The palace garden, later that afternoon…

Conlan, king of Atlantis, stood with his queen on their balcony, watching Lucas and Rhiannon chase a wolf cub around the fountain.

"I like her very much, and she's so good for Lucas," Riley said, smiling. "She's going to have her hands full. Toddlers are enough work. If Aidan turned into a wolf cub, I think I'd need a vacation. Or maybe a lot of vacations."

Conlan nodded. "Lucas is very like his father in some ways, and very different in others. I need to rethink my relationship with him. Asking him to be one of my counselors would go a long way to healing the rift between us."

Riley put her hand on his arm. "He was only doing what he thought was right. And, if you look at it in a certain light, he brought us together when you came after him."

He pulled her closer and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "In a very fortuitous light, perhaps."

She laughed but then pointed. "Oh! Look! That's the first time I've seen Savannah in falcon shape. She's beautiful."

The raptor soared past them and then plunged down toward the ground, pulling herself up at the last possible moment to land on Jake's arm. Then she hopped into the air and shifted shape, and Conlan whirled around and looked away from the suddenly naked human in his garden.

"Good call," Riley said, poking him in the arm. "It's okay, you can turn around now. She's dressed."

He grinned at her. "The only human I want to see naked is you."

"Good answer." She kissed him, and then leaned back in the circle of his arms to look up at him, her eyes shining. "That's two more. Who can say what April will bring?"

Conlan, deliberately misunderstanding her, shrugged. "April is going to Europe, Denal tells me. She's furious, but he assigned her to work with Pine—at Pine's request--as a liaison between the European shifters and Atlantis."

"She's a warrior, not an ambassador. Don't let him put her on the sidelines because she's a woman. I have enough problems getting you out of the Dark Ages," Riley said, leaning forward to rest her arms on the railing and look down at the wolf cub, who was now splashing in the fountain.

"Any ambassador to the wolves would have to be a warrior. They don't suffer weakness gladly."

"And you're okay with this?"

Conlan nodded. "I have to give Denal free rein to lead his team. We'll see how it goes. April might surprise herself."

"Or she might cause an international incident."

"There is that."

A smug, delighted smile crossed Riley's face. "Pine requested her specifically? Interesting. Is he single?"

"Riley. You have to stop playing matchmaker."

"Do I?" She gave him her most innocent face, which always meant trouble. "Also, have you met Sunny yet?"

Conlan raised a brow. "The hippie? She made Ven start giggling. It was weird."

"It's apparently her gift. She makes everybody her happy, just by being around them."

"That sounds dangerous."

"You know what else is interesting? Denal isn't affected by her at all."

Conlan stared at her. "Riley! Denal has been through enough."

"Exactly. He needs to find someone."

"You are far scarier than any demons, my love."

Riley pulled his head down to him. "Don't you forget it."

And right there and then, the king of Atlantis kissed his queen, in an incredibly romantic moment, right up until his son barreled out onto the balcony and stabbed his daddy with a tiny plastic sword.

"En garde," Aidan shouted, and Riley sighed.

"A lot of vacations.

A NOTE FROM ALYSSA DAY:

I love writing these books! And whew! So glad to get everyone out of danger…for now!

I'm thrilled to announce that Poseidon's Warriors will continue A Year of Atlantis in all of 2018—a book per month—and you'll find out how Atlantis's independent, brave, strong warriors will cope with their matchmaking queen, who is determined to find them all true love. The next book is and it's a doozy!! April is NOT happy when Denal orders her to report to Europe, and she finds herself right in the middle of the worst kind of family drama—there's even an evil twin!

If you want the scoop on all new releases, behind-the-scenes details, and the chance to win prizes, Text ALYSSADAY to 66866 (or check ) to sign up for my newsletter. I promise never to sell, fold, spindle, or mutilate your information so you will get no spam—ever—from me.

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Thanks again for reading—you rock! Keep going to find out how it all started with an excerpt from .

Hugs,

Alyssa