“You would,” Aydra affirmed.
Lex gave her a crooked smile. “It would be my honor, of course, but you should know my duty as your Second would be to not disobey your orders which I’m sure would be to save your sister first. But as your greatest friend… I’m more inclined to think I’d be standing by your side with the torch as we burnt it to the ground ourselves.”
Aydra almost laughed. “Yes, that does sound like us.”
Lex gave her a wink and started backwards out of the room. “I’ll meet you out front when you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Lex,” Aydra called as Lex left the room.
“Whoa—”
Draven nearly barged into Lex as she turned the corner of the door, and she paused haughtily on the other side of him.
“Sorry. Didn’t realize you were up here,” continued Draven.
“Queen needed a bit of relief after you failed to satisfy her last night,” Lex told him swiftly. “I’m sure you can understand. There are some things a woman just knows how to do better.”
Aydra clapped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from bursting with laughter.
A sly smile rose on Draven’s face. “You’ll have to teach me then.”
“Secrets, Venari King. I’m not sure you’ve earned them.” Lex gave him a full once over and stroked her chin with her finger. “Perhaps you will have by your next trip to Magnice. We’ll talk.”
Draven grinned. “I look forward to it.”
Lex gave him a wink and then continued down the stairs, barking orders out to people in her way as she descended to the ground. Draven whirled around and met Aydra’s amused eyes with his own surprised gaze.
“I really like her,” he said happily.
Aydra chuckled under her breath. “She’s certainly been my amusement for some years now.”
“And you two…” his voice trailed as he shoved his hands in his pockets and raised a brow.
Aydra smirked. “What happened to it not being your business who shares in my pleasures?” she asked.
“Well that answers that,” he said with the sideways smirk that made her chest flutter.
She smacked his chest and shook her head. “You’re ridiculous.”
He took her waist in his hands then and pulled her against him, smiling as he leaned down a breath from her face.
“I have to finish packing,” she whispered.
“I know.” He nudged her nose with his. “But I actually needed to make sure Lex was lying and you were satisfied without her assistance this morning.”
She pulled back and bit back the laughter bubbling to the surface. “What do you think?”
“I think I need another round to be sure.”
Laughter emitted from her throat as he began kissing her throat. “Draven… Draven they are waiting for me—” she had to make herself say the words from her lips as he gripped her backside in his hand. “I can’t…” Her willpower was quickly fading, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as his hand dove between her legs, gently caressing her over the fabric of her pants.
The glimpse of the bag on the bed brought her back to reality. She gripped his shirt in her hands and gave him a gentle nudge. “Draven, wait—”
He pulled back softly and gazed at her face.
“I’m sorry. I have to pack,” she told him.
He smirked knowingly and took a step back, still holding onto her fingertips. “What can I do?” he asked.
“Nothing, I… Actually, can you get my things from the tub?” she asked of him.
He nodded and disappeared across the room. Her mind wandered in silence as she continued throwing things into the bag, giving no care to anything being folded or taken care of. All she could think about was what her brother would say upon her return, the kind of trouble he would say she was in… she knew it would be a battle between them when she told him she’d actually seen the ships.
“Don’t go back,” Draven said as she buckled one bag closed.
She didn’t look up at him as she turned and grabbed the last of her things from the top of the dresser. “I have to. I am Queen. I have to go back to tell my brother of the ships. There is so much to do. The Nitesh is coming. More ships—”
“Slow down, Drae,” he insisted upon taking her arm.
She sighed and finally paused to face him. “I’m sorry. I just… with everything that’s happened…” Her voice trailed, and she looked down at her packed bag on the bed, the thoughts of what awaited her at Magnice trickling through her subconscious once more.
“You could stay,” he repeated as his fingers touched hers.
She felt her gaze squint. “You’ve said that twice now. You know I can’t,” she told him. “Why don’t you want me to leave?”
“Ah…” he muttered nervously, avoiding her gaze. She watched him swallow hard, and then he took her hand in his. “Because I am in love with you,” he said simply.
Aydra’s heart stopped at the words.
She stared, wide-eyed, and took a step back from his figure as he gazed at her with the most sincere look she’d ever seen on anyone.
“You what?” she managed.
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and she watched as an embarrassed smile rose on his lips. “I know. It’s… it came as quite a shock to me as well,” he said, avoiding her gaze. “But… I’ve no other explanation for the feelings I’ve come to have for you. Aydra, I… I can’t get you out of my head.”
His hand left his neck and slapped his thigh defeatedly, as though he were giving up something of great importance. “I can’t stop hearing your voice,” he continued
