"Keep your heads down. Let me figure out our next moves,” Bala said, rubbing her neck. Her eyes flickered to Nyssa, and she looked like she would laugh at the princess sitting cross-legged on the floor in her muddied dress.
"Dorian, what kind of herb did you give your sister?" she asked.
Dorian moved the screen from beside him so he could see them more clearly. "The normal kind," he affirmed, seeing Nyssa staring at her hands and turning her fingers over in slow motion.
Bala's brow elevated in Lex's direction, who huffed amusedly. "He's not lying. It was the normal kind," Lex replied. "She could use some food, maybe."
"Right—“ Bala stood and went to the balcony. She called out for one of her men, and a minute later, a man with amber skin and loose shiny black curls appeared in the doorway. He shook his head, ear-length hair swooping out of his soft eyes as he looked at everyone in the room.
"Hey Lex," he said upon recognizing her.
"Bael," Lex smiled, giving him a once over.
Bael winked at her and then looked to Balandria. "You needed me?"
"Take our Princess down to the mess hall and find her some food. Her brother has corrupted her with herb," Bala explained, glaring playfully at Dorian.
Bael chuckled under his breath. "Not a problem." He moved in Nyssa's direction, who smiled up at him when he reached for her.
"Hey Princess," he leered softly.
"I remember you," Nyssa smiled as Bael took her outstretched hands.
Bael grinned a charming sideways Venari grin, his innocent eyes crinkling at the corners as she stood to her feet. "I remember you too," he said in a low voice.
"Overprotective brother with fire powers sitting right here," Dorian called out, eyes cutting at Bael from the tub. "Keep your leering to yourself if you don't want an ashen throat."
Nyssa swayed on Bael’s arm as though she were coming out of a trance. "Remind me not to stand up that quickly again," she muttered. "And shut up, Dorian. I'm fine."
"You'rehigh," Dorian argued.
“And who's fault is that?" she drawled.
Dorian settled back beneath the water. He cursed himself for getting his sister high when they were entering a kingdom where beings who all looked as beautiful as Bael and Bala were sure to swoon her off her feet with her being so out of sorts.
"Do you need me to carry you?" he heard Bael ask Nyssa.
"I can walk myself," Nyssa said firmly.
Bala snorted. "There she is." She gave Bael an upwards nod. "Keep her innocent, will you?"
"Of course," Bael said before following Nyssa down the steps.
As they disappeared, Dorian shifted again in the tub, this time moving to grab a cloth to dry with. "I don't like him," he said upon rising.
"Have you liked any person your sister has ever been consumed with?" Bala teased.
Dorian thought about it as he wiped his face. "Unworthy men have been throwing themselves at her for years. It's not her fault they're all idiots."
"It's that innocent facade she's perfected," Lex said.
"Certainly had me fooled my first time meeting her," Bala agreed.
"I remember that day," Lex sighed as she leaned back in the chair. "She was terrified. So uptight. Thought she would burst sitting at that table between you and Draven. She looked so small beside him."
"She did look pretty small at that table," Bala agreed. "Imagine what some of these males would have done if they'd found out how not so innocent she is?"
"Probably the same thing Nadir did," Lex said. She caught Bala's eyes, and together the pair burst into laughter.
