Dead Moons Rising, first in the Honest Scrolls series

Chapter Three

Aydra watched the torches on the beach for some of the night. Wherever this Infi creature was, it was hiding very well, or perhaps smart enough to make itself scarce at the sight of Belwarks patrolling the surf.

"Idiots," Aydra muttered about them.

The arms that wrapped around her a few moments later didn't startle her. Ash pressed his lips to her neck beneath her ear and nuzzled her skin. "Come back to bed," he urged her. "Your men can handle finding the creature."

The swim of the black herb she'd smoked was still pulsing through her veins. Her head sighed back into his embrace as his hands began to wander. She hadn't found her end with him so quickly in a very long time. Ash could be a blunder, treating her as though she would break at times. But that night, she didn't know if perhaps he'd learned new tricks or if it was the herb that made her so sensitive. Whatever the cause, she wouldn't deny herself the pleasure of it a few times more.

Ash left her bed a couple of hours before the sunrise. Aydra felt more satisfied than she had in a long time, probably since the last she and Lex had together enjoyed the company of one of the Honest trader men to come through. The torches were still lit on the beach, and she could see that the Belwarks had clustered together towards the entrance wall. Aydra's jaw tightened at the display, and she grabbed for her riding clothes.

Lex was still asleep when Aydra knocked on her door a half hour later. After a few knocks, Aydra simply burst in, finding Lex laying between the two Dreamers that had accompanied the Ambassador of Scindo Creek.

"Well, well," Aydra said, arms crossing over her chest at the end of the bed. "I suppose one daughter wasn't enough?"

A small smile rose on Lex's face and she stirred just so. "It is not sunrise, my Queen," she managed, sitting up and rubbing her face. "Did you—" she paused in her speech, and her brows narrowed at the sight of the clothing Aydra had on. "Did something happen?"

Aydra nodded towards the window. "Rhaif's men are useless. We're taking over the search."

Lex's grin widened. "Why we ever send them to do our job is beyond me," she mused.

"Agreed." Aydra turned on her heel then and started for the door. "I'll be on the first terrace. Put on clothes and get our horses ready."

"Oooo... So demanding so early," Lex mocked. "I like it."

The brunette in the bed stirred. "What's going— Your Majesty!" The girl nearly shrieked in surprise at seeing Aydra in the room and pulled the sheets up over her breasts. "My Queen—I—"

Aydra nearly laughed and she held a hand up. "I've seen worse in more compromising positions, Aani," she told her. "Lex, I'll see you in a bit. Aani, clean yourself and your friend up. Your father will expect you innocent once more at breakfast."

Aydra exited Lex's room and made downstairs for the terrace below the Throne Room. It was a favorite place of hers to go whenever she woke so early.

The crisp night air welcomed her. Two crescent moons waved at her from over the ocean far below. She moved her hair off her neck and pulled it into a messy ponytail atop her head as she reached the stone edge wall. Stray curls fell out of the bun and tickled her face and neck. She could see most of the kingdom from that terrace. The only people out in the streets far below were the bread makers, smells of honey and yeast filling the air. She closed her eyes and pressed her palms into the stone, leaning over it as the wind circled around her.

"You know when I chose this spot, I had thought I would be alone to watch the sunrise," came a deep groggy voice she recognized all too well.

Her eyes opened, and she turned just slightly, finding Draven sitting on the ground in the darkness behind her, back leaned against the opposite facing wall. He was packing his pipe, the only glimpse of him being the strongest of his features silhouetted in the moons light. His hair was down, the thick unkept waves pushed over to cover the left side of his face. She turned and leaned her own back against her wall and crossed her arms over her chest.