Page 16 of Crown of Draga

Adelina smiled and didn’t bother reminding him that he wasn’t her escort for the night. Alpha would never stop caring about her, and their friendship allowed for such things.

“I might go in a little bit, but I’d like to stay for now.” The words were a show. Adelina was too terrified to go into the parlor where her sister could find her. Raena had been glaring most of the night and only a few moments with Hayden had calmed her down.

Raena sat on her throne and ignored Adelina. There wasn’t much she could do with their parents sitting right there, and there would be no official punishment as Adelina had not broken any rules or protocol. She wasn’t alone with Nash and on the coming-of-age night she had as much weight behind her rank as Raena did, at least until dawn.

Adelina sipped on her water and glanced up at the ceiling. The shield she chose to protect the spiders glittered with gold sparks here and there to add to the ambience of the party. The sol-powered lights were on but the room was cast in shadow while the servants made their way around the ballroom, relighting all of the candles after the performance.

The spiders swayed on their webs as the musicians started up again, the vibrations reaching the ragna despite all her work to keep sound and heat from her spiders. It amused Adelina how uncomfortable everyone had been about them. It was easy to see when they flinched or backed away when one dropped down too close for comfort. The shield was only a few inches taller than Nash and the fat bodies didn’t mind the feel of the shield on their feet as they plodded along.

It had been so much work and she’d been so careful with them, but the spiders had given her the most wonderful present and woven gorgeous glittering webs in intricate patterns. The end result was worth every sleepless night she’d spent moving and caring for them.

Putting the sacred ragna in the ballroom had been the idea that set the entire tone for her coming-of-age party. Adelina knew how most felt about the spiders, she knew how uncomfortable it made them all. For a night where she was the center of attention, Adelina had known her anxiety would be close to the surface and the only way to put everyone else on the same footing as her was to unbalance them. Fewer people stared at her than they would if they weren’t constantly checking to see if the spiders were near.

“Princess Raena?” a familiar voice asked.

They both turned to see Lord Lucas bowing before Raena. Adelina doubted her sister would dance with him; her mood had been all over the place and volatile.

“What is it?” the crown princess practically snapped.

Adelina winced, but Lucas held his ground. He was the perfect soldier and didn’t dare look up at Raena despite his obvious dominance around the other guests. The male was gorgeous and in his prime. He would be an excellent choice for her sister if he wasn’t now the only possible noble to rule Treon.

“I’ve received reports from soldiers of mine,” he said quietly so as not to draw too much attention. “They are still loyal to Draga and the true Crown. Some of them are stationed on outposts.”

“This is not the appropriate setting,” Raena stated.

It was a dismissal, pure and simple. Adelina tried not to flinch when Lord Lucas continued anyway.

“I understand, but I just received a disturbing cast about some of the disappearing starships. I thought perhaps you would need this information for the War Council.”

Raena glared at his break in protocol. Oh gods, would she have him punished right then and there? Adelina wasn’t sure anymore what her sister would and would not do. The rest of the ballroom fell away as she focused on Lucas and Raena.

“Lord Lucas, I will overlook your lack of manners and protocol this once. Tonight, is a celebration and tomorrow you may present the information with facts and proof to me and my father. Please set up an appointment.” Her voice held barely restrained fury and the white-knuckled grip on the arms of her throne belied the patient words.

Adelina got up, not bothering to excuse herself since it was the one night in her life she didn’t have to. “Lord Lucas, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?” She held out her hand delicately and gave him the shy smile everyone loved.

Finally, the male stood from his bow with a strained smiled. “Of course, your highness.”

She didn’t ask just to save his balls, Adelina wanted to know more about these disappearing starships. She remembered well the report Tamika had made not too long ago. If the planet of Treon was a launching point for the Neprijat, it would make sense they would also have plans for the starships, outposts, and the other border planet – Seprilles.

Lucas was not a very good dancer, but he knew the steps. He was also understandably preoccupied.

“Tell me,” she said. “What reports have you received?” Asking him was a gamble, but per the files she’d curated so carefully on her shreve, Adelina felt like the odds were in her favor.

They twirled and it took him a moment to hear the words she’d said, for them to really register. When they finally did Lucas’s sharp gaze held hers as he studied her with a warrior’s eye. “I’m not sure the information is suitable for you, Princess.”

Adelina nearly laughed. Instead she smiled again to put him at ease. “I serve the Crown and the galaxy, knowing what you know is part of my job. I cannot give Raena sound advice without it.”

Lucas looked thoughtful and nodded. “All right then, as you know Treon and Seprilles share the border. When one is orbiting near the Khara galaxy that area of space becomes their domain, and when we reach the halfway point in the cycle our distance is too great and the new domain is ours to protect. Right now Treon is closest to Khara Prime which is why the Neprijat chose us to corrupt. Soon Seprilles will take over after keeping a watchful eye on the dragons, they do not like us in their territory but we make sure they do not make a move towards us from within our border.”

Adelina nodded. She knew all this but Lord Lucas didn’t necessarily know that.

“I’ve received reports from the outposts that starships go missing on patrols and they’re never heard of again. Pirates are few and far between so deep in the outer rim. The stealth tech from Khara could be the culprit if these patrols are being commandeered or even turned. This means an entire regiment could be hiding in our space and no shield will protect us from that.”

The Treon soldier watched her as she absorbed all this. Could the Neprijat really be turning their own people against them? Adelina would need to ask Nash about every single piece of tech the monsters could have in their grasp. It was something her father or Raena hadn’t seemed to consider. They were all children of peace and this type of thinking was new to them. Their great-grandfather had fought the last real war, and that was centuries ago.

Finding the royal library was a priority. Without those accounts, they’d all be slaughtered.

“Is there no way to scan for these ‘invisible’ ships?” she asked. How much longer until the shield was fully closed?

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