The Honest parted ways and took a step back as Draven escorted her forward.
This was the Nitesh. Haerland’s favored Martyr daughter of this Age. She was the only being with direct contact with their mother land, and as such was the most powerful sorceress in all of Haerland.
Aydra felt her stomach knot as the woman’s golden eyes met hers, and she suddenly felt a nervousness radiate through her body.
Draven released the Nitesh’s arm at the bottom of the steps, and as the woman strode up them, Aydra quickly bowed her head. She saw Nyssa and Dorian do the same from the corners of her eyes, but Rhaif did not.
She wanted to punch him.
Cold hands on her own diverted her attention. “Rise, Sun child,” came the thick foreign accent she hadn’t expected.
Her head rose, and she met the stark gaze of the Nitesh before her, causing her words to catch in her throat. A faint smile rose in the Nitesh’s eyes, and Aydra watched the woman’s full lips twist upwards.
“A number of great friends you have in the south,” the Nitesh continued. “Respect of one named such a Queen.”
Aydra’s chest swelled, and she looked past the Nitesh toward Draven, who was standing with his hands behind his back, and he gave her a quiet wink. Nadir stood at Draven’s side with a wide grin spread over his face.
“Nitesh, I wish to thank you for—”
Rhaif’s voice was cut short as the Nitesh turned so quickly that Aydra didn’t see her move. “Speak not unless you are spoken to, Fire child,” she hissed.
Rhaif’s nostrils flared, and for a swift moment, Aydra thought the flames might rise on his chest. But they didn’t, and instead, he did something she did not think he would ever do.
He bowed.
The doors once more opened, and behind them were Balandria and an older man Aydra recognized immediately.
Lovi Piathos.
His staff pressed into the stone as he walked, and the noise of it echoed in the still room. Balandria paused beside Draven and allowed Lovi to continue, where he met the Nitesh at the bottom of the steps.
“Beautiful as ever, my love,” Lovi said in his shaking voice. His eyes darted up towards Aydra then, and he grinned in her direction.
“I think that’s enough pompous grander for today,” Aydra said as she started to make her way down the steps. “Don’t you think, Grand?”
Lovi laughed his high-pitched chortle as she swept her arms around his feeble body and hugged him. “Yes, quite enough,” he told her. “We be frozen statues if lasted much longer.”
Aydra pulled back and held his hands a moment. “Belwarks,” she began, looking around the room. “You’ll show our guests to their chambers so they can take rest before the celebration tonight.”
“Have the Blackhands arrived?” Nadir asked.
Aydra nodded. “This morning.”
A smile broke out on Nadir’s handsome face, and he clapped Draven on his shoulder. “You know where I’ll be,” he said with a wink. Aydra watched Nadir’s gaze sweep up to the throne chairs, where she knew he was glancing at Nyssa once more as he stepped backwards, biting his bottom lip as he deliberately looked her over, and then he turned on his heel.
“Hey— you, Belwark—”
Aydra shook her head as Nadir wrapped his arm around Corbin and tried to convince him to take him to the Blackhands’ rooms. Draven’s gaze met hers, and she wrapped her arms over her chest.
“Remind me why I invited him,” she said.
Draven chuckled under his breath, his hands pushing into his pockets as he stepped closer to her. His eyes flickered up towards the throne chairs once more where her siblings stood, and he leaned closer to her ear. “How long do you think before your brother has a meltdown?”
“He’s already had one this morning,” she told him. She sighed audibly and then turned to her youngers, motioning them to come join her with a nod of her head.
Introductions of her youngers to the friends she’d made in the south made Aydra’s chest swell with pride for her them. They well respected the power of the Nitesh and the Honest, giving them bows, and responding with polite smiles. After a few moments, Aydra found herself simply staring at the pair talk to the other races from the side of the crowd, Dorian with one hand behind his back as he laughed at whatever joke it was Lovi had just told, Nyssa entranced as the Nitesh spoke with her and held her hands. Draven joined her at her side eventually, obviously watching Balandria do the same.
It was with the realization of her youngers knowing and exceeding her expectations that she made a decision she knew might cost her her life. She wrapped an arm into Draven’s, and his hand fell over hers with a squeeze.
“The best of us,” he said quietly.
She looked up and met his gaze, her chin resting against his shoulder. “Shall we go for a swim before the celebration?”
He gave her a small smile as his hair fell over his shoulder. “As appealing as that sounds, I need to do a few things before. I’ll come to your room to get ready.”
She nodded and turned back towards the others. Nyssa’s gaze caught her’s, and Nyssa smiled as she pushed through the crowd towards them.
“That was terrifying,” she informed them. “I can’t believe you introduced and then left me.”
Aydra scoffed. “You’re doing great,” she told her with a laugh.
“Just stay away from Nadir,” Draven told her. “And Hagen. And Dag. Damien. Hagen’s Second. And possibly my Second as well.”
Aydra met Draven’s gaze then, and she frowned. “It’s certainly too late for that. Besides, I think Balandria would be a great match,” she argued. “Fearless. Beautiful. Certainly had my attention when first I met her.”
Draven’s gaze narrowed. “Should I have her meet you for a swim instead?”
“Mmm… perhaps we ask her to join us later. Compare my Second to yours,” she proposed.
He chuckled
