Page 27 of Heir of Draga

Chapter Eight

Varan

The Main Temple

Draga Royal Palace

Planet Draga Terra

Varan straightened his evening tunic. The belt around his waist was a bit tight, but it felt too light. He wasn’t used to being so bare. Varan never went anywhere without at least a few blades on his person. But this was his wedding. The sword William held was ceremonial, dull as a spoon; though he didn’t doubt he could cause adequate damage with it if necessary.

Asher glared at the fabric as the dark prince tugged and pulled until the cape over Varan’s shoulders lay just so. The heavy gold chain of command across Varan’s chest glittered with diamonds and held a single dark opal in the center.

“Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions,” Varan said, eyeing Asher as the dark prince adjusted his belt next.

Varan was dressed as a royal prince, even had the small circlet around his forehead to prove it. It felt a bit odd after so many cycles of having the title ‘prince’ as a thief.

It had been torture spending the majority of the day with Adelina’s brothers, but they all meant well. None of them quite knew what to do with him, knowing his history – his current position. They’d all said about five words between them. But Varan was too anxious now to play the game with them any longer.

He needed to know where they stood.

“This is a joyous occasion,” Asher stated. “Which is why you must look like a true prince. After all, you’re not just marrying a princess, you’re marrying the heir.”

“I’ve always looked like a prince,” Varan said, grinning at the three males. His attempt at easing the tension seemed to be appreciated by Ian, but the smile was weak.

He certainly hadn’t forgotten Adelina was now the heir, not since he’d found out. Varan had never intended to play at being king for real, but with war upon them it certainly was a very real possibility. He would take Adelina’s lead on the matter though as she was the one who held all the actual power.

Varan sighed and ran his hands through his hair so it slicked straight back the way he preferred and not to the side as Ian had put it. “Look, I love Adelina. I will spend the rest of my life with her, protect her, die for her if necessary. Why do you all look as though this is a funeral and not a wedding?”

William fidgeted. He tied the ceremonial sword to Varan’s belt. “Adelina is precious to us all. For so long she’s been the submissive one we all had to watch out for. Despite her being older than me I always felt like I had to look out for her.”

Asher nodded. “Then not an hour ago she tells us about her genetics, that she and Ian are more than half-siblings and somehow her dominance can shift? We are frightened for her. And we aren’t sure how you will handle it.” The dark prince scowled and tugged on his own tunic until it lay perfectly.

Varan glanced between the three brothers and breathed a sigh of relief. “She told you then?”

“You knew?” Asher demanded. It sounded like the prince had already suspected, but had wanted it confirmed.

“Of course I knew. In some ways I’d always known.” Varan clapped a hand on Asher’s shoulder and then squeezed. Despite their difference in age Asher was mature beyond his cycles in ways Varan doubted he would ever fully understand.

All those cycles he knew her as Lina, Varan had known there was something strange about his bride, but he’d never anticipated something so wonderfully secret and romantic.

“What is there to be frightened of exactly?” Varan asked, fixing the crown he’d mussed. He’d never had to wear a bloody crown as a thief. Someone would’ve tried to snatch it off his head as a jest at some point.

“If the people find out, they could demand her title be stripped,” William stated.

Varan arched a brow. He highly doubted that would ever happen. “Legally they could do this?”

“Well, they could demand her blood be tested for the royal genes,” Ian explained. “Though her Draga genes are more than enough to be legally a royal by blood. One must have at least half the royal blood to be eligible to rule. It seems whoever the doctor was kept this in mind as she is one half royal, one quarter Elara, and one quarter Adele.” The scientist part of Ian looked impressed at the information, admiring the science of it all.

“It isn’t simply that,” Asher said with a shrug, slipping his hands into his pockets and stepping away from Varan with a nod of satisfaction at his wedding garb. “Adelina has always been the people’s favorite. I don’t know what it would do to her if they turned on her.”

Varan grinned and adjusted his sword. “I don’t believe you give her the credit she deserves. She’s more the wolf than the rose.”

Then Asher grinned and those sharp teeth glinted. “You’re not wrong, brother. Welcome to the family.” The dark prince held out his arm and Varan took it gladly. Asher out of them all was the ally he desperately needed. There wasn’t anyone as dominant as he…except Adelina – when she felt like it.

“Yes, we are glad there is love in this marriage,” Ian murmured, stepping forward to hug Varan. “It could have gone a completely different way, and my spy says Adelina is excited. This will be good for her.”

William smiled and he looked so sweet and innocent in that moment Varan’s heart clenched with dread as he remembered Philomena. This boy who was barely eighteen would be on the front lines with all the other warriors. There was a good chance he wouldn’t come back.

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