Page 13 of Princess of Draga

Adelina felt a strange pang and her stomach dropped. She glanced at Giselle and her sister’s face was carefully blank. “Yes,father.”

She and her sister needed to speak privately and soon. Adelina ‘accidentally’ brushed her foot against Giselle’s when she uncrossed and then re-crossed her legs. Giselle glanced at her as their father moved on to Raena, giving her instructions on moving their forces defensively. Adelina adjusted an earring and fluttered her hand in a very careful gesture before placing it back in herlap.

Giselle nodded, agreeing to the request. As they grew up the two of them had slowly added to their tiny hand gestures, silently speaking when needed without anyone else the wiser. After the family meeting was over Giselle would meet with Adelina in herrooms.

Their father dismissed the meeting and Adelina stood with Raena. She gave her father and mother a quick kiss on the cheek then left the study. Still angry, but cycles of practice made it easy tohide.

Her simulcast chimed and reminded her of the appointment with thedressmaker.

Slowly Adelina made her way through the halls of the east wing to her rooms. How could her father and sister go back on an agreement they’d upheld for so long? The alliance was made for peace and strength, it was made knowing that one day war may come to their doorstep and they could be called to help. It hurt to know the Corinthians wouldn’t have turned their backs onDraga.

The end of the hall was empty. Adelina’s rooms were near her sisters and the ocean. Their parent’s room was even deeper in the palace on the floor above and towards thecenter.

She placed her hand on the door and the scan identified her genes. Then she slipped into her sitting room and crossed to her bedroom, still shaking with her anger. Adelina almost let herself lose control but the open door to the adjoining bedroom shocked her and instantly she stilled. The door had been closed the last time she’d been in herrooms.

Then she rememberedNadyah.

Her golden head poked out of the consort’s room and smiled at her. “Good morning, Princess. Is there anything I can help youwith?”

Adelina studied her courtesan and thoughts flashed by so quickly she was frozen in place. Could she trust her courtesan with her secrets – all of them? Wasn’t she supposed to? Nadyah was to be a type of lady-in-waiting, a loyal friend and confidante as well as hercamerraletocourtesan.

“Can I trust you?” she askedbluntly.

Nadyah’s face would have been comical if the matter weren’t so serious. She came out of her room and approached Adelina slowly, her face grave. She paused, clasped her hands before her, and bowed low. “I swear on the maiden, the mother, and the crone I am loyal to the Draga royal family, to you before the rest. Your secrets are my secrets, yourhighness.”

Adelina found the order of loyalty interesting. The courtesan’s words were sincere and she’d invoked a sacred oath. If she broke that oath her life would be Adelina’s totake.

“I am going to hold you to that Nadyah. Anything you hear or see will need to be keptprivate.”

“Of course,Princess.”

With those final words Adelina was satisfied for the time being, but she planned to keep a close eye on her courtesan. It was prudent to be suspicious. “They are sending the prince away; his request for sanctuary has been denied,” Adelinasaid.

There was no reaction from the courtesan but a slight tightening around her eyes. “You don’tagree?”

There was a slight knock at the door and she was saved from having toanswer.

Nadyah rushed to the door before Adelina could and she realized this was what her life would be like for a while. She had never had a lady-in-waiting. There were maids and servants, but not a private attendant as Raena had – not for a third-born not yet of age. Nadyah bowed as she opened the door and Giselle came in with her hands in her dresspockets.

Her sister looked serious and there was no hint of a smile as there usually was. “What is it, Lina?” The familiar nickname waved protocol aside and Adelina shook her skirts out to give herself a few moreseconds.

Instantly Adelina dropped the mask she kept in place for the recorders, the nobles, the courtiers, and the family members who simply wouldn’t understand who she really was, or approve of her truenature.

“Would you mind coming to my fitting with me in a fewminutes?”

Finally, Giselle smiled. Ever since Raena’s coronation was drastically moved up, Adelina had lost Raena as her extremely feminine companion and Giselle knew how much she missed her and the little things they’d donetogether.

“Of course little sister, I would love to.” Giselle came into the bedroom and sat on Adelina’sbed.

Nadyah disappeared into the consort’s room to give them some sense of privacy. Giselle crossed her legs, propped her elbow on her knee, and rested her chin on her hand. She gave Adelina her full attention and Adelina wilted under the weight of it. She began to pace instead of meeting that gaze and shook her hands out to relieve some of thenerves.

Why was she so anxious to speak to Giselle about this? She was never nervous around Giselle despite their difference in dominance. They had always been close and kept each other’s secrets, and there were a lot ofthem.

“Spit it out,Lina.”

“Do you think I could be the one to escort Prince Nash?” Adelina glanced at her sister but kept pacing. She had too much energy to standstill.

Giselle’s shocked look could be for a few different reasons. Adelina waited for the answer. “Do you like him, Lina?” Giselle askedinstead.

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