“Connal, escort Lady Iris to the waiting area.”
Nicely done. A direct order from his King Consort. Would he dare argue in front of plebians from the human realm?
Connal turned to Koios’s sister, who dared to argue.
“I’m not leav?—”
“Leaving the clinic,” Ben interjected. “Of course not. You and Taj can hang out in the waiting area for a few minutes. I’d appreciate it, Iris.”
She growled but grabbed Connal’s arm. “Come on, big guy. Apparently we’re not welcome anymore.”
Taj shot Ben a look that advised caution. Koios appreciated the thought, but he had no doubt Gentle Ben knew exactly what he was doing.
Tyson moved to Taj’s side and began chatting as they left the room. The attaché sent a very pointed glare toward Cosmo before gently closing the door.
“Good goddess,” Cosmo groaned. “Do you know how hard it is for me to be alone these days? I can’t even ride Silenus’s?—”
“Easy now. You and I both know you ride your mate anywhere and anytime you like.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” Cosmo said.
He cackled and hopped up out of the chair. “So tell me, Koios, what has my sweet friend Ben calling me here and bribing me unnecessarily with honey biscuits?”
“Bribing?” Koios asked. “I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to hear you complain about not having the biscuits. They’re pretty legendary, and Nana doesn’t make them for just anyone. I’ve never had them before today, in fact.”
“What?” Cosmo turned to Ben with a horrified expression on his face. “How…why….”
“Nana only makes them for you and Loch. She says they’re too much trouble otherwise.”
“I love that woman,” Cosmo sighed. “She’s a delight.”
“That she is,” Ben agreed.
“It still doesn’t answer my question. What does our injured friend need that requires a visit from your old pal Cosmo?”
“Answers,” Koios said. “If you have them. We’re searching for a creature called a valravyn.”
“Then you can stop right there.” Cosmo shook his head and cross his arms over his chest. “There are some questions that cannot be answered.”
“Cannot, or will not?” Ben countered. “Because Koios’s magic is being hampered by a valravyn’s curse that not even Ozias will touch. We need to know why the curse was placed on Koios and what it’s doing other than killing him.”
Cosmo shook his head. “Impossible. The valravyn would never curse?—”
“But it did, Cosmo. You know I would never lie to you. Ozias is the one who told us the valravyn’s magic is on Koios, which meant he received the curse when he was a child and held captive in a place similar to the one that held me. How many other children did this valravyn curse?”
“None,” Cosmo said. “Dammit all to the hell realm and back. What did you do Johnny?”
“Johnny?”
“It is the name the valravyn uses in this realm,” Cosmo replied. “Johnny Begood.”
“I feel like you might have had something to do with his choice,” Ben said.
“Yeah, well, it was many years ago and many pints of ale had passed between us. Ozias is certain it is a valravyn’s curse?”
“Yes.” Ben answered without hesitation.
“In my years, there has only been one valravyn curious enough to stay in the human realm. Others come during times of war to feed and answer the call of their magic, but none spent more time here than in the hell realm.”
