Page 78 of Heir of Draga

Kaiden bowed and took the rock with the gems from her. “We accept your gift, Princess.”

It had taken some digging to find such a beautiful, raw specimen, but Adelina had known the gesture would matter. “I am here to request your assistance. A trade,” she stated. Adelina didn’t raise her voice, but she used the acoustics to her advantage. She was not there to beg.

Five pairs of wings rustled. Then the oldest male stood and stopped at the opposite side of the pool than she.

“I am Prince Rykian of House Obsidian, the ruling family of Hai Delta. While we respect your reason for seeking us out I do not believe you understand our position,” the male said in Dragan. He was about the same height as Kaiden, and just as built. But there were a few wrinkles on his face, and a salt and pepper beard to match his hair. Adelina had no idea how old he was just by looking at him, but she would guess he was older than her father had been, goddess protect his soul.

“Then why did you allow me to cross the border? Why did you send Prince Kaiden to escort me to your capitol?” Adelina asked. She stood with her back straight and clasped her hands before her at waist height. “Clearly there is something you wanted from me.”

Her direct question made the older prince pause and really look at her. Then he turned with a hand pointed at Nash. “When the Kharan prince first approached us he demanded we allow him within our borders so he may gather what remained of his people. If we did not he would start another war.”

Adelina closed her eyes for a brief moment. Sweet fate, Nash had the finesse of an avalanche. Of course he would start the conversation with threats and demands. She allowed herself a small glance at him and he caught her look. Nash shrugged, but he didn’t smile. He was still furious about Varan.

“We allowed him to search for his people with an escort despite the risk it would be with our Neprijat overlords. We rule our space for the most part and they only check in every few months. If another wanted to risk their lives and their people to destroy the creatures, we were fine with that and would not stand in their way.”

The prince walked around the amethyst pool slowly as he studied her. “My people are dying,” Prince Rykian stated. “It is why we ceded to Neprijat rule lest we be wiped from the universe completely. They allow us our Council, but we answer to them. For us to join this war we need to know there will be victory, that there will be a solution to our problem.”

Still Adelina said nothing as she waited for the real reason they let her in.

Rykian nodded when he saw the resolution and patience on her face, a bit of respect showing through his stern look. “At first we required that the Prince Nash leave after his search, but he told us about the youngest princess of Draga – how she was different than the other royals…how she’d studied our people her entire life in a futile hope to one day create peace between our two peoples. We decided it was worth the risk to meet you – to put aside our past to see if you could truly deliver what Nash promised.”

He stopped a margin away from her, almost a challenge with how close he stood. Adelina eyed him and wondered if the lack of personal space was a part of the Drakesthai culture, or if they were using it as an intimidation tactic.

“Prince Nash asked for an alliance and when we denied him he told us of what you planned to offer,” Rykian told her as he waved his hand dismissively at Prince Nash and Princess Kaita. “A cure to our infertility. The same infertility created by Draga.”

Rykian and the entire Council waited for her response to this revelation.

Adelina didn’t dare look away from the prince and cede dominance to him. She had to gather her wits and figure out what in all the hells these people were saying.

Somehow the Drakesthai blamed her people for their fate. Goddess, help her.

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