“He’s not kidnapping me,” Aydra affirmed. “I am leaving. For good this time.”
“You’ll have to explain such a desire to your King and the Council. Get their approvals,” said Bard.
“My King is right here,” she smarted. “He approves— don’t you, my love?”
Draven’s hand tightened around the guard’s throat. “Well, you’re a bit annoying, but I wouldn’t leave here without you.”
She couldn’t help the smirk that rose on her twisted lips. If they hadn’t been surrounded by Belwarks and trying to flee, she would have kissed him.
“You’ll be going no where,” came a new voice.
The guard Draven had been choking fell to the ground. Aydra jerked in the direction of the new voice, of the person standing at the top of the steps in the doorway. The amusement she’d held only a moment earlier vanished, and she felt her fists curl in on themselves.
Fucking—
“Ash,” Bard called out. “I did not realize you had arrived.”
Ash’s gaze stared through Aydra to the point that she shifted uncomfortably beneath his stare. The sight of the smirk on his lips made her insides grow cold, and she felt her core drain.
“He knows,” Aydra uttered under her breath.
Belwarks began to shift as Ash started down the steps, speaking with Bard as he walked. Aydra didn’t hear what they said. She reached out for the phoenix and told it to stay where it was, not wishing for it to be slaughtered by the arrows pointed at them.
Nausea crept into her turned stomach. Her chest began to heave, and she felt Draven turn sideways behind her.
“What?” he managed.
“He knows,” she breathed, her voice strangled. “He knows. Somehow. He must have heard—” Aydra grabbed the Nitesh’s arm. “Who else was with you in the Throne Room?”
The Nitesh shook her head. “Myself, the Venari, your Second. There was no one else.”
Aydra’s eyes met Ash’s smug facade, and she grabbed onto Draven’s hand. “He was.”
Ash stopped just before her, and she felt her nostrils flare as she glared at him. “I should have killed you in the Forest,” she hissed just loud enough for him to hear.
Ash grinned. “You should have.” He turned and gave Bard an upwards nod. “Cuff them,” he demanded. “All three.”
Bard frowned. “My orders—”
“The Venari is not kidnapping your Queen,” Ash cut in. “He is running with her.”
“Tell me, Captain,” Aydra growled. “Why would we run?” she said, daring him to speak the words.
Ash took one step in her direction, and his hair fell over his eyes. “Because of the cursed Venari monster growing in your belly.”
The wind picked up.
“My child is not—”
Ash snapped his finger.
An arrow hissed through the air.
“Draven!”
The arrow thunked into Draven’s shoulder, and he stumbled off balance.
Aydra heard the crows in her ears. She could hear the grunt beneath Draven’s breath, see the curl of his fists as he steadied himself. His eyes blazed up through his hair.
