Adelina looked at the information on her personal shreve again. Somehow the concealed royal library was in the main library and if she were to take a guess she would say the secreted place was also attached to her father’s office. It would only make sense to have access to it from multiple different areas. What if they needed to escape the family wing? There were two such exits for emergencies she knew of, but a secret route accounted for traitors close to the royal family, goddess forbid.

Based on that logic Adelina hadn’t bothered with the first five stories of the library. Those were easily accessible from the main parts of the palace, and anyone could use them. The fifth floor was exclusive as access to the royal family wing was on the fifth floor. The eighth through twelfth floors were reserved for scholars, scientists, and royals only. Adelina was currently on the eighth floor and roamed the circular space. The center of the library was an atrium with a glass domed ceiling in intricate patterns.

Librarians paid her no mind, neither did the scientists. It wasn’t unusual for a royal to escape to the exclusive floors to read for an hour or two. And since rumors of the mark on her face had circulated due to the damn recorders Adelina had even more reason to hide than normal. The librarians were used to her presence, but now they glanced at her with pity and understanding. No one tried to speak with her.

A small miracle, and a mercy.

Her cheeks burned every time she saw someone whisper as she passed. It would take a while for the gossip to move on to another topic unless something drastic occurred. A royal with a mark of punishment for all to see, and of all of the royal children it was the submissive one? Courtiers and nobles had been taking bets on why she’d been punished since the news had rippled through the palace.

It didn’t matter the mark was now gone. And she couldn’t even blame Nash. Those cula’ting recorders had caught her on the way out of the Queen’s solar. Thankfully it wasn’t only on her shoulders as both the queen and the heir should have reminded her before she left.

The history section of the library took up nearly the entire eighth floor. At first she thought she was clever to think of such a connection, but Adelina quickly realized for a long-lived people they had a lot of history. It split off into so many sections. There was the settling of Draga Terra after the journey from the ancient homeworld of Earth, and then the terraforming of all nine planets in the Draga galaxy. Not to mention the rows on their human history, the other factions of humans in the universe, and each genetic route chosen by each faction.

The section on the genetic formulas the Kalan’s chose was far more extensive than Adelina could ever have imagined. They all learned the history growing up, but it was mainly focused on the noble families, how they became noble, the royal family, and the various wars over the last few centuries.

Adelina had no reason to study such ancient history outside what they were taught as children. The warnings were clear. Without altering their genetics the humans under the Kala sun would have destroyed each other as each individual would have fought with tooth and claw for gold and power. Without rank and dominance they would all be nothing more than dust by now, like the humans who remained on Earth.

She trailed her sharp nails across the spines of the books as she wandered aimlessly through the stacks. ‘Tooth and claw’ had been figurative all those centuries ago. It was so strange to think how vulnerable she would be without her claws and teeth. Her tongue touched the tip of a canine. It was sharp and deadly, but still small and dainty.

Her people couldn’t change form, and they couldn’t grow anything strange like the wings the Drakesthai possessed. The wolves her ancestors had used as a genetic map did leave their mark though, and made her people strong and quick, loyal and steadfast. Nash would say stoic and boring, but she could be just as aggressive and vicious as he. There was simply no reason among her people when rank and dominance were followed.

It was why they were so strict and why her punishment was necessary. Adelina had pushed her sister into a corner and every time a wolf was cornered it fought back. It was cruel and vicious, but to expect anything less meant the heir was weak. Her eldest sister was anything but weak.

Adelina still wasn’t ready to forgive Raena. She smiled ruefully and stopped before one of the many shielded windows that overlooked the ocean. Her forgiveness might depend on her future husband, however petty that seemed.

With a sigh she looked back down at her shreve. There was nothing to tell her where exactly the royal library was. The mark was not precise and the blueprints of the library were outdated. Elara supposedly knew where the secret place was. Perhaps she should talk to her even if she wasn’t ready to.

A librarian walked by and Adelina waited until he disappeared around the curve. She kept to the wall and then started to walk in the opposite direction. Giselle had left that morning at dawn and with her gone Adelina felt so alone. Waiting at home to hear what would occur on the border was a never ending nightmare. Anything could happen. Her sister may never return. Adelina wasn’t naïve enough to assume Giselle would conquer Treon on the first try with no lives lost and then arrest the traitors. It would be no quick thing, and then there was the danger of the return trip.

Pirates loved to attack royal ships. They savaged their soldiers and scavenged the tech before moving on. The stories used to keep her up at night, and it was why the royal family never went on tour with anything less than half their forces.

Her fingernails then trailed the outside wall of the library as she walked. A depression, a false shelf, perhaps a cleverly misplaced book would send her in the right direction. Based on her internal map, the shreve, and cycles of running through the palace – the royal study should be directly below her three stories down. The royal library could be three stories tall, but where was the inconsistency, the space missing from other rooms? No matter how hard she tried to think, nothing came to mind.

She practically threw herself into a comfortable chair and stared at the messy alcove full of ancient books, a study table, and no uniformity to speak of. The books didn’t even seem to be on the same topic, but they were all in the language of the Ancients. She sighed and stared at the wall in front of her.

So – Elara was her mother. Adelina’s entire world had shifted when she’d learned of her true parentage and the knowledge hadn’t really settled. It made no reasonable sense as to why she would biologically have two mothers. There was no purpose to it. Elara already had Ian by the time Adelina came along, why another, and why keep it a secret? It grated uncomfortably in her mind to consider she was simply an experiment, something to test and see if they could secretly improve on the Draga royal bloodline.

What was that?

Adelina shot to her feet and crossed to the wall. She’d been staring at it long enough her eyes finally caught on to the pattern. It was the same as the glass design for the dome atrium in the center of the library – nearly invisible blacker-than-black whorls and filigree on the black wall. Adelina pressed her palm to the wall and she felt the warmth of a laser scanning her hand and seal.

The panel slid open and Adelina jumped in before she could second guess herself, or risk the chance someone might walk by and see what she was up to. The panel closed silently behind her and Adelina looked around in openmouthed wonder. The room was massive and stark white. Books and disc cases covered the room from floor to ceiling. Stairs wound down to the main floor and it appeared the space was four stories tall if narrow. Each section was labeled in the Ancient language.

Adelina carefully took the stairs to the main floor and crossed to a blank console. Based on instinct she pressed her golden palm to the black glass. It lit up and the A.I. greeted her by name, bringing up an inventory and asking politely what she would like access to.

“Found this place, eh?” her father asked, his voice echoing off the walls.

She about jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound.

Adelina found her father sitting in a leather chair in the corner, reading something obscure. His face was amused as her hand fell from her chest. “I didn’t realize anyone was here,” she managed. It was utterly idiotic to say, but Adelina could barely process the library she hadn’t known existed, let alone the fact the king was there and didn’t appear to give a damn.

King Orion had lost more weight since she’d last seen him, only a few days ago. Adelina crossed the space and sat in the chair next to him. Her father’s royal outfits hid how gaunt he was and they must have used makeup on his face to hide the hollow cheeks and bruises under his eyes. Even the blood vessels in his eyes were shot and ruddy.

“What did you come for?” King Orion asked.

Well, if he disapproved it didn’t seem as though he would say so. Adelina took her father’s hand and sighed. “I wanted to see if I could find the detailed accounts of King Beo’s reign.”

Her father laughed and handed the book he was reading over to her. “You are such a delight. Raena will be so fortunate to have you by her side during her reign.”

Immediately Adelina felt guilty. How could she help Raena if she were an ambassador in another galaxy?

“What’s wrong, child?” her father asked. He frowned when she didn’t open the book.

“Do you think Raena will change her mind about my marriage decree?” she asked. Adelina couldn’t look at her father directly. She didn’t want to see the sadness and disappointment there. Hearing his reprimand would be difficult enough.

Father shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said sadly. “Your sister is a stubborn one, but I will do whatever I can to allow you to choose who you marry while I still can.”

She flipped open the book without really seeing the text. “What if I don’t want to marry right away, but would like to learn if I love someone truly or not?”

“This is about Nash isn’t it?” King Orion studied her with all the wisdom of his age. “The boy is right about one thing, if he regains his kingdom then he would truly be a good match. I could write an order demanding you marry him if such a thing happens as part of our alliance.”

Her eyes snapped to her father’s face. Somehow he’d heard about that, and Adelina scoured her memory as to how. Perhaps Alpha had told him?

“Is that really a possibility?” Adelina held her breath. The hope felt like it would crush her.

King Orion actually shrugged. “If Nash is a prince with an actual income and property? Raena would not refuse such a thing if that was a requirement for Prince Nash to re-sign the alliance agreements. He will have a lot of leverage at that point, but there is also the risk that if I was to write such a thing and I died before it could happen…she might try to marry you before the prince regains Khara. It is a risk either way.” Her father picked up the stack of books on the table next to him. “I believe you would be interested in reading these as well.”

Adelina took them without really looking. She registered their weight and age before setting them on her lap and chewing on her lip in thought. It took every bit of control she had not to demand her father tell her why Raena acted the way she did after only a few short months, and why he did nothing to curb it. Her sister had always been cunning and powerful, but ruthless?

It was something she hadn’t expected and Adelina cursed her naiveté and trust that such dire circumstances wouldn’t change her sister at all. Perhaps in the privacy of a place that didn’t technically exist her father would open up to her.

“You are still King,” Adelina stated. “Why allow Raena to be so…cruel?” There was no better word no matter how much she hated the sound of it.

King Orion sighed and shifted as though his entire body ached in a way no drug could ease. “She is a good ruler if cautious and slightly hot-headed, but she is young and must learn. Raena was supposed to go through this stage with me directing her as King, not as a Queen herself with no one for her to lean on for support. There are times the sickness has me out of sorts for days, and she is all alone. While I don’t agree with her price for an alliance we should have kept in the first place, she needs your marriage in case something drastic happens and only a promise of a princess will get her what she needs during a time of war.”

Her father’s deep purple eyes held so much pain and heartbreak in them Adelina felt her throat close up and tears made her vision blurry. “You are her wild card, her Queen in a game of chess, the last hope for Draga.”

When her father put it like that Adelina felt the weight of all their people’s lives fall heavily on her shoulders. If it came down to her happiness or her people, then she would have to give up her own happiness no matter how much it hurt her to let Nash go. He was a prince. He would understand even if he hated it as much as she.

The thought rallied her to make one decision at least.

“Please write the decree as officially as possible with your seal and then give it to me,” Adelina said. “If I am able to use it I will, and if the three-faced goddess is willing I will have you at my wedding.” She smiled through her tears and prayed to the Mother, the Maiden, and the Crone – any of the goddess’s incarnations to allow for that to happen. “If there is no way I can use the decree then I will have it destroyed with no one the wiser.” It was the safest choice even though presenting it with a request to marry Nash would infuriate her sister.

King Orion studied his youngest daughter carefully. “Are you sure? That is a large risk to take if the time comes where you need it.”

She considered all the possibilities. “Yes, I am sure Papa.” Adelina smiled when he took her hand and squeezed. His grip was weak, but she kept her smile so as not to upset him.

The book’s spine cracked when Adelina opened it. There was one more thing she wanted to ask her father about, but she wasn’t sure how to properly broach the topic. The open book in her lap started from the beginning of King Beo’s reign, a time of peace even if there was some in-fighting among the noble families. It would be slow and tedious reading from what she could see. At least it wasn’t written in the ancient language, but a few of the others were.

She sighed. When had been the last time she practiced that awful language of hard syllables and odd sounds?

Adelina set all the books aside and turned to face her father fully. This would not be comfortable for either of them, but she had to know. “Am I a tube baby, or did you add Elara’s DNA in the womb?” Straight to the point or she would lose all courage to ask.

Her father dropped the cup of tea in his hand and his jaw dropped as the porcelain shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. The color of his skin went white as a sheet and for a second Adelina felt terrible. She hadn’t meant to cause such a reaction.

“How?” he demanded. The power of his dominance washed over her and his face flushed. The king was furious.

Adelina blushed, feeling utterly stupid, but she wanted honesty so she gave it in return. “There were signs,” she murmured. Her eyes remained on the floor; Adelina didn’t think it was smart to challenge him until he could regain his composure.

“Nash?” King Orion practically roared. “That’s impossible! I made sure you could never be mated.”

At least it confirmed one aspect of her new identity. “I know Father, but there were other indications. The level of my submissiveness despite being a royal Draga, my…reaction to Nash as well as Nadyah, it was enough for me to make sure there was no chance I’d accidentally end up mated. So I asked Ian to check.”

Her father was quiet and Adelina folded her hands in her lap, eyes on his feet. Finally he let out a huge sigh and she dared to look up into his face.

“We wanted a child the three of us could claim as ours. Elara ended up mated to your mother during the official camerraleto Adele underwent for her marriage to me. At the time your mother and I were already in love, and Elara was dear to me as she had instructed me in my own camerraleto as well. It’s an odd arrangement, one your mother and I never expected. I still needed a queen and wife to bear my children and we did love each other.”

The king waved a hand helplessly as if he needed to explain himself to a Justice Overseer. “The only thing to do that made sense for everyone was to declare Elara as my Mistress. I paid her debt to the House and she came to live with us here in the palace. She gave me Ian, but your mother and Elara wanted a child of their own as well. A child born of love and not politics who would still be considered legitimate…we chose a doctor in his third century, bound him to secrecy and had him alter your genetics at the same time he scrubbed your genes of diseases; the normal treatments for fetuses. Not only did he scrub your genetics of deformities and diseases, but he injected Elara’s DNA into yours. A few weeks later he made sure that it took, and then altered the mate gene to ensure it never activated while he selected your coloring.”

Tears ran down her father’s face and for once Adelina couldn’t read him. Were the tears born of sadness or joy?

“We chose you, Adelina to be the love child of the three of us. I fear now we were foolish, but I hope you do not hate me for this. You are very special, my dear.”

Adelina slipped to the floor and knelt before her father. She laid her head on his knees like she used to when she was small and Father stroked her hair. His hand was tremulous and weathered, no longer strong like it had been not very long ago.

“I do not hate you Papa, your explanation is…beautiful.” Adelina couldn’t help the tears as she smiled up at him. “I couldn’t be more proud to have been born of love and not duty.”

There was so much to absorb and consider. Should she tell her father about her dominance status? Adelina studied him and his smile was radiant. No, he already knew. Father was one of the few who had always known what she was fully capable of, before even Adelina knew herself.

Adelina hugged him close and prayed once more that the goddess give them just a little more time before she had to take him from her. “Go and get some rest, Papa,” she said, wiping the wetness from his cheeks.

The books he’d given her went into the crook of her arm and Adelina gave him a quick peck as she headed to the stairs. The books would be infinitely useful when she could finally find what she needed amid all the drudgery.

“Let me know if you need assistance finding more books,” King Orion called after her.

Adelina placed her hand on the panel and reassured her father that she would. It slid open after the A.I. verified there was no one in the alcove. She stepped out with a small smile. Suddenly a hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked. Adelina dropped the stack of books and before she could react a large hand covered her mouth.

“Don’t scream,” Nash’s voice washed over her.

It took more strength than she thought it would not to clamp her sharp teeth down on his hand. How dare he treat her so, assuming she would scream? What nonsense. Adelina glared up into those gorgeous eyes of his and ignored the confusing clash of emotions.

Part of her was relieved he’d found her, that Nash would even look for her after their fights. The other part was furious he would risk speaking to her when she was alone, no matter how quiet and empty the exclusive parts of the library were.

Adelina grabbed the small amount of flesh on his hip and squeezed with her nails, pinching him hard. Nash yelped and released her. “What the shikta is wrong with you?” he demanded in a hiss.

“I don’t like to be manhandled,” Adelina snapped.

The yellow and red in Nash’s eyes sparked and he took a step forward and pressed her back against a shelf. His arms planted on either side, effectively trapping her. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, his low voice suggestive.

The spark of desire settled deep inside her and Adelina tried to ignore it. “You risk both our lives coming here,” she said instead, trying to figure out how to get past him without having to touch him.

Nash leaned forward, bending so his head was nearly level with hers. Scars trailed up his neck, so white they were nearly invisible; as beautiful as a spider’s web and nearly as delicate. Was that a tattoo? Her eyes widened when she realized how intently he studied her.

“I was careful, no one saw me.”

Finally Adelina looked up into his eyes and saw conflict there. He was still angry with her, but he didn’t want to back off. Knowing what she did now, she could pay him back for all the grief he’d given her. There was no risk in playing with him anymore. Nash must have sensed the change somehow because he suddenly looked wary and pulled back, putting distance between them.

“I came to apologize,” Nash said.

If he had said he could grow wings and fly that wouldn’t have shocked her as much as those words did. “For what?” Adelina asked.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. She couldn’t help but watch the ripple of muscles. Nash was a gorgeous male, and with his broad shoulders and strength Adelina would have nothing to fear by his side. She cleared her throat to focus. Those thoughts would only drag her down into a special hellish place where she could never really have what she wanted.

“I want to apologize for assuming you owe me anything. We hardly know each other. Other than my attraction for you we have not had a chance to learn about each other.” His eyes raked over her body and Adelina shivered as she wondered what thoughts were hidden behind those eyes of his. “We have not been able to learn about more than what is on the surface. You know nothing of me and there is much you haven’t confided in me. A kiss does not mean you owe me your secrets.”

A kiss he said. Adelina knew it had been so much more than that, but she kept her mouth shut.

“You’ve done nothing more for me than an ally is supposed to,” he continued. “I understand the danger and challenges you’ve faced to uphold that honor, but it does not somehow mean you are mine.”

His words sounded like a goodbye, and it hurt.

Adelina knew it was for the best. The two of them should stay apart and not get more entangled than they already were. She’d delivered what he needed. The rest was simple battle tactics she could easily relay through Nadyah. Despite all this she hesitated to release him completely.

“Right,” she finally said when she realized he expected a response. “You are precisely right.” What else was she supposed to say?

Nash took another step back as if he didn’t trust her words. “I came to tell you that, and to let you know I will be leaving soon to retrieve Kaita from Seprilles. As soon as my ships are repaired, refueled, and readied I will leave. I am not sure if I’ll be coming back to Draga Terra, or going on to the Hai galaxy while I still can.”

“You can reach the border before the shield closes?” she asked in disbelief. It was less than a week before their galaxy would be sealed.

Adelina knew their tech was more advanced, but she hadn’t realized how much more. It took a little less than two weeks to reach the border of their space on an average spaceship. With the fastest starship in the fleet Giselle would barely make it to the border in time to see it seal to the outposts there. The shield would be fully closed in about six days if her calculations were correct.

Nash only nodded in response. “Do you have any advice before I try to speak with the dragons? I hear they’re violent and cantankerous, but they could be valuable allies in a war where we are outnumbered.” His smile was half-hearted.

Something bothered the Corinthian prince. Adelina could see it plain as day, but she wasn’t sure what to say or think. He’d apologized and she shouldn’t have been overly surprised. The male had always been chivalrous and respectful despite his hotheaded temper. Nash’s ability to admit when he was wrong was what had endeared him to Adelina in the first place.

“Well, I’ve learned everything I can of them including their language,” she said. “But a few hundred cycles ago the borders were permanently closed and we don’t know anything after that, at least nothing official.”

Nash slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a strange box. He held it out to her. Adelina glanced between him and the box with suspicion. “What is this?” she asked. Hopefully it wasn’t another gift after the rough road they’d had. It would be too much for her after everything he had just admitted they were not.

He shrugged and placed both hands in his pockets. Nash glanced over her shoulder and checked to make sure there was still no one even remotely close to their hidden alcove. “It’s all of Varan’s intel on the Drakesthai for the last fifteen cycles. Those are copies. You can keep them. Anything you feel I should know you can relay through someone else such as your guard or courtesan.”

Adelina’s lips parted as she opened the box and saw all the discs. It had never occurred to her to ask Varan for old information and here the bastard had been sitting on cycles of priceless data. Her lips curled into a snarl. Oh, she would tear into him the next time she laid eyes on him. The damn thief should have handed this over when she’d first requested his help in keeping the alliance together.

The prince raised an eyebrow and one side of his mouth turned up with a smile. “Are you angry with me?” he asked.

“No,” Adelina said, her words clipped with irritation. “I’ve been studying the Drakesthai, their culture, and language most of my life and Varan has very competent spies. He withheld this from me.”

Nash chuckled. “To be fair he was shocked to learn of your true identity, and then he was too busy making sure he would be considered a candidate for your hand.”

There was no anger in those words despite how much Adelina knew it had bothered him during the coming-of-age party.

She cocked her head at him. “Something’s changed.”

Adelina wanted to find out what. She wanted to have an actual conversation with him before he left. She took a step forward and this time the prince held his ground.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Nash said. He frowned and she could see his jaw tense at her approach.

Adelina decided to change the subject. Perhaps she could goad him into talking. “I will be sad to see you leave.” She clasped her hands in front of her and stroked the new gold tattoo with her thumb as she watched him. There was hardly any pain anymore.

“Will you?”

Adelina nodded. She couldn’t break his gaze even if she wanted to. “Despite everything I’ve enjoyed your company.”

Nash narrowed his eyes at her. “Really?”

All she could do was stare at his lips. What was she getting herself into? This was a mistake. She should stop now before they got in too deep.

“I wish I could go with you,” she whispered. It wasn’t a lie and it wasn’t because of him either. Adelina wanted out of the palace and off Draga Terra. Her life had become intensely restrictive despite gaining her freedoms as an official adult, and there was Raena’s temper to contend with.

Suddenly Nash was in her space, the spicy cinnamon swirled around her and made her thoughts fuzzy. He had her pinned against the bookshelf and his face pressed to her neck as he breathed her in. “I missed you,” he murmured.

Those lips of his brushed against her skin and her heart raced as she burned from his touch. His confession brought the sting of tears to her eyes. Nash had actually missed her? Adelina wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. Words wouldn’t come and she didn’t want him to see her cry. She breathed in his confusing and erotic scent that always set her blood boiling with need.

Despite how much her body still needed him, Adelina simply wanted to hold him. Was this goodbye, or was this something else? “How can you miss me when you hardly know me?” Adelina asked.

She wanted to hear him say the words they’d both been avoiding.

Nash kissed her neck, trailing his lips down and across her bare collarbone. “I don’t need to know everything about you to know how I feel around you, or to know who you are. I’ve watched you these past few weeks and actions always speak louder than words possibly could.” He pulled back and stared into her eyes. “You are honorable and brave, without knowing anything else that would be enough.”

His words melted her.

Adelina opened her mouth to talk and he pressed a finger to her lips. “Let me finish. I was serious when I told you I would get you your freedom back, whether it was me you chose or not. But I want a chance to prove to you I could be the one. If you would take my offer I would move the sun and moons to make it happen.”

It was too much. Adelina didn’t know what to say or how to react. Now she could finally explore her relationship with him without the mate bond hanging over her head.

There was only one issue. “What about Raena’s decree?” she asked. Her future queen’s wrath terrified her. There were so many ways she could find out about them. Could Adelina possibly keep Nash a secret?

Would she be able to uphold her honor and duty to the Crown if she let herself love him?

“Raena will never find out,” Nash promised. “I have my stealth tech. When we want to simply walk through the gardens or take a ride, all we need to do is make sure there is an escort. The only challenge will be keeping my hands to myself when others are around.” His fingers skimmed her waist and Nash bent to kiss her.

It was gentle and sweet.

Adelina lost herself in his scent. She lost herself in the power of his body, and the strength and control he possessed just to keep from accidentally hurting her. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and no matter how dangerous she knew this was, or how easy it would be for anyone to walk by and see them despite the deserted area…her heart thundered in her chest as she tasted him, as she sucked the tip of his tongue and pressed her entire body against his.

The tingling started in her toes and slowly rose. It was pleasant rather than painful this time and her control was a thousand times better than it had been six months before. Her nails raked the back of his neck with just enough bite for him to notice, but not enough to break the skin. Nash shuddered and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Adelina,” he whispered. The way his husky voice sounded as he said her name, it made her toes curl in her shoes. “Give me a chance. I promise I will respect your secrets. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

It was stupid and reckless, but for once Adelina wanted something for herself. “Yes,” she said, kissing him between her words. “I will give you a chance.”

Nash studied her face in astonishment. “You mean it?”

A smile broke over Adelina’s face and she couldn’t contain it even if she wanted to.

“Yes, I mean it.”

Nash touched a curl in near wonder, as if he couldn’t possibly believe his good luck. It made Adelina’s heart flutter to know how much he cared, even if it was still nothing more than learning why they were so attracted to each other.

“Will you meet me in my rooms?” she whispered, barely breathing. “We could look at the books my father gave me and perhaps make a plan.”

Adelina’s nerves made her hands shaky and she pressed the pad of her thumb harder into the new gold seal. She would have to order some tea things so she could keep her hands occupied and off of his delicious body. If she couldn’t resist, at least she had Nadyah’s advice on the matter.

“I’ll be there,” Nash promised. “And be sure, not a soul will know or see me, Princess.” He kissed her again. Hard enough to bruise and with enough passion Adelina wouldn’t soon forget the way he felt and tasted.

She watched him disappear right before her eyes. A few moments later his scent was gone.

Adelina sat down on the nearest chair, next to a table stacked with ancient books. Her fingers brushed her lips as she considered everything this could mean. Adelina couldn’t deny the attraction and the insane desire she felt for the prince.

Exploring it was only natural. If Raena hadn’t expressly forbidden it and stripped her marriage rights from her Adelina would have every right to see the prince whenever and however she wanted. This was the first time in her life she was explicitly disobeying the Crown and the consequences weighed heavy on her mind.

It also put the alliance at risk.

If Raena decided to execute the prince for treason his people could rally against them along with the Neprijat. If they were discovered Adelina could be tried for treason, royal status or no. Were her feelings worth the possible consequences?

Adelina stared at the wall as she contemplated. Raena could easily change her mind. If Nash did reclaim his kingdom then they would need an ambassador for Khara Prime, as the last emissary was murdered by the Neprijat. A marriage to Khara Prime royalty would solidify a shaky alliance and Adelina knew Giselle refused to marry outside her own choices. If such a choice was even presented to Giselle she would outright refuse.

There was one other option Adelina hadn’t considered before. Raena could choose Nash as her husband…would he deny her? And if he did, what would she do to him in retaliation?

Adelina pushed the dark thoughts away. It didn’t matter at the moment. No, she resolved. She would take the gift Mala gave her and learn if the prince was more than a passing flame. She stood on shaky legs and smoothed her dress, knowing when she got to her rooms he would be there waiting.

Adelina only hoped it would not be strained and awkward.

A cast to a servant would have the tea and food in her sitting room by the time she arrived. Adelina picked up the books from the secret library. Her feet sped up of their own volition.

Nash would leave Draga Terra soon. If she wanted to learn what exactly it was between them, this would be her last chance.

Adelina silently thanked her father for his promise to help her and headed down to the fifth floor.