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She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked out at the barn, paddock, and grounds. Her aura lit up just like the moment before when he had revealed his present to her. It seemed the world from his height looked more beautiful to her than either of them had expected.
Together, they all went downstairs to the Ritual hall, to the smells of coffee and cider, savory stews and cassia desserts. Then Lio’s mother was everywhere at once, directing the culinary crafters, florists, and ribbon artists.
An ear-splitting whistle echoed across the hall. Laughing, Lio turned to see Mak and Lyros levitate down from the top of the pillar they had been decorating with flowers. Nodora and her Imperial sitarist paused their warm up to wave from the musicians’ corner. Xandra and Harkhuf put down the candles they were setting about, and Kia emerged from the library, her mathematician on her arm. Their friends crowded around.
“Look who isn’t handing out Gift Night presents alone!” Mak crowed.
Lyros put his arm around Mak’s shoulders, tucking a spare rose behind his Grace’s ear. “It’s a good thing you’re here to help, Cassia. One year, when Lio tried to give out gifts by himself—”
“Thorns, please don’t tell that story,” Lio pleaded.
“This year will be very different,” Cassia broke in. “How can I help?”
Lio tucked her under his arm. “Stay right here.”
She grinned up at him. “You’ve assigned me the best task of all.”
“Well, there is also that hoard of gifts spanning the length of the Ritual hall. Light items on the table, heavy items under it, and the racks hold scrolls itemizing supplies that will be delivered to our tributaries’ homes. Between the two of us, I think we can manage to give all of them to the right people before the night is through.”
Cassia rubbed her hands together. “Ready when you are.”
“Let us have a look at the gift list so we’ll feel ready when the recipients start to arrive.”
“I’m afraid we’re early,” said Annassa Alea.
Lio turned in the direction of her voice and saw the Queens strolling into the Ritual hall. He put his hand on his heart. “How honored I am that you are the first I may welcome to my Gift Night celebration, Annassa.”
Queen Alea’s aura gleamed with amusement. “In honor of Anastasios, shall we say, Apollon?”
Father laughed. “I’ll never forget the time he waited an hour for his students to appear without realizing we weren’t late.”
“Annassa, guess what Lio gave me.” Zoe began regaling the Queens with a description of her new window.
“A lovely application of our lessons in light magic,” said Queen Alea.
Queen Soteira smiled as Zoe clutched at her robes. “You will treasure this night always, I can see.”
“I am glad you approve, Annassa,” Lio said. “But you have yet to ask me for your gift. I am ready to honor my bond of gratitude with you, as all Hesperines do on our Gift Nights, and grant you your annual boon.”
Queen Soteira nodded to him. “We have a great task for you this year. We ask you for a gift beyond price, a contribution to Orthros that will last for centuries to come.”
Lio gave the heart bow, torn between trepidation and gratitude that his Queens would entrust such a task to him. What did they have in store for him?
Queen Alea touched a hand to Cassia’s head. “Add one new Hesperine to our number before next Winter Solstice.”
Lio smiled. “A great task, to be sure, but one I will undertake with joy. She is indeed a precious gift to us all.”
“Thank you, Annassa.” Cassia’s voice was breathy with emotion.
They escorted the Annassa to the place of honor prepared for them at the Ritual circle. Uncle Argyros was already there and offered the Queens the first taste of the coffees he was preparing.
As he dropped a lump of sugar into Queen Alea’s cup, he said to Lio and Cassia, “Lyta will be joining us later. She is taking the first watch at Alkaios’s bedside. I shall take my turn while she is here. The two of you cannot be spared from House Komnena tonight.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Cassia touched a hand to Uncle Argyros’s arm. “It means so much to us that you’ve made sure Alkaios will not be alone tonight. I also want to thank you for the invitation I received from you. Of course my first affinity reading must be with you.”
Uncle Argyros’s face lit up. “I shall be delighted, my dear.”
