Riordan left instructions with Helena and then escorted us back to the college himself just to be sure no one could interfere with our prisoner. I decided to house Nikos in an apartment alongside all the Spring fey where I had sole control of the wards around his room. He could not leave, and no one but me, Riordan, and Orion could enter.
Once Nikos had been situated, I’d wanted to return to Erétria with my men to help in the aftermath of the battle, but I was ambushed by Stamos. He demanded a meeting with me to update him and the council members who had remained behind. I wanted to tell him there were more important things for me to be doing instead of indulging their curiosity, but I held my tongue. Orion had been torn about who to accompany, but Riordan insisted he should be with me in the meeting since it was probable that our enemy was in that room.
Stamos gestured impatiently for me to follow him but became instantly subdued when my mate glared at him. Riordan made a point of taking me aside to speak as if to remind the old man that he did not command my time.
What do you want me to tell them?I asked through our bond as I put my arms around him as if hugging him.
You can tell them about the battle. Anything that could have been seen by everyone who was there should be relayed as truthfully as you can. They will all have spies in the city, so it will only discredit you if you attempt to hide anything from them. If they ask about our flight into the city or about my father, then you may tell them that we have Nikos in custody for his abduction. Pay attention to anyone who seems overly interested in Nikos and whetherwe think he is guilty. Do not disclose his location.
You also want me to tell them about the man with the harpoon gun?I verified.
Yes,he admitted reluctantly.Perhaps someone who has seen something strange but did not think to say anything will be prompted to mention it now.
“This was clearly a Wild Hunt attack!” Stamos yelled at me in such utter exasperation that Orion felt compelled to move from his place at the wall. And Stamos was angry enough that he merely scoffed at the obvious warning. “Now you won’t even permit me to question her logic?” the old man berated my mate’sskiá.
“You may question her in a tone I deem appropriate or not at all,” Orion held his ground fiercely, wings lifting so they began to eclipse me.
“Are youthreateningme now—”
“Enough! This was not Rian,” I insisted once again, and they all stared at me as if I had grown two heads. “Why would he do this? You want logic? Explain to me how someone with the power to destroy our world would bother playing games!”
I looked at the table, which had four fewer griffins at it since the City-State Commanders were all still in Erétria with their garrisons to help Riordan. I held each of their golden gazes so they all knew how firmly I believed this.
“She is right,” Castor spoke up finally, his voice soft but commanding enough to shut Stamos down instantly.
“If not the warmongering fey, who?” asked Isaura, narrowing her eyes on me suspiciously.
“We don’t know for sure yet, but we have someone in custody to be questioned,” I assured them.
“Nikos,” stated Castor with a raise of his brows that seemedto ask me if I really thought he had anything to do with this. I did not rise to his bait in front of the others.
“Nikos is… quite troublesome,” said Isaura carefully, clearly thinking over her words. “But I am not sure he is capable of something so… elaborate,” she admitted.
“We will get to the bottom of it,” I assured.
“And you expect us to just… allow you to question him without any of us present?” asked Stamos, his cheeks still mottled with his temper.
“I expect you to have faith in your king,” I insisted.
Before anyone could reply, the doors to the chamber were flung open so hard that I was shocked they did not snap in half. Everyskiáat the edge of the room had their swords drawn and were moving toward their partners. Orion had me half pulled from my chair and partly behind him before we realized who the intruder was.
“Andromeda…?” Stamos faltered over her name in his confusion as Riordan’s mother strode into the room with all the aura of a queen. The council members all glanced at one another and then began to rise tentatively as they typically only did for Riordan. Old habits, I supposed.
“Word has reached me that you have imprisoned my sweet nephew. You will release him. Immediately.”
I was so shocked by her intrusion that at first I had not realized she was looking at me.
“I cannot do that,” I said simply, striving for my nerve and carefully extracting myself from Orion’s hold to take my seat at the table. I did not intend to be petty, but sitting in her presence was a deliberate move to remind everyone that she was not the queen. “We can speak about it later. As you can see, I am in the middle of a meeting.”
Andromeda scoffed at me, looking beyond offended. “You think you have authority to dismiss me,girl?”
“Yes,” I stated, even as my hands clenched the leather pleats of my armoured skirt to keep them from trembling. “You are nolonger a part of this council. You are not to be in this chamber unless you are expressly invited here. Your concerns about your nephew will be addressed with me later and privately.”
Andromeda stared at me as if looking for weaknesses and testing my resolve.
“Who do you think you are—”
“I am the Queen Consort,” I spoke over her, glad when my voice did not so much as waver. “And when my mate is absent, I am the voice of highest authority in this room. You need to leave. Now,” I insisted steadily.
