Page 19 of Crown of Draga

Chapter Seven

Joslynn

Crystal Ballroom

Draga Royal Palace

Planet Draga Terra

Joslynn was in awe.It was an event of a lifetime and Princess Adelina had certainly set the bar. How could they possibly top this for the Choosing Ball? The reason for the event would be different of course and a crown in the balance, but the theme and décor was something she could never imagine. Joslynn usually hired others to make such events pleasant on Pedranus. The winter solstice was one of her favorites, but even that couldn’t compare to the sheer wealth and brilliance of the Draga royals.

Those cula’ting spiders hung above them. Joslynn shivered as she glanced up for the thousandth time. These spiders terrified her. They were so much bigger than the ones she saw on Pedranus, ragna – they called the sacred breed on Draga Terra. Bigger than the mice she’d seen in the barns.

Those webs and spiders dancing along the ceiling of the ballroom were a great show of power and planning though. She wondered if that was the point – to put all but Adelina in a constant state of unease. The brilliance of it only made the respect she had for the tiny princess grow – the princess who managed to hide underneath that polite, submissive mask and then she delivered something like this…

Joslynn sipped her champagne and tapped the fire opal at her throat. When she’d received the order for the gems a few months ago she’d never suspected what they’d be used for. A thousand half-carat fire opals were a strange order, but the Jeweler’s Guild ordered in large quantities all the time and they were her best customer.

It was strange the guild had ordered them and not the princess herself unless she somehow had a connection in the guild. Joslynn knew there was the issue of a trade with the princess, but she had no idea how deep the charade went and now she was curious.

“Can I get you something to eat?” Sirus fidgeted at her side. He was uncomfortable at such events, but he looked absolutely gorgeous. She couldn’t help but admire him in his all-white, gold trimmed suit – the colors of Scyria.

“No thank you,” she murmured as she watched the various pairings, the slights, anger, and jealousy across the ballroom. “How much do you think all this cost?” she asked, waving at the splendor before them.

Adelina spun around the ballroom floor with yet another male while Nash glowered in the corner. Joslynn smiled. There was more competition than the lost prince liked and with all eyes on the princess, or the crown princess, it seemed Joslynn and the lovely courtesan were all who noticed. Nadyah gave her a slight nod before turning back to her conversation with a guard.

“More than my planet makes in a cycle,” Sirus growled.

He wasn’t angry; it was simply how he was. The deep vibration in his voice was the fault of the injury marring his beautiful face. Joslynn thought it made him even more attractive, turning him from a pretty noble to a roguish warrior.

“I don’t know about that, I pay your family quite handsomely for the protection.” Joslynn smiled up at him and the deep lines on his face eased. It was the best reaction she would get from the male, and more than most would ever receive in their lifetime. “Ask me to dance,” she told him.

Sirus bowed and held out his hand as the music changed to something a bit slower. “As my lady wishes,” he murmured, never once taking his good eye off her.

The skill he had on the dance floor surprised her. Joslynn hadn’t been sure he knew how to dance after so many cycles protecting the borders. She was whisked across the ballroom like a flower in the wind. “Have you thought any more about my proposal?” she asked lightly.

It was anything but a light matter. Joslynn had decided to refuse to court anyone else until she knew for sure whether Sirus would be her husband or not. After two weeks in space she had fallen for him harder than she’d expected, and it wasn’t until he said he would leave to protect her people from the Neprijat she realized just how much she’d grown to depend on him.

Depend was a poor choice of word.

He held her close, hips to hers, moving with the exotic music. She hoped he would say yes. She didn’t just depend on him; Joslynn cared for him more than she would ever admit aloud.

His ice blue eye glittered. “I have, but I still do not think choosing me as your husband would benefit your planet.”

Joslynn gripped his hand harder than she needed to in irritation. “I believe I have done quite well ruling my planet up until now, don’t you?” she snapped.

Sirus gave her a rare smile. “I concur, Countess.”

“Don’t sass me.” This male seemed to love nothing more than to rile her up. Sirus had mentioned once how much he loved her temper. “No doubt you’ll tire of my anger,” she muttered.

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Sirus held her with a lover’s gentleness. They hadn’t been intimate since his starship, but he reminded her now what that had been like.

“Then let me decide whether or not you would be a good choice for my planet,” Joslynn groused. It was difficult to keep the irritation from her voice which only annoyed her further. “You are of noble blood and a strong ally. This is one of the best choices available to me.” Just tell him, a small voice inside snapped. Tell him why he should marry you and not all the reasons he would make a good Count.

The song ended before she could say anything more. Joslynn didn’t feel like another dance. She tugged Sirus towards one of the many couches along the edges of the ballroom. She grabbed champagne and handed him one before she sat. Sirus followed and was careful as he arranged his long limbs. The two of them watched the nobles and courtiers flutter around them.

“What did you think of Masha’s performance?” she asked.

The spectacle would be something she’d never forget. Tears had filled Joslynn’s eyes during the transformation from maiden to mother. She would never see such a thing on her own planet. She watched Masha blush as another admirer approached her. Perhaps the Avvis beauty would be willing to perform for her next Winter Solstice celebration. The performance that night had launched the Lady Masha’s career no doubt.

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