“Do our troubles amuse you, Venari?” asked Ash.
“Do you people even read your own Chronicles?” Draven asked incredulously. “Or the Honest Scrolls?”
“The Honest Scrolls are nothing more than tales of—”
“Truth,” Draven cut in. “The Honest Scrolls are truth. Unlike the biased nonsense your scribes take note of in the corners of quieted rooms and call Chronicles.” He slumped back in the chair and gestured toward the scribe sitting in the corner of the room away from them. “Do you think he is getting this conversation or just the bits of your King demanding orders?”
“Your point, Venari King,” Aydra interjected. “Make it.”
Draven’s eyes flickered to hers, and he tapped on the top of the table with his fingertips, clearly perturbed by the conversation. “I will show you proper disposal tomorrow and then travel to your towns to do the same. My suggestion is that you have them ready for me upon my arrival.”
The councilmen and Nobles all looked to Rhaif then for confirmation.
“Nobles, send word to your Belwark captains to search the towns for any Infi. You’ll heed the Venari’s suggestion and have them ready for disposal upon his arrival.”
A quell of silence rested over the table for a moment. Aydra could feel the angered tense in the core of her brother at her side.
“Are there any other demands for the meeting?” the councilman asked.
Everyone looked around the room, waiting for someone else to speak out. But no one ever did.
“Thank Arbina,” Rhaif muttered as he pushed his chair back. “Let us feast,” he announced.
Aydra didn’t move from her chair. She felt her jaw tense and eyes nearly roll as the men and women around the table stood, all sighing in relief as though the meeting had been a marathon. She grasped her drink in her hand and took a long swig of it. Her brother stood and shook hands with the man at his side. Aydra merely watched them all kiss one another’s ass for another moment. Fake smiles. Taudry comments of war and snide remarks of grander.
For once, she wanted to hear someone say something that didn’t go straight to the crown’s head.
“I believe you’re the only one in this room who wouldn’t be beheaded at such an entrance.”
And suddenly she was reminded of her own fraudulent place in this kingdom.
Her own fake facade took over, and she raised a sly gaze up at her favorite Dreamer, Ash. His short sun streaked tawny hair was cut clean over his pointed ears, and he gazed down at her with stark golden hazel narrow eyes. The triangular set of his jaw matched the high collar on his white quilted peplum gambeson.
He extended his long hand down to her, and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. He pulled her close, his hand wrapping around her waist. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to distract the entire council from some secret workings of yours,” he said, his eyes darting down at her figure.
“And because you do know better?” she asked with a raised brow.
“I’d say you simply had a pleasant day on the beach.” He lowered his head, his breath tickling her throat. “And were rested enough for an even more pleasant night.” His lips pressed to her throat, and she cursed her body for its response.
She reached for his chin and lifted his face to meet his eyes again, pushing the thoughts of her morning with the Belwark to the back of her mind. “Eat up, Dreamer. You’ll need your strength later.”
He smirked and nudged her nose with his, his long fingers clenching at her waist. His lips met hers, and she gave in to his musings, allowing his tongue to rake her own—but only for a moment. She pulled back and grazed his lip with her thumb.
“Sister!”
The noise of her sister’s excited voice brought her back to the awareness of the room. She gave Ash’s chin a tug and met his gaze. “Find me later,” she whispered.
Her sister’s arm sank around her own as Ash stepped back. He gave her a short bow, his hair falling over his eyes. “My Queen,” he acknowledged. His eyes averted to Nyssa, and he gave her a short bow as well. “Princess.”
As he turned on his heel to leave her, Nyssa squeezed Aydra’s arm. “One day, I’ll make an entrance as you do,” Nyssa mused.
Aydra smirked, still watching Ash as he joined his company cohort, Haut. “One day, sister, you’ll rule over all these men and not know the threat of a man underestimating you,” she said as she turned to face her. “Of that, I am sure.”
Nyssa’s bright almond amber eyes sparkled at her above her freckled apple cheeks. Aydra smiled down at the beautiful nineteen year old standing in front of her. She’d braided three sections of her long dark scarlet hair above her right ear, the rest of the silken waves flowing over the left side of her face, just hiding her eye. Aydra reached out and pushed the thick hair back, revealing the small blushed smile on her pouty lips, one of her dimples showing with the crook of her grin.
“You look beautiful, Nyssa,” Aydra said, envious of the bright natural beauty her sister possessed. “Where did you get the dress?” she asked as her eyes darted over the navy velvet gown on her petite figure.
Nyssa held out her arms, showing off the long flared sleeves of it. “Found it myself,” she answered. “Dorian and I went out to the shores yesterday. We stopped at a few of the shops. He found a few items and bought me this.”
