“Not sure?” Lex frowned. “How can you not be sure?”
“Because I’m not sure whether he actually found it or if the herb I smoked with the Venari had something to do with it,” Aydra said. “Judging by the way he—”
“Whoa—” Lex pulled on her horse and stopped fast in the sand. “Hang on, you smoked with the Venari last night? How drunk were you?”
“Oh, shut up,” Aydra muttered.
Lex snorted and started forward on the horse again. “Queen of Promise getting high with her enemy King,” she mused with a shake of her head. “What will the Chronicles say about that?”
“The Chronicles will never know,” Aydra said fast. “And you’ll keep your mouth shut about it.”
“Yes ma’am,” Lex grinned.
They trotted in silence a moment, both of them staring at the back of Draven’s figure up the beach. She could not deny the curiosity of his shadowed facade… Wondering what he hid so well beneath his hardened and dangerous exterior.
Aydra allowed her eyes to flutter close a moment as the memory of the herb came to mind. She only remembered flashes of feeling, of ecstasy and desire pulsing through her veins has it had not done with Ash in the past. The golden haired Dreamer was always desperate to please her, even if he did go a bit sideways at times, trying perhaps too hard or treating her more gentle than she liked to be handled.
Then again, she was the Queen. She was sure Ash didn’t want to be beheaded if he pressed too far.
“I can’t believe you smoked without me,” Lex said after a few seconds.
Aydra nearly laughed. “Would have made quite the crowded bed,” she said with a raised brow.
“Maybe I could have finally shown Ash what he’s doing wrong,” Lex mused as she winked at Aydra.
“This is true,” Aydra couldn’t help but agree.
Lex sighed audibly, and they watched as Draven stretched his own arms up over his head, pulling and stretching his taut muscles behind his back. Aydra allowed her gaze to wander, to take in the ripple of his stretch, feeling her head tilt despite herself at his movements.
“Imagine if you’d smoked it and went to bed withhim,” Lex muttered. “I told you he’d satisfy everything.”
“Maybe you should try it after the next meeting,” Aydra said. “Give yourself a change of pace.”
“If that man cornered me in one of the servants’ tunnels, I daresay I’d get on my knees and do whatever he wanted,” Lex admitted.
An audible chortle exhaled from Aydra’s mouth. “Hilexi Ashborne,” she said with a shake of her head, “Who knew you would get on your knees for such a man?”
“Do you know which other man I’d get on my knees for?” Lex asked, raising her brow.
Aydra eyed her sideways and felt a knowing smile rise on her lips.
“Grey,” they said together.
“That man…” Aydra’s voice drifted as she remembered the salt and pepper bearded smith’s face and arms. “How is it we’ve not noticed him before?”
“Surprised you didn’t go back to see him after the beach the other day,” Lex said.
“I was pre-occupied.”
“Ah… the greenhorn Belwark, Corbin,” Lex remembered. “Do tell. How was he?”
“Bold,” Aydra said fondly. “It was quite enjoyable. Actually have a scratch from where he pushed me against the cliffside.”
Lex’s brows raised. “Good on him,” she mused. “I’m impressed.”
“You know, he did this thing with his tongue, almost like a flicking—”
The sudden flash of fire before them made their horses balk. Aydra had to do a double-take at the sight of Draven suddenly standing in the sand a few feet ahead, torchlight lit in his hand. He stared between them, nostrils flared in an annoyed manner. His jaw twitched upon meeting her eyes.
