Mina’s gaze shifts to the table across the room. She strides over and picks up a large wooden bowl resting there. “Theron left you breakfast,” she says, her face lighting up as she turns back and offers it to me.
Breakfast? Was he here?
My brows knit together as I take the bowl from her, the warmth of it seeping into my palms. If it’s still warm, that means he left it not long ago.
“Thank you,” I say as I set the bowl on my thighs. There’s cooked meat and strawberries. I haven’t seen strawberry bushes here. Do they have gardens?
“How do you like to start your mornings, Your Majesty?” Mina asks as she picks up my gown from one of the cushions near the bed.
“Oh, that gown is dirty. Let me??—”
“It is clean, though.”
What? I didn’t clean it. I set the bowl on the furs and stand up. Looking at my gown in Mina’s paws... It is clean.
Mina looks at me, tilting her head.
“Tell me, Mina,” I begin, picking the bowl up again. “Are there strawberry bushes in Ávera?”
“There are not.”
I hum. “Did you clean my gown before I woke up?”
“I did not.”
Another hum escapes me. Holding the furs tightly against my skin, I walk through the house, scanning for anything else he might have done.
I pause near the door. “Do you know if any of the guards entered this house?”
Mina shakes her head. “Unless it is an emergency, they’re not allowed to disturb your rest.”
A sigh escapes me as I walk back to her. “Theron did it, didn’t he?”
Mina’s gaze softens, and she nods. “It is a great honor for a vólkin to care for his mate.”
I sit on the nearest wooden chair, the bowl warm in my hands. The strawberries don’t touch the chunks of cooked meat, each piece resting perfectly in place as though he arranged them on purpose. Well... he did.
I take a bite, the meat’s smoky, savory flavor hits my tongue, and I nearly moan in pleasure. I’ve never had meat for breakfast before, but I could definitely get used to this. After savoring the last bite, I move on to the strawberries, their sweet juice a perfect distraction from the nightmare I had.
As I eat, Mina busies herself around the house. She fluffs the cushions, rearranges the furs, and even checks on the flora growing from the ceiling.
It’s better than her standing here, watching me eat. I’m grateful for her thoughtfulness, even if the house already looks perfectly in order.
As soon as I’m done eating, she takes the bowl from me with a smile.
“Thank you,” I say, standing.
“No need to thank me for such a small thing, Your Majesty. Tonight is your welcome ceremony, so before that, we have a lot of things to do!”
“A welcome ceremony? There’s no need for such grandiosity, Mina.”
“How come! Our prophesied leader had finally arrived and freed us from the barrier. It is a grand celebration.”
I look over at my gown in Mina’s hands—paws, and my eyes widen. The crystal!
My heart pounds as I begin to frantically search the house.
“Your Majesty? What happened?”
