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 under his breath and squeezed her hand. “Tempting,” he growled.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
AYDRA BUMPED INTO a couple of the Blackhands in the halls on her way back to her room, both of which stopped and asked her to promise them a dance, to which she certainly obliged at their enthusiasm.
Willow had drawn her another warm lavender bath when she arrived, and she was laying out the dress Aydra had had specifically made on her bed.
“What do you think, Willow?” Aydra asked her. “Will it be enough?”
Willow’s eyes danced over the black and gold dress, allowing her fingers to brush over the golden lines like lightning that would adorn Aydra’s chest. “I think Maye has outdone herself this time,” she replied.
Aydra relished the long bath she took, staring out the window as it began to rain halfway through it. She closed her eyes and sank back into the tub, allowing the noise of it to fill her ears. Thunder clapped in the distance often. She savored the comfortableness of it for as long as the water remained tolerable.
The dress hugged her body as she slipped into it and pulled the long black sleeves up on her arms. A chill from the coldness of the room swept over her bare back. She carefully unpinned her hair from the updo she’d put it in to bathe. Just as the last of her ringlets cascaded down, she heard the creak of the door open.
“Enthralling.”
Aydra did a double-take towards the door, catching Draven’s shadow as he leaned against the back of the door, hands in the pockets of the black pants he wore. She smiled and turned back to the mirror, continuing to try and fix her hair.
“You’re not dressed,” she stated.
“I thought I would get here early enough for a snack before banquet,” he said, slowly crossing the room. “But it appears someone is actually on time for once.”
