Here. Here. Here.
“Fucking curses—”
A gust of wind blew fiercely through the trees.
Draven stopped his horse, his face paling.
GO!Aydra told the horses.
The horses reared, and both started down the path at such a pace, she nearly lost her balance on her own’s back.
“I thought you told your sister you were okay,” he called over the wind.
“And when have you ever known my brother to listen to anything?” she argued.
“If he’s touched any—”
“I’ll handle it,” she promised.
The birds continued to chirp over her head. Her heart pounded in the half hour it took them to reach his home. The raven flew past her shoulder.
Who is it?Aydra asked it.
Your brother’s company.
Aydra cursed the day she was ever born in the waters beside him.
The noise of people shouting filled their ears as they approached.
The scene before them made Aydra’s core thicken with red fury. Rhaif’s company was spread out over the clearing, a few of the Hunters on their knees in front of some. Every Venari in the trees had their arrows pulled on their bows. Swords were drawn. Belwarks in full armor as though they’d been marched five days from home for a war. Rhaif stood in the middle, Balandria on her knees before him with a knife threatening her throat.
Draven bounded off his still running horse upon reaching the edge of the clearing.
“You’re a long way from your beach, Sun boy,” Draven growled as he crossed the space between them. “Unhand my people and get out of my realm.”
Rhaif’s lips twisted upwards as he met Draven’s fury over his shoulder. “Your realm? No. Your realm will be forfeit. You’ve taken the Queen as a prisoner and thus declared war on all of Haerland.”
“I am not his prisoner,” Aydra called as she walked the horse forward.
Draven shoved Rhaif backwards so hard that Rhaif was launched off the ground. “Unhand my people,” he demanded.
Bard caught Rhaif’s falling figure. Three Belwarks pulled their swords at Draven’s throat.
“Put your swords down,” Aydra almost shouted. “Now!”
Rhaif gave an upwards nod to his men, who lowered their swords halfway. His eyes met Aydra’s then, and he straightened his cloak. “My sister—” he started to reach for her, but she bucked the horse dominantly over him. Rhaif swallowed hard and gave her a full once over.
“I have not heard from you in over a week,” Rhaif spat. “Why have you been here near ten days now with no word if not for his kidnapping you? And where were you just now? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?”
Aydra stared at him so intensely from the back of the horse that Rhaif’s weight shifted.
“Draven… please point me in the direction of somewhere I can speak with my brother privately,” she said through clenched teeth.
Draven’s eyes darted between the pair. “As soon as your lackeys unhand my people.”
Aydra’s jaw tightened, and she looked around them. “Unhand these people. That’s an order,” she nearly shouted. “They are good people. They’ve done nothing wrong.”
The slow rate at which the Belwarks released the Venari people made Aydra fume. Draven helped a few of them from the ground, including Balandria, before turning back to her.
