Armies of the Dragon (Book 2 after Warriors of the Dragon)

Hera

Sorin laid in bed after leaving Dawn in her chamber and thought about the deal Sephira had made with Hera. After they had bathed in the pool, Hera bid them to join her in an extravagant dinner. Sephira seemed at home as she strode in to the unfamiliar bright white room and she wasted no time in sitting at the head of the long food-laden table facing Hera. Sorin wondered if she had even had to think about where to sit, or if she just knew she belonged there.

He recalled the first time their mother had started letting Sephira sit at the head of the table at home. Though their mother sat at the other end, which could be considered the head, he had been confused about why their father wasn't still going to sit there. Their father didn't seem to mind, Sorin thought he actually seemed proud of his daughter. Sorin had never quite understood why, but he himself had no desire to sit at the head of the table and now that they were in a foreign place facing a dangerous witch, he did not envy his sister's position one bit.

She had a determined look on her face as she seemed to be measuring the witch up to see how much she'd be free to say without getting herself in trouble.

"Please, eat." Hera commanded with a grin. Sorin swallowed nervously before making nervous eye contact with a very grim Craven. His breath caught in his throat when Sephira took a sip of water from a sweating glass chalice without hesitation. He couldn't look away for fear of her dying of poisoning at any second.

"Hera. Are you a Queen?" Sephira startled him when she finally spoke and he realized he'd been holding his breath and staring at her. Craven looked away at the same time and they both turned to the smiling brunette simultaneously.

"No, but some worship me as a Goddess, though I am not sure what a Goddess really is." She laughed as she took a sip of wine. Her brown eyes weren't kind anymore as they landed on Sorin and he could feel the horror on his face as he waited to see what she was going to do or say. Instead of saying anything, he saw her gaze move to the mountain of food in front of him before landing on his empty plate. He got the message and tentatively picked through the red meat, root vegetables, and finally took some fruit.

"You have the presence of a Goddess, I agree." Sephira said, sounding at ease, with a smile on her face. "Tell me. What does a woman such as you desire?" she asked, enunciating her words with the utmost care and keeping her tone emotionless and even. He knew she had learned from their mother. She favored Sephira from a young age to be more capable and more willing to take up her position someday. Sorin had always agreed with her, but would've preferred if she had picked someone other than him or his sister to be her apprentice and second.

"Very direct." Hera raised her eyebrows with her brown eyes going far away.

"We have some important business in Gregoria with some druids who have started a war to take out lands. We were headed back to the mainland from the frozen land of Borea when we were pulled through a portal and ended up here." Sephira explained concisely. "I could make small talk, but I prefer to skip it." Sorin ate the food tastelessly as he watched Hera purse her lips and turn her brown eyes to meet Sephira's brave gaze.

"What a strange group of beings you are." Hera tilted her head to the side, causing the light to reflect of the small, gold crown in her hair. Sorin saw a look in Sephira's eyes as she looked down at the food in thought and he frowned when her eyes went up to Hera's while her head remained bowed, as if she had come up with an idea. His mother did the same thing and it always made him nervous when she did. He guessed Sephira wasn't taught that habit and instead it had been passed on.

"Actually, you could help us with our druid problem..." Sephira pointed out, making Craven clench his teeth together as he awaited Hera's response.