Page 12 of Heir of Draga

Chapter Four

Roxy

Varan’s Estate

Stella di Draga

Planet Draga Terra

Roxy blew the metal dust from the third and final engine piece. The coolant system was finalized and the power would need to be tested once she got it installed, but otherwise she’d done it. Roxy had finished before her insane deadline and the remaining workers were just about done with the flagship for the princess.

It was still strange to think of Lina as the Princess Adelina. Roxy had known her for cycles and now her best friend was about to marry the royal who was not a royal. Adelina was born a princess, but she had the sense to act like the rest of humanity. At least when the recorders weren’t on her.

Roxy still didn’t like being roped into this project, but even she could see it was necessary. The death of Raena had shocked them all. Actual war had already happened. Now they all had to do something about it. There were sign-up kiosks everywhere. Two-thirds of her neighborhood had already joined up with one army or another.

No one got to choose. The legions were all Royal and fell under the Draga Army but not all would stay within the core’s border.

She shook her head and heaved the engine up and into her arms. It was heavier than it looked and the muscles in her arms strained. One smooth turn and she placed it in the small hov-cart.

“Do you need any help?” Felix asked. He was so quiet for such a large male.

“If you want to take this into engineering I’ll install it after Varan’s stupid party I’m being forced to attend.”

The prince of thieves’ Second smiled shyly and took the hov-cart off her hands. “I’d be glad to. We’ll all miss you while you’re away.”

Roxy watched him go with a sad smile. He was handsome and sweet and doting, but she’d never felt for him what he felt for her. After Varan had asked her to be his heir for all intents and purposes she’d considered replacing Felix as her Second to avoid his attentions, but the male was experienced and insanely competent.

None of the rogues or thieves or assassins dared cross him. After he’d smashed a traitor’s head between his bare hands there had been very few issues within the thieves’ court.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and sighed. Roxy still wasn’t sure about taking Varan’s place. It was the last thing in the universe she’d ever thought she would do, but someone had to take over. Someone who could keep the underbelly of Draga in line without causing a civil war.

The law-abiding citizens had no idea how lucky they were to have Varan. Without him the streets wouldn’t be safe. There would be death, rape, and theft around every corner just as there had been before Varan’s rule.

Roxy knew she would have to work to keep them all in line and it wasn’t going to be easy. Yes, Varan had trained her within an inch of her life despite her protestations. He didn’t care she was more into starships and engineering. After what had happened to his blood sister he’d refused to let Roxy out of the house until she agreed.

The small room off the main warehouse held everything she needed for the past week. There’d been no time thanks to Adelina to go back and forth between the estate and the warehouse. So Roxy had packed up and slept a few hours a night since she’d begun this ridiculous project.

But now that she was done, Roxy was proud as all hells of what she’d accomplished. The only Draga citizen to have access to Corinthian tech and then to have improved upon it? Yeah, she was pretty damn pleased with herself.

It took a few seconds to run a nila over herself to clean off all the dirt and grease. It fixed the frizz in her red curls and made them look presentable enough to wear down for the stupid party. As if she didn’t have a million other things she could be doing. No, Varan wanted to announce his princess and heir to the world like the possessive prick he was.

His reasoning made sense and Roxy appreciated the official recommendation, but she would still have to fight for her position as queen. She would not be a princess. The word had too many negative connotations and Roxy was as far from a damsel in distress as she could possibly be.

Another minute later and her makeup was in place. Black kohl and gold shadow to offset her brown skin and freckles. The choker at her neck stayed as did her row of small gold hoop earrings and the multiple thin gold rings on her fingers. Varan had politely suggested she wear something nice. Roxy glared at nothing in particular.

She would never wear a cula’ting dress. Even as ruler of the thieves’ court. They all needed to see her as she was – the future of the rogues whether she wore a skirt or not.

Then she noticed a box on her bed. It was elegant and spotless. Had to be from Varan, the cocky prick. With clean hands she lifted the lid of the box with one finger, wary of the contents. If he’d gotten her a bloody dress…

But no, it was leather. Leather upon leather and so luscious she dove in with both hands, bringing it to her face to breathe it in deeply. Roxy slipped on the pants and had to wiggle to get them all the way up. They were so tight they were nearly painted on.

The top was a vest and that was all. Roxy grinned and laced up the front. There was a new pair of boots in the bottom of the box. They looked exactly like the ones she wore every day but custom-made and flawless. They felt like clouds on her feet. Roxy loved how they laced all the way up to her knees.

Roxy rolled her shoulders back and decided it was too cold to wear just the vest with a slice of skin showing on her midriff. It took only a moment to take it off and slip on a black silk, see-through blouse with billowing sleeves cuffed to her wrists. The vest went over the blouse and Roxy grabbed her shreve and simulcast and tucked them both in her back pocket.

Varan’s estate wasn’t far, but far enough. She’d barely make it on time, but the engines were done and she could relax after she’d finished installing it the next day. Roxy frowned as she remembered she also had to attend Princess Adelina’s wedding – as in, part of the wedding. She was still furious at being sucked into such ridiculous frivolity.

She had to wear a dress by all the gods.

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