AYDRA TOSSED THE heart and knife into one of her bags on the saddle of her horse once Lex had returned with them. They helped Draven roll the Infi creature into a blanket and tie it to the back of his horse. Aydra washed herself of the blood in the surf before they headed back towards the town.
The sun had risen fully by then, and the Dreamers were beginning to stir through the streets. Shrieks and gasps filled their ears as they made their way to the castle gates.
“My Queen—”
Aydra held a hand up to Bard as he met them at the castle steps. “Wake my brother,” she commanded him. “We do not have time to waste.”
Lex jumped from her horse and began barking orders to the men standing around, telling them to pack up water and food for their journey east.
Young Prince Dorian was first to arrive on scene, his blue robe tucked around him and fluffy black hair disheveled as though he’d just woken.
“Morning, sister,” he said with a yawn. “What’s this about your bloodlust taking over before dawn?”
Aydra eyed him, reaching up to lift his chin. He was a couple of inches taller than her, and growing by the day. “You know for someone of nineteen—” she raised a brow at the hickey marks on his neck “—you certainly are getting around.”
He gave her a sleepy wink and smiled. “Reputation to keep up,” he yawned. “You understand.” His eyes traveled back, and he met the gaze of the Venari King. “Morning King,” he said with an upwards nod. “What trouble did my bloodthirsty sister find for you on this morn?”
Aydra nudged his arm, and Dorian laughed softly at her. Draven simply shook his head and gestured toward the dead creature on the back of his horse. “Infi creature behind your mother’s pool,” Draven told him.
“He’s showing me proper disposal should we ever need it again,” Aydra informed Dorian.
“Can I come?” Dorian asked.
Aydra met Draven’s eyes. Draven shrugged, and Aydra turned back to her younger brother. “I suppose you are the next king…” she thought aloud. “Can’t imagine it would be up to Nyssa to behead criminals,” she mumbled under her breath. “Fine,” she finally agreed. “Change clothes. Quickly.”
Dorian beamed and ran up the steps into the castle again, nearly running over Rhaif on his way through the doors. Rhaif said something smart to Dorian, but he didn’t stop. Aydra stopped stroking her horse and turned toward him, his burnet cloak billowing behind him as he walked. He was still in his night clothes, and for a moment, he looked like the old Rhaif that she had once adored and played sticks with on the beach.
But the brief moment of bliss was short-lived, and his new character fell into his eyes upon his double-take at her figure.
“Why are you wet?” he asked as he came to a stop in front of her.
“Good morning, brother,” she smarted. “And you’re welcome.”
His jaw tightened. “Welcome for what?”
She pulled open the bag on the saddle and revealed the heart inside of it. “Finding the Infi creature,” she told him. Her eyes cut at her brother’s Second standing behind him. “No thanks to you, Bard,” Aydra smarted. She shook her head and turned again towards Rhaif. “Lex and I will accompany the Venari to Bedrani where he will show us proper disposal of the creature’s body.”
“I do not want you going alone,” Rhaif said. “You will take my company with you.”
“Your company is an embarrassment to this kingdom,” Aydra said haughtily. “They’d all night to find the creature and there he was, in the exact spot we threw him from.” Her jaw tightened at Rhaif’s displeased face. “My Second and I are leaving, and we are taking Dorian with us. We will return in a few days, finally rid of the filth in our streets.”
Rhaif’s jaw set. “And the Dreamer towns? Will you be traveling to those to dispose of those bodies?”
“I will accompany the Venari King to the Villages,” came Dorian’s voice as he joined them once more.
Rhaif’s stern stare flickered between the pair and then back to Draven. “Very well,” he finally agreed.
The first day and night were a blur. Not many words were spoken between the four as they traveled and then rested overnight on a hill. Aydra’s butt was numb from the horse, and she could feel the exhaustion of each one of the beasts pouring through her core, making her more tired than she should have been.
Aydra fell asleep in the grass curled next to her own horse before they ate supper.
She dreamt of running, of fire chasing her, and only when it caught up with her did she jolt awake. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, but the soft coo of her raven and dewy fog around her calmed her heartbeat back to normal.
Draven was already awake, putting out the fire and checking the straps on his horse to make sure things were tightened. Aydra didn’t speak to him, but did the same, too sleepy still to get into any sort of argument with him so early in the morning. She woke Lex and Dorian, and within the hour, they were riding across the Hills once more.
The path they were on was beat of grass and full of mud. It had been a few years since Aydra had ridden so far south. After her predecessor, Zoria, died from sickness, she’d not ventured far from the castle except to the cliffside an hour out.
How she missed the fresh smells and wind through her hair.
