“Stay,” he muttered as she moved.
“We can’t,” she argued. “We have to get up. You need to find Balandria.”
Draven groaned as he sat up and rubbed his face in his hands. “For someone who skives off Queen duties on the regular, you certainly do make yourself responsible for people waking.”
“I do not know where my youngers ended up last night. I have to find them. And Lex will have who knows in her bed.”
“Probably my Second,” Draven mumbled. “Perhaps your younger brother.”
Aydra gave her hair another fluff and then headed out of the bedroom, walking barefoot over the black rugged floor down the hall and up the staircases to the rooms of the personal Belwark guards. She didn’t pause before bursting in, not caring who it was that had accompanied her Second the night before.
“Lex, are you awake yet? My brother— Oh.”
Her brain stopped computing upon seeing the people in Lex’s bed.
Balandria. One of the Council’s Dreamer daughters. And Hagen.
“Oh,” was all Aydra could manage.
Hagen moved slightly, his arms rising over his head as he laid between Balandria and the Dreamer daughter.
“Morning, Sun Queen,” he mused with a smile.
Aydra fought the grin threatening her lips. “Morning, High Elder. I’m glad to know you’ve not really a type.”
Hagen huffed under his breath. “My type is strong women.” He slapped Balandria’s butt as he rose from the bed, stark naked, and Aydra’s brows raised as he crossed the space towards her.
“If the Venari hadn’t already had you in his bed, you’d have been here with us.”
She smirked at him. “Believe me when I tell you, Blackhand. It would not have been your idea to grace my bed. It would have been mine.”
He reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Come to Dahrkenhill. Bring the Venari and your Second. We could have fun.”
She allowed her eyes to dance with his a moment, and then she shook her head. “Get your clothes and find your way to your own room. I’ve been told you all are leaving in an hour.” Her eyes flickered back to the Dreamer daughter stirring in the bed, and she said, “That goes for you as well, Skye,” to the girl. “Your father will be wondering where you are.”
The Dreamer, Skye, jolted up and grabbed her dress off the ground, eyes wild at seeing Aydra standing in the room with her. “My Queen—” she looked in the mirror and fluffed her long blonde hair “—my Queen, I’m so sorry. Please—”
Aydra chuckled under her breath and held up a hand. “I did not see you,” she told her.
Skye grasped her arm. “Thank you,” she whispered before running out of the door.
Aydra woke the Seconds then, and hurried them both to get ready. Hagen quickly excused himself upon their rising and darted from the room.
Lex exchanged a knowing smile with Aydra as the door closed, and Aydra raised a brow.
“Tell me he’s as good with that tongue everywhere else as he is in his charms,” Aydra demanded.
Balandria and Lex looked at each other, and then grinned at her. “Exceeding expectations,” Lex mused.
“Rivaling my own King,” Balandria added, winking at Aydra.
Aydra’s brows heightened. “Really?”
“Really,” Lex agreed.
Balandria stood from the bed and came around to face Aydra. “Do you know the twist Draven does—”
“Hey Lex, have you seen—” Draven bursted into the room then without knocking, and Balandria stopped speaking. Draven frowned as he looked between them.
“No one told me about this morning party,” he said in a low tone, eyes darting between the three.
Aydra smirked and grabbed Lex’s shirt off the floor. “Get your clothes on, Seconds. We’re seeing the rest of these people off in an hour.”
Seeing off their guests the following morning was different this time than times before. The courtyard seemed to be divided, only Dorian and Nyssa being the two that darted between the separated guests. Aydra did not speak any more to the Council or the Dreamer captains than normal, but she did mingle with her friends, hugging and telling them each of them goodbye individually.
Hagen had her promise to visit their town soon. Nadir told her he would expect her there to see him during the next Deads so she could talk to the water serpent she’d promised to help with. Aydra eyed him as he told Nyssa good-bye, watching as a blush rose on Nyssa’s cheeks and she laughed under her breath at whatever joke Nadir had said. Nadir had kissed her hand, and he gave her a wink before turning away from her finally.
Lovi hugged Aydra tightly, telling her he would take her to see the Scrolls when she came to help with the serpent. And when the Nitesh finally reached her, Aydra didn’t know what to say.
The Nitesh reached up to Aydra’s face and pushed her hair off her cheek. “Informed of any lies from your mother, tell me. You have my support for whatever path you should choose to take next, my Queen.”
Aydra heart jumped in her throat, for Hagen had called her the same only moments before.
Draven draped his arm around her as the last of the carriages left, and she hugged him from the side. “Looks like we have plans,” she said with a sigh.
He smiled down at her, and she met his gaze. “I told you they would call you their queen.”
A small smile spread over her lips, and he bent his head down to kiss her. She sighed into his embrace, cherishing the small moment of freedom and warmth in front of the rest of the kingdom.
“All right, enough with the public displays,” came Dorian’s voice as he pushed past them.
Aydra laughed and pulled away from Draven, sinking her arm into her brother’s bent elbow. “I’m so proud of you,” she told him as she reached up to fluff his hair.
He chuckled under his breath and started to walk with her into the castle doors. “What do you say to a pastry breakfast?” he asked
