Aesira’s eyes flashed toward her brother before returning to the queen. “I assume you know of Davina trying to infiltrate the other courts? Of her attempting to win them over to her side?”
Auraelia nodded, a small v forming between her brows as they drew together.
“Well—”
“The bitch has decided to try her hand at ours.” A voice smooth as silk, and one she hadn’t heard in far too long, filtered through the space. Effectively cutting off Lady Aesira in the process.
Smiling, Auraelia turned, laughter filling her voice, “Hello, Iridessa.”
“Hello, my friend…sorry,Your Majesty. It’s been a while.”
“A while? It’s beenages!” Piper chimed in from across the room.
Iridessa was Lady Aesira’s daughter and next in line as leader of the Court of Opal. She was just as beautiful as her mother, with the same gorgeous mahogany skin and amber eyes—and equally lethal. Having gone through the same rigorous training of their famed warriors, and as far as Auraelia knew, coming out above the rest. Unlike her mother, however, she’d opted to twist her sable hair into locs like her uncle’s. Locs that were spiraled into a large bun atop her head, minus the few that hung around her face with tiny gold cuffs clipped around them.
As they all came together, the three women erupted into a fit of laughter. Each tried to talk over the other as they attempted to fit years of catching up into mere minutes. It wasn’t until Ser Aeron cleared his throat that they calmed and returned to the issue at hand.
Straightening her shoulders, Auraelia crossed the room back toward where Ser Aeron and his sister stood, her eyes locked on the latter before flicking toward her Commander. “Gather the council. I have a feeling they’re going to want to hear this.”
“How many times has she attempted to cross into Opal?” Mister Aramis questioned from where he paced in front of the bay windows of the council chamber.
Both Lady Aesira and Iridessa rolled their eyes, clearly exhausted from explaining thisyetagain.
“Shehas only tried once but has sent others. As you know, our borders are warded and you must be invited to enter them. Try to break through those wards, and well—” a wicked grin spread across Iridessa’s face, and a dagger blinked into existence in her palm, “let’s just say it won’t be a good day for you.” Iridessa twirled the blade between her fingers a few times before the weapon blinked out of sight once more.
How in the hell did she do that?
Auraelia’s eyes were wide as she stared at where the blade had just been when her friend leaned over and chuckled. “Neat, right? I just figured out how to do it a week ago.”
A small smile pulled at Auraelia’s lips as she whispered, “You’re going to have to show me exactly what kind of magic manifested for you, Dessa.”
Auraelia was only a few months older than Iridessa, so it made sense that she was still feeling her way through her new abilities. And just from that one minor demonstration, she could tell it would make her friend even deadlier in combat than she already was.
Seeming to sense Auraelia’s thoughts, Iridessa winked, then they returned their focus to the conversation-turned-argument in the room.
“Council, please,” Auraelia started, taking a deep breath through her nose before continuing. “Of all the courts in thisrealm, the one ally that we are certain of is and has always been Opal. I will not stand for you questioning their alliance now.”
“But, Your Majesty,” Lord Harland rose as he spoke, “the courts are supposed to remain neutral. Be a balance to the realm, you know this.”
Before Auraelia could speak, Lady Aesira stood. Her entire being radiated lethality, and as her gaze locked onto Harland’s, the man swallowed audibly and returned to his seat. “Her majesty isquiteaware of the treaty that placed her court as one of the two monarchies in our realm. As I’m sure you’re quite aware, I don’t give a damn what it says. Davina of Garnet is trying to wage war throughout our realm. I will not stand idly by and remain neutral while she runs amuck through the streets of Ixora.”
Auraelia’s heart swelled behind her ribs. She knew that Aesira had her back, but hearing it affirmed bolstered her confidence a fraction. Maybe, just maybe, with their help, she could do this. She just had to figure out whatthiswas going to entail and how to prevent innumerable, unnecessary deaths.
The meeting continued until the sun began to kiss the horizon, casting the sky in a wash of pinks, purples, and oranges. Auraelia was exhausted, wanting nothing more than a warm meal and her bed…and perhaps a hot bath to relieve the day’s stress. But as her council members filed from the room, Aesira and Iridessa stayed behind. Looks of uncertainty swirling in the pools of their amber eyes. When they were finally alone, Auraelia heaved a sigh and turned toward the women. “What is it?”
“We received this about a week ago,” Lady Aesira said as she gestured toward her daughter. Dessa nodded, and with a flick of her wrist, a folded piece of parchment appeared between her fingers.
Auraelia’s breath caught in her throat as a midnight blue seal stared back at her from between her friend’s digits. “How—what?” Words were lost to her. Her brain was a scramble of thoughts and emotions, each warring for dominance.
The two ladies of Opal shared a look before the woman, who was the only mother figure Auraelia had left, stepped forward. Her hand was warm against Auraelia’s skin as she grasped her wrist. “He had his captain bring it to us while they picked up necessities for their priestesses from our port.”
Auraelia nodded as her eyes tracked back and forth from the letter to the woman before her. “Did you—” Her throat was thick like she had tried to drink molasses, and she had to swallow a few times to clear it away. “Did you read it?”
Both women shook their heads. “It wasn’t ours to read, Rae,” Iridessa said as she walked over to hand her the note.
Hands shaking, she took the letter, clutching it tightly as Lady Aesira and Iridessa sandwiched her between them in an embrace. When they pulled away, Aesira framed Auraelia’s face with her hands. “You may not have trained alongside my warriors, but youareone in your own right, Auraelia. You may bend, but you do not break. Do you hear me?” Aesira’s eyes narrowed until she nodded, understanding.
Then, after Aesira placed a kiss on Auraelia’s forehead and after a quick embrace from Iridessa, the two warrior women excused themselves.
