I stand at the window of my office, watching the palace grounds below, where workers are already preparing for the mating ceremony next month. The gardens bloom with summer flowers, their colors bright against the emerald lawns.
It has been two months since Maya's transformation, two months of watching her adapt to her new reality with the same determination she brings to everything.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. "Enter," I call, turning from the window.
Erik steps inside, his expression tight with barely concealed anger. "Aria's been lingering out here trying to get an audience with you. If you don't sort this out now, my head will explode."
I suppress a sigh. "Give me a couple of minutes, then send her in."
Three minutes later, Aria glides into my office with practiced elegance. She curtsies deeply, the gesture precise and formal. "Griffin," she says, her voice honey sweet. "I'm so pleased you could see me on such short notice."
