Page 56 of Fate of Draga

But that scent hadn’t wavered since he’d greeted her despite the changes in the conversation. Adelina was queen through and through. Perhaps if they were able to survive this war she would relax. During peacetime she should not have to constantly wield her full dominance.

Watching her though…it suited her. Adelina may never adjust her dominance again now that she’d found her place in the universe. Why when she was so comfortable?

Asher settled his gaze on Veri again as he mentally filed away the information Adelina rattled off.

Why did Veri trust this Neprijat?

His fiancée shrugged a shoulder so slightly only he noticed. And then she gave him a half smile. So the decision was based on instincts.

Asher turned to study Sozav again as he hid his surprise at the number of warships teams were already collecting from the abandoned factories and caches. Something about this specific male had convinced everyone – even Nash – that these Neprijat rebels could be trusted.

He wasn’t a submissive male, but Sozav did keep his eyes down whenever he wasn’t speaking to keep from challenging anyone. That did help ease a lot of tension. Asher didn’t feel the need to put him in his place.

Then there was the fact that their genetics needed strong females – they had a difficult time resisting the urge to chase their prey without them. Asher assumed those vicious traits were praised and rewarded by the king and his minions.

Asher tilted his head and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and Sozav tensed. He knew Asher was sizing him up, but he didn’t give in to his instincts and rise to the challenge.

The Neprijat weren’t much different than the Kalans had been in Draga five centuries before. Back when their terrible dominance and savage nature had been what led their people. When they’d owned slaves and revered the blood sports.

Nash’s people had been tame in comparison.

If his own people could change, there was no reason why the Neprijat couldn’t.

More than anything though, Asher needed to be sure this wasn’t a trap.

They could easily dangle hope in front of a newly crowned queen with very little training on how to lead. And then turn around and take her for themselves. Either to deliver her to the Neprijat king, or for their own nefarious purposes.

If they were that desperate then why not just take her for themselves?

“Then the Neprijat will sign their system over to me, accepting my rule,” Adelina stated, clicking the presentation. The final page displayed where all the information was listed and organized to see in one quick glance.

Asher whipped his head around to gape at his sister. “What do you mean ‘accept your rule?’”

She slid the device into the pocket of her gown and then fixed her gaze on him. Everyone else in the room was silent, unmoving as the Hand and the Queen discovered how this was going to work between them.

It would set the precedent for the rest of her reign.

“That was the condition for their help,” Adelina said. Her amethyst eyes flashed and Asher could tell he was wearing her patience thin. “I take their system for Draga and rid them of the ones who refuse to give up their oppressive ways.”

“And how are you going to police that?” Asher asked, standing so he could pace. He always thought better when he was moving. “How are you going to decide who gets to live and die? What about when we need to rule them? Who will go there to make sure they’re following our laws? Or will we move an entire people to our system that our own people will not accept?”

Adelina crossed her arms over her chest and outright glared, each of their differentrosanerascents filled the room—choking in its thickness.

“How do we rule Brogna?” she countered.

Asher glared right back. “That is a different situation entirely and you know it.”

He started pacing and she watched him, as did the Neprijat.

“Explain to me how we rule Brogna,” Adelina repeated.

Kaiden’s wings shifted and Asher was so bothered he didn’t even care how curious he was about those wings and how they worked. “They essentially rule themselves,” Asher snapped. “We trust them not to raise armies and then attack. How will you get a warrior race to keep from raising their own army?”

Adelina smiled at him, but it was sharp and predatory. She’d never looked at him like that before and it shocked him so much he stopped in his tracks.

“I am not going to attempt any such thing,” she told him. “Iwantthem to have a well-trained army at my beck and call. IwantBrogna to have their own army that I can command.”

Those words were like ice in his veins and Asher’s entire body went completely still. “Why?”

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