Page 57 of Princess of Draga

Raena turned to her and there was a strange look on her face. They stared at each other and Adelina could feel Alpha inch closer while Nadyah wandered off. Her courtesan looked bored, but Adelina knew better. Her auditory implant was no doubt cranked to the highest setting as she stared out the massive windows towards thegardens.

Courtiers passed them by and Raena shrugged apologetically. “My temper last night was disgraceful,” she said in Ilashyan to keep as many ears from listening as possible. “I wanted to apologize,Lina.”

Despite the familiar nickname Adelina didn’t relax. Her sister meant every word, but it could easily happenagain.

Raena sighed and tipped her head. “I only want to keep you safe, little sister. Prince Nash is dangerous. He represents war and a life that is full of violence. I would never want that for you. This is all in your best interests. If there is a male you consider attractive and you think the match would be good for our kingdom I would like to hear the proposition. Taking away a free marriage was the only way to keep you from making amistake.”

Adelina was too shocked to reply. How could her sister be so mistaken? She had done what she had out of love, but it was still a terrible betrayal. As she walked with her sister to the Queen’s solar, Adelina listened to Raena’sexplanation.

“Please, Lina. I still want us to be friends. I know my demands as queen will be difficult at times, but I will always keep you safe. As a true submissive, Khara would be the last place you’d want to be. Nash still has tofightfor his right to rule as king. Howbarbaric.”

It only proved how little Raena really knew her. Adelina had so many people close to her now, she did not have to constantly pretend, but when Raena was queen it would be best to continue her charade. Once she left Draga Terra she could have the freedom to be herself. Adelina held in the sigh as she didn’t want to anger her sisteragain.

This shaky truce only drove the phantom knife into her side deeper, but Adelina would take what she could get. Raena held too much power for her to ruffle her feathers. “Thank you, Raena. I appreciate you looking out for me.” Adelina kept her voice light andairy.

Inside, she wasscreaming.

“Now, let’s meet these noble ladies visitingus.”

She let Raena enter the solar before her. It gave Adelina a moment to breathe, to still her shaking hands. Alpha brushed against her as he positioned himself with the other guards outside the solar doors. Adelina gave him a grateful look. One glance at Nadyah and the courtesannodded.

Adelina stepped over the threshold and into the Queen’s solar, smiling softly at her mother as she wrapped her submissive mask around her like a cloak on a chillyevening.

Chapter Seventeen

Joslynn

Queen’sSolar

Draga RoyalPalace

Planet DragaTerra

Joslynn enjoyed havingSirus at her side. It kept many of the unwanted males away from her and she hadn’t seen any she would be interested in. The Scyrian lord beside her was a terribledistraction.

The welcome dinner had been tedious. Even the newly arrived nobles bored her. Everyone had an agenda and every single one of them was power hungry. She had precious metals, gems, and a fertile planet. Those all equated to power in many males’opinion.

They all disgusted her. Perhaps she could convince her people a ‘tube baby’ was a legitimate heir if she could find the proper genetic material. Then she would have to ensure the father had no rights to the child or her planet, which would require mounds of paperwork. Joslynn sighed. Nothing was eversimple.

Sirus glared at the guards and nobles around them as they made their way down one of the beautiful hallways with an open wall to the warm outside air. Joslynn was supposed to spend time with the females of the court and she looked forward to it. There would be no expectations for her to choose someone and therefore she wouldn’t have to keep her guardup.

The Queen’s solar was a sanctuary for the ladies of the court. No men were allowed in the room and only Ilashyan was spoken. The language was an ode to the life they had to lead before they were considered equal. The habit stuck after centuries of subjugation. If things went poorly on the husband front then perhaps Joslynn could hide there for the majority of the trip. She had no idea how Princess Raena managed thepressure.

“Is everything all right, Countess?” Sirus asked with a sidewaysglance.

Sirus was still an option. When she had made the request for him to consider her hand in marriage it had been a failsafe, but after two weeks of travelling in space together she felt there was so much more than an attraction between them. He was the most respectful, polite, and reliable male she’d ever come across and he didn’t give a damn about her wealth. He treated her as a lady and made no move to officially court her. It frustrated her – the distance he placed between the two of them. After how close they’d gotten during the trip he’d pulled away when they’d reached DragaTerra.

“Please, Sirus, how many times do I have to remind you to call me Joslynn?” The man wasinsufferable.

“I apologize, la—Joslynn.” She could hear the exasperation in his voice. Sirus was not the best at covering his emotions. Or he was easy for her to read. She hadn’t quite figured out which it was yet. “I worry for your safety,” he muttered. “I’ve already had three courtiers at your door this morning asking to seeyou.”

She huffed in annoyance. “And?”

Sirus gave her another sideways glance as they stopped outside the Queen’s solar. Two guards stood at attention and Joslynn assumed there were more hidden to protect the queen and the heir. This was the safest place for Joslynn to be. Sirus was beingridiculous.

“They were not on your approved list so I sent them away.” He made a face. “They were not pleased and I am not comfortable leaving you alone. Your safety was charged to me, not one of these guards I do not know.” Sirus raked a disapproving gaze over the males in uniform and Joslynn didn’t bother hiding hersmile.

“You can stay outside the door and wait for me then. Whatever will make you more comfortable,” she said. Joslynn leaned forward and gave him a parting kiss on the cheek. “Play nice with the other guards,” sheteased.

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