“You didn’t—Venari, turn and face me!” the Nitesh demanded.
Draven turned just slightly, his eyes meeting the Nitesh’s, but he didn’t answer her question. “This isn’t the time,” Draven growled.
“Venari!”
Draven rounded on the Nitesh, his figure towering over her petite one. “I did what I had to do,” he said in a low voice. “I don’t have time to explain my reasons. She is free. That is all that matters. If we do not hurry, my freeing her will have been for nothing.”
Aydra was so confused.
Draven straightened, and he reached for Aydra’s hand as he spoke to the Nitesh’s glaring figure. “If you’re done shouting at me, I’d like to get my family to safety. We can talk about the phoenix once we’re safe in my realm. Until then, you can help or you can leave.”
Aydra didn’t have time to think on their argument. Draven was already starting down the hall. She met the Nitesh’s flared nostrils and blazing eyes over her shoulder as he tugged on her hand, and she followed behind him.
“What’s going on?” she whispered to him.
“It’s fine. She’s being dramatic,” Draven muttered.
“I shall show you drama,” the Nitesh growled behind them. “Freeing the Sun,” she mumbled beneath her breath. “You know—”
Aydra’s head spun. “Wait—what—”
The sun peeking through the window ceased her words, and her stomach dropped. She gripped tighter to Draven’s hand and felt her heartbeat pick up. “Shit,” she cursed.
His urgent eyes met hers. “We can make it.”
They ran through the remainder of the halls.
They opened the last double doors together and burst down the steps to the courtyard. Aydra started to reach our for the phoenix. She could feel it far away, but it answered her call nonetheless. The black of its core filled her, and she inhaled sharply.
“She’s coming,” she managed.
Draven froze at the bottom step. “Balandria—”
His eyes were widened with fear as he looked around them. Aydra’s heart dropped to her stomach. They couldn’t leave without her.
A shadow passed over the sun.
“Go—” the Nitesh urged them. “I will find your Second. Bring her to you. You two must leave.”
The phoenix circled over their heads.
But the noise of armor sounded in Aydra’s ears, and her core froze.
They appeared from every direction, blades pointed at them. Along the top of the catwalk on the walls, the Belwarks drew arrows. Draven dropped her bags to the floor and pulled his own swords. Back-to-back, the pair faced the horde of Belwarks suddenly surrounding them. Aydra’s chest heaved, and she found the face of her brother’s Second coming up beside them.
“Is there a reason you’ve surrounded us as though we are criminals?” she spat at Bard.
“Word of the Venari First and Second inside our walls reached us overnight,” Bard said, his attention on Draven.
“I came for the meeting,” Draven as though it were obvious.
“And now you’re fleeing the kingdom with the Queen under the cover of darkness with the Nitesh in tow,” Bard smarted. “Or should I say kidnapping the Queen.”
“What can I say? She’s a beautiful creature to behold,” Draven smarted. “Thought she’d be better off in my hands.”
Aydra saw a guard move out of the corner of her eye. But Draven was faster. The pommel of the guard’s sword came towards him. Draven shoved his own sword handle into Aydra’s open hand behind him. Draven’s arm pushed out, and he caught the throat of the guard in his fingers.
The guard’s sword clanked on the ground. His gasps for air filled Aydra’s ears, but she didn’t look away from the stare she shared with Bard.
