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Rion pulled her gaze back to his with the feather-light touch of his finger on her chin. “I can defend myself, you know.”

“The bond letting you read my mind now?”

“No, the worry is written all over your face. Trust me, you’ll be the first to know if anything goes wrong.”

Ellie closed the distance, far too excited for Arianna’s comfort. Her little sister only got that excited when she had a plan in mind. And Ellie’s plans weren’t always the safest.

Ellie shooed her. “Go see what our father wants and give me a few minutes to get to know my future brother-in-law.”

Talon coughed and heat crawled up Arianna’s neck, warming her ears then her cheeks. She turned before Rion could see her reaction.

They were mates, after all; she’d want to marry him eventually, right? Settle down, start a family?

Arianna couldn’t steady her voice. “Just don’t go too far, okay?”

Ellie beamed. “You got it.”

Arianna turned back toward the door that led into the foyer and sighed. “Let’s go see what kind of mess my father has gotten me into.”

Chapter Eight

Rion

Rion watched his mate walk through the thin sliding door with Talon at her side and every part of his body ignited, begging him to follow.

His mate. And yet another male was escorting her to see her father. He hated how close they stood and loathed the way Talon’s gaze lingered on her slender form when she wasn’t looking. A low growl rumbled in his chest and Rion’s eyes locked onto Talon’s hands, daring him to touch her. If he so much as—

“Rion?” His jaw clenched. Arianna was the center that rooted him to the continent and he’d do anything for her. Kill anyone for her. Be anyone for her.

But right now she needed him to leave. Well, not leave exactly, but he knew whatever Ellie had planned wouldn’t involve waiting on the balcony.

Slowly, he turned to face Ellie. This female who was so similar to her elder sister, yet different in a magnitude of ways. Both females resembled their mother in appearance and Arianna’s scent carried the same sweet allure as the late Lady Lillian. But Ellie’s scent was harsher, forged from the basins of the earth like her father’s, though she probably resented being anything like the High Lord of Móirín.

“Come on.” She skipped down the hall away from Arianna, and Rion followed, tugging against his instincts like a wild animal desperate to escape the leash. Even when she’d gone to the infirmary, he’d never been far behind. He couldn’t stand the distance. Couldn’t stand it now and there were only two doors between them.

So how in the seven hells was he going to handle the royal city taking her away? If Levea didn’t welcome him, those sworn to protect The Divine certainly wouldn’t open their doors.

“Where are we going?” he asked, his soul rending with every step.

“You’ll see.” She spun and walked backward, holding up one finger. “I do have to make a quick stop though, is that all right?”

She likely meant in the city, around civilians who would be less than welcoming to his presence.

“Sure.” As if he had much of a choice.

They exited the main part of the estate, entering the bright sunlight of late morning. Intricate gardens lined everything it seemed, hiding the manor beneath floral bushes and trees of all sizes and varieties. He wondered which was Arianna’s favorite. Perhaps something as wild as the wisteria that grew no matter the obstacle in its path. Or perhaps she liked something a bit more contained. Roses, foxglove, or hydrangeas.

Maybe she didn’t like flowers at all.

Gods, what was wrong with him? He should be paying attention to his surroundings and the female leading him from the estate. He should be counting every footstep, searching every shadow.

But he couldn’t get Arianna out of his head. Not for a second and she was with another male and—

Talon. She was with Talon, he reminded himself. He was a respectable male from the way Arianna spoke of him, and Rion had seen Talon’s tenacity during the war. The male fought for his comrades with a fierceness that so few possessed. He was the type to lay down his life for those in his unit and, in Rion’s experience, that kind of loyalty was akin to a rare gem.

But he’d also been the male who—

Rion clamped an iron door around the thought. Arianna was his. No, he was Arianna’s. She’d chosen him.