Page 60 of Fate of Draga

Their father had truly done well for them. King Orion had set up a required curriculum, but then allowed them to study anything they wished on top of that. Adelina would never, ever forget what he’d done for her.

Her father had given her every tool available. All she’d had to do was take them.

It would have been so easy for him to reinforce the old gender stereotypes, but rather he’d asked them to grow past them and seek out their dreams if they could.

Adelina suspected the only reason her father had denied Giselle’s admission into the army for so long was her mother.

Goddess, she missed her father.

She opened one of the deep drawers of her vanity and eyed the books still there. The last stack her father had set aside for her before he’d died. No, before he’d succumbed to the poison Drozer had infected him with.

Despite how badly she wanted the Neprijat rebels – she also wanted peace in her small corner of the galaxy. Badly enough that she was willing to rule over a people who had killed the only male who had ever truly seen the real her from the very beginning.

She still hated them.

But emotions could not rule a queen. Adelina could not let herself stoop so low. Allowing her petty prejudice to keep her from saving three systems…it was something she’d never allow.

Adelina traced the spine of the book on the top and sighed before gently sliding the drawer closed once more.

Then she looked into the mirror.

In her rooms, she was finally alone. It had taken some convincing, but she’d told her three mates to find something useful to do and simply leave her alone for an hour.

Adelina needed to think. She needed to absorb and process everything that had happened in the last few days.

But all she could really think about was her brothers – Veri, all of them – were finally together again even if it was in a system they’d only ever heard stories about before.

What came next was terrifying, and allowing her mates to sense that wouldn’t be to anyone’s benefit. They had to be focused and ready to go the moment that beacon went off and Kaita was ready for them.

She couldn’t shove it down anymore.

Adelina needed to process. She needed a clear head for this battle, and the next. Especially after the cast P’draic had sent her. If he was right, and he said he was 99.8% sure, then there was a solution to the horde.

The demonstration had been horrendous if effective.

Sozav had assisted as well. The intel he’d provided had been invaluable. The probe had come back with footage confirming the location of the Neprijat system. As he’d said, it wasn’t much farther than Khara, simply on the other side and hidden behind layers of tech.

So many Neprijat rebels ready to fight back alongside them.

Then the following meeting with the various councils had not gone well.

Adelina stretched her neck and sighed when some of the tension released with a pop. The muscles in her shoulders were sore from holding back everything she’d wanted to say. Even after she’d called them all cowards.

The Drakesthai were the most recalcitrant. The Unchanged were peaceful so a route offering peace between them and the enemy was ideal for them. Her royal cousins had even thrown in their support – most likely they simply wanted to incur her favor, but it was all the other lords and ladies who had protested vehemently.

“And if we fall because you could not accept a helping hand because of where it came from?” she’d asked.

It had felt like her words had echoed for hours as they all stared at her.

It wasn’t their fault. They were terrified.

As was she.

None of them were stupid. A lot of their people wouldn’t make it through this and everyone had been glaring at everyone else – hoping it wouldn’t be them. Adelina had been forced to use the entire extent of her dominance simply to get everyone to keep from drawing their blades.

In the end she’d been forced to overrule them with her rank, and the support of her mates and Hand.

No one else could counter her orders.

---