Page 75 of Fate of Draga

Varan, Kaiden, and Nash stood behind her. All three of them glared at the obstruction before them. Each was armed to the teeth in their armor – ready to fight the second their feet touched Khara Prime.

But Adelina knew most of the battles for Khara would be fought in the skies. That was what Asher was in charge of. She would take theWolfand theRoseto the capitol and police those skies, taking it. The warriors on the ground would reinforce the Corinthian and Neprijat rebels.

They would release the hounds soon. If they hadn’t already. It was only a matter of time. And those creatures could wash through her forces on the ground like a tidal wave of death and destruction.

Adelina watched as her forces collided with the Neprijat’s. Her rage still simmered under the surface and she felt cold – ruthless. Nothing and no one would escape her wrath this time. This was it. This was the end. She would be sure of it.

They would all pay for what they’d taken from her.

As each enemy warship burst into a million pieces, thanks to the updated weaponry, she imagined those deaths paying for everyone who’d died in the bombing of the palace nearly a cycle ago. She imagined the innocents on her border planets finally getting retribution.

Then every person she’d loved who’d been taken from her.

Her father and king.

Raena.

Alpha.

Giselle.

And that there could be more made that rage that simmered, boil.

She watched Asher’s ship, theRoyal Rosanera, lead the way to the border planets, slicing through Neprijat forces as smoothly and gracefully as he did in the Games.

Her brother and Hand led the rebel Neprijats who’d made it to them on time. Their enemy didn’t seem to know what to do when their own ships fired on them. That had been why she’d put the first wave of warriors led by William in the Neprijat ships they’d commandeered over time.

The element of surprise would only serve them for so long.

“I’ll take the border planets Lithios, Leva, and Kepri,” Asher reported over the fleet-cast.

“We’ve got Minara,” William reported. It was one planet but close to the capitol so it would be heavily guarded.

Adelina’s teeth ground together but she acknowledged her brothers. “Lord Sirus, please ensure they have the forces they need. The Drakesthai, the Unchanged, and Brogna. How far from the inner planets are you?”

“We’ll be within spitting distance of Arcadius,” the Brogna Chancellor reported.

“And we’re nearly at Capuli,” Prince Vasili told her.

That meant Adelina had her ragtag army of thieves and assassins. She had her mates, and Sozav. She had her Queen’s Guard, Nadyah and Ian. They could take Khara Prime and the palace.

“Excellent. Once those planets have been secured and the space wiped clean I want you to push any enemies towards the outer planets. Then you will reinforce Khara Prime.” Adelina checked her armor and her blades again.

Soon.

Soon she would be in the fight. Her body was already thrumming to move and fight and kill the enemy. The wolf was ready to howl – signaling the beginning of her hunt.

Neprijat warships fell like falling stars. Most cluttered up space, making their path dangerous, but others fell as they were dragged into the gravity of a moon or planet. The debris would fall, most getting burned up, but the larger pieces would land, creating an impact where few would survive.

She’d ordered them to keep most of the damage from the planets but there was only so much that could be done in the chaos of war.

“Time?” she asked.

“Ten minutes. That’s Khara Prime,” the captain said pointing. “We’ll fly around it. Don’t miss the exit time or you’ll be too far from the planet to make it.”

Adelina nodded.

“We won’t be late.” She turned and nodded at her mates.

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