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Her jaw ticked and Arianna tried to rein in her anger. She turned to face the gardens and studied a droplet that had settled at the base of a leaf. Arianna took a deep breath. “What do you want from me then?”

“Before you arrived, I had plans to court you, woo you, if you will, and had hoped to one day make you my wife.”

She cringed at the thought. “And now?”

“Now, I’d simply ask to be allies. Perhaps even friends.”

“And that’s enough to satisfy you?”

“For now.” Arianna studied him. “I’m not a young male by any means. I’ve come to understand that eternity requires patience, and I’m quite capable of being patient for the things I desire.”

“What if those things never desire you?”

“Then so be it. It doesn’t stop our need to aid Alastríona. If the queen doesn’t wish for a relationship on an intimate level, then I won’t push the issue.”

She wasn’t convinced. “And how will the rest of the world see us?”

“Just as they need to. As a united front.”

“You mean as a couple.”

“It harms no one to let them believe what they want to believe. Nothing needs to be formally announced.”

Arianna didn’t know how to respond to that. How would Rion feel about others viewing her as belonging to another male, and would it matter in the long run? How would she feel about holding Niall’s hand before the masses, lying to them as she claimed to change their world for the better? Or was the detail so miniscule that it shouldn’t matter?

“All I ask is for you to consider it.”

“And Rion?”

“I can work with the council to convince them he isn’t a threat. He’s done nothing since his arrival that leads me to believe otherwise. He’s proven quite protective of you and with how powerful he’s rumored to be, that protection is invaluable at the moment.”

She scented the air for a lie, but to her surprise, Niall seemed to be telling the truth. “That . . . makes me happy.”

Niall beamed and reached for her, but a growl ripped from the doorway and echoed across the stones. Talon jumped to his feet, suddenly before Arianna, but Niall barely reacted.

Rion’s sharp gaze swept over her, his magic billowing forward. It ignored Talon and moved until it was close enough to dance across her skin before wrapping her in its protective embrace.

“I didn’t touch her, just as I promised,” Niall said, his eyes locked with Rion’s. Rion stalked forward, his fangs bared. Niall watched as the particles crawled across her skin, his brows knit together. Regardless of what he claimed, Niall clearly didn’t like Rion touching her any more than the council did.

Arianna crossed the remaining space separating her from her mate and leaned into him. She wrapped her arms around Rion’s torso and a satisfied sound reverberated through his chest.

“I’ve seen males with better reputations turn into savage animals with another male so close to their mate. Especially with a new bond. You have unbelievable restraint.”

Rion ground his teeth. “It’s not without difficulty.”

Niall smiled at her. “Thank you for speaking with me. This is where I take my leave. I hope you’ll consider everything I’ve said, but know there’s no rush to make any decisions.” He bowed. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Talon glanced between the two as if debating whether he should leave. She nodded to her friend and he gave her a simple wave before following in Niall’s wake.

Rion kissed her, threading one hand through her hair until he cradled her head. His tongue dove deep into her mouth and she pulled him close, gripping his perfectly fitting shirt in one hand.

Rion pulled back just enough to press his forehead to hers. “You have no idea how many times I wanted to bust down that door.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t, though I can’t say I would have minded either.”

He pulled back further. “Did you learn anything?”

“Names. The fact that a lot of people seem to doubt me and that we’re going to be subjected to a ball.”