Page 37 of Heir of Draga

“Queen Giselle – my beloved sister,” Adelina said softly, hearing her voice echo to the crowd below on the livestream. “I will do my best to honor your trust in me. Regardless of the outcome, we will meet you on the battlefield and drive the Neprijat back to where they came from. The safety and protection of our people is my only goal.”

Giselle nodded, satisfied with her pretty words as she saw the true meaning beneath them. Her queen sister may not be adept at politics and word play, but she knew Adelina well enough to understand what she meant.

Despite being the most submissive royal to ever live – Adelina would not hide behind the safety of the shields. She would stand and fight with them all – wielding what weapons and skill she had. She had the loyalty of thousands and they all had the skill to take out a good portion of the Neprijat.

When Adelina straightened she tucked a curl behind her ear and fluttered her fingers as she adjusted her earring. Despite our differences I still love you. Stay safe.

Giselle’s eyes narrowed and she adjusted her cape with a twist of her fingers. Be safe little sister, and come back alive. Her reply showed more care than Adelina had anticipated.

Then the queen stepped away and made room for Ian who hugged Adelina tight. “All the physicians look competent enough and I already had the ships supplied with the best medical equipment. Send updates often or I will have to hunt you down myself.”

She smiled at her brother, seeing the similarities between them once more in his face. They shared a mother as well as a father now. Adelina kissed his cheek and said her good-byes.

Asher and Veri were next. Both said nothing but the fierce look on their faces told her they believed in her and were proud of her. Pretty words weren’t necessary between them.

William gave her a sweet good-bye and a trinket for good luck. Adelina slipped it over her head and tucked it into her jacket; styled after the one Raena had worn during the Games as a memory to her sister.

Then it was time to say good-bye to her mothers. Both had tears in their eyes and their smiles were sad. They each embraced her and reminded her to be careful, but they all knew how dangerous the future was.

No one knew how long the war would last or if they’d win. It could very easily be the end of an era.

With her goodbyes done, Adelina strode across the tarmac to her ship. All the soldiers, nobles, and citizens saluted her and her team as they made their way up the ramp. Adelina stopped at the edge of the ramp and turned to face her people, arms clasped behind her back as she’d seen Asher do a thousand times, her face stern.

Only Varan stayed nearby, a few steps behind as she waited for her people to load up. Then all three starships powered up. As the two other ships took off, The Jasmine began to slowly rise from the tarmac and Adelina saluted them all – her fist over her heart.

Never had the golden crown she wore felt so heavy when they all returned the salute. Anyone lower in rank than her dropped to one knee and with a sad smile she blew a kiss to them in farewell. As she walked up into the dark ship, the ramp closing swiftly behind her, Adelina wondered how many of them she would ever see again.

The door to her old life on Draga Terra had officially been shut as well and Adelina wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Things had been changing ever since their father had gotten sick, ever since the attack on Khara. The innocence she’d had, the sweet crush on Alpha she’d held onto all those cycles, and the willingness to accept her submission – never once wondering why it was so hard sometimes to stay quiet…that Adelina was gone. She’d shed her like the legends had once said the royals could shed their human skin for fur.

There was no going back to that life even if she’d wanted to. Only dealing with the present would help her reach her future and Adelina was both terrified and excited to find out what that future would be.

Varan was silent as he followed her to the closest window. Adelina looked down and watched her siblings enter their own starships while the soldiers disappeared into the remaining ones. There had to be at least a hundred different vessels and they all started their own takeoffs as The Jasmine rose higher and higher until the stars were visible even with the Kala sun shining down on her planet.

Adelina had never left Draga Terra without her family. But now she had her own little family she’d cobbled together. Oddly she felt safe despite being more alone than she’d ever been in her entire life, though that wasn’t saying much. As a royal she’d always had someone shadowing her.

They would reach the border in less than three days after dropping off Joslynn. Adelina wasn’t sure how she felt about the timetable. It felt like an eternity and a blink of an eye all at the same time. She would have time to prepare, but it was difficult to be ready for the unexpected. The Drakesthai were such a mystery.

Draga Terra grew smaller and smaller as she watched until it was just a beautiful blue and green ball. When the other ships became visible she turned to face her husband.

“Are you ready for what comes next?” she asked him.

Despite the tenderness and intense physical intimacy the night before, Adelina felt separate. She wasn’t interested in being touched quite yet, and somehow Varan knew. He smiled and slipped his hands in his pockets.

“I’m ready to meet these bastards after so many rumors and shady reports from my spies. It will be quite the adventure.” His cocky grin made her smile and Adelina walked slowly down the corridor. The Jasmine was massive. It was roughly the size of one of the palace wings.

Small fighter ships lined up in rows upon rows. Her mechas and armory were displayed, locked and guarded. From the inventory lists, Varan had gotten his slippery fingers on three worldbreakers and enough ammunition to take out an entire legion of Neprijat, or Drakesthai. Whatever the situation called for.

“Somehow we managed all this,” Adelina said, taking it in.

Warriors and various other workers watched her and Varan, but they all knew her. Most had been at the party where she’d revealed herself, and then some of the others knew her through the hiring process.

Adelina had approved every single one of them.

“I knew we could,” Varan said. “Though the reasons for the trip are different. We are no longer running away, but towards something.”

She stopped in the center of the hangar and looked up. The space had to be about five stories high. It was so massive she felt tiny and lost. Adelina hadn’t had time to fully explore her ship. She only knew the basic layout and ironically the engine rooms from when she’d helped Roxy.

“Would you like me to show you around, wife?” Varan asked with a teasing smile, his arm held out to escort her.

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