“Dorian,” Aydra breathed, giving him a small smile.
Dorian’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t press her. “Lex told me you wished to see me. Something about… learning to fight like the strangers?”
Aydra forced another breath into her lungs, and she nodded. “Come on. We’ll go to the stadium.”
Rhaif didn’t touch her in the days between her arrival back at Magnice and the next Council meeting.
Aydra tried to surround herself with her family, with teaching Nyssa more on her bow, battling Dorian with the sword. After fighting the men on the ships, she knew they would need to be even stronger than they’d been brought up to be.
“They’re fast,” Aydra said, her sword clanking with Dorian’s. “Fumbling, but fast.”
Dorian blocked her overhead parry. “What do you mean fumbling?”
“I mean—” she jabbed right and he swerved. The somersault he did beneath her next slash made her brows raise. “Where did you learn that?”
Dorian grinned. “Sometimes I practice with Lex.”
Aydra’s lips pursed. “That sounds about right.” Their swords clashed back and forth, her pushing him back and back. “The men were also vocal,” she told him. “Could hear them coming up on you without turning.”
Dorian blocked her again and slashed right. “I know the Hunters are, but what of the strangers?”
Aydra almost laughed. “You’ll never have to fight the Hunters,” she told him. “Especially you. Sir best friend with the Venari King.”
“You know, I heard a rumor,” he said, dodging her advance. “I heard you were fucking him.”
The question caught Aydra so off-guard that Dorian knocked her sword out of her hand. He was grinning at her when she straightened. Her nostrils flared, and she picked up her sword from the ground.
“All right, little brother. I see you.” She twirled her sword in her hand, ready for him to advance, but he simply stood there and shook his head.
“That was a blatant dodge of my statement,” he declared.
“What was?”
Dorian’s eyes widened. “Youlikehim.”
“Okay, that’s enough parrying today.” She rolled her eyes and put her sword away. “Let’s go find your sister.”
Dorian shook his head again as she went to wrap her arm around his shoulders. “No—” He moved in front of her, eyes wide. “Don’t dodge me. Answer my question.”
Aydra curled her arms around her chest, fighting the smile that threatened her lips. “I’m not answering anything. Who I keep in my bed is not your concern. I dare not ask who you keep in yours.”
The confident smirk he gave her then would have rivaled Draven’s. Aydra scoffed and shook her head.
“Come on. We’ll—”
“Ash’s sister,” he said then, twirling his sword as he stepped towards her. “Councilman Burdo’s wife. Councilman Engle’s son. Councilwoman Ebonrath. The Scindo twins. And Lex… but only fortraining, as she puts it.”
Aydra’s mouth nearly dropped. Dorian chuckled lightly and then placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Now that you know my list… I believe my question is a fair one.”
Aydra crossed her arms over her chest as she dared the smile she knew wanted to place itself on her lips to rise. “Fuck off, Dorian,” she bantered.
Dorian grinned. “So youreallylike him.”
His arm hugged around her and he sighed arrogantly. “Who knew my beautiful, rebellious, elder would be the one to bring peace between our fighting races.”
From that day on, Dorian made fun of her every chance he got. She knew it could have been his hanging around her so much that deterred Rhaif from harming her, and whether Dorian truly knew that was happening, she wasn’t sure.
