a sense of purpose.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m not having to twist myself into the right shapes. I can just be.

My job here as Officiant of Munish Relations began pretty loose. My role has changed and evolved over time. It’s really just meant rolling with whatever Tathys needs from me. At first, I kind of thought I was just put on the payroll so Elianora didn’t lose her childhood friend to the Mundane when she was going through such a horrendous time.

But it became pretty apparent just how badly I—or someone like me—was needed around here.

The path to reunification hasn’t been easy for Tathys, or the Mundane—not that the rest of the world particularly likes being called that—but it hasn’t gone as terribly as some beings feared.

When Elianora made her entrance to the world at the Coalition of Nations in the weeks after the walls fell, she caused more than a little stir. There were some risky moments, where it looked like the diplomacy and peace the world has enjoyed for the past couple of centuries was over, but between Elianora's diplomacy skills and the work of the Tavishers—who have become ambassadors to the world—things worked out smoothly.

I mean, winter helped a lot too. Perfectly timed “unprecedented snowfall” blocked land entry to Tathys for a big chunk of the season, and the dragons took care of the seaside entrances. It allowed everyone time to adjust to the new reality and an agreement to be brokered where Tathys would be open, but access to our city is limited.

But that was theoutsideworld.

Here in Tathys, there was a lot of work to be done. In the aftermath of Heylor’s betrayal and the subsequent arrests, the beings of Tathys had a lot of healing to do, all while learning about the world that was now open to them.

I started by helping the Tavishers get families in contact with their families in the Mundane. Then it was the beings who wanted to enter the Mundane. I ended up running a series of seminars on life in the Mundane. It waswild.

Me. In charge of aclassroom.

We also had a lot of work to do to get accommodations ready for the Munish guests. In particular the esteemed ambassadors being sent our way from around the world. I don’t know how many times I had to explain that the average Munish being does not have the ability to conjure heating for cooking, or the light in a lamp, or even set wards, but it was a lot. Too many times.

It took a while. But we got there.

And true to her word, Caelan, Tor, Seldon, Roan, and Theo were amongst the first visitors to Tathys.

Deep in my core, I feel the familiar tug of Rafe—and his growing frustration. Rubbing the spot in my chest, I try to channel as much warmth and affection through to him, but I’m not sure it’s working. Mind reading isn’t a part of the bonded mate deal, but I can still hear him getting all hot and growly about me being late and leaving him with a houseful of guests to entertain on his own.

It’s because my parents are joining us.

My parents make him nervous, which is so adorable I give him as much shit as I can for it.

It’s all because in the months after we mated, when we finally found the time to visit Twin Heads, there was an unfortunate incident. Sien—who hadn’t been made aware of my newly mated status—suggested we visit my parents’ guestroom together.

Rafe overheard and, long story short, Sien had ended up barrelled up against the wall with Rafe’s beastly teeth gnashing in his face.

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