Adelina straightened her open skirts that flared over leather pants. The peep-toe heeled boots only reached to her ankle, but they were stylish and comfortable. The second the fanfare was over Adelina would put on something a bit more comfortable and practical.

She’d gotten up early and as such she’d been able to thank Taj and say good-bye before most of the palace had been awake. There’d been no romantic, lazy morning for her and her new husband. Adelina would have to wait until they were in space for that.

Not that they’d done much sleeping.

As always the recorders zoomed around, focusing on her and her companions. She could hardly wait for the moment the starship doors sealed and she would be free. Of course she still had to record moments here and there to send back to her people, for them to see the dragons if they even allowed her to record, but Adelina would be able to choose when and where.

She would be the only royal other than Varan. And she outranked him. This trip would be the hardest test of her life. Thousands were looking to her to lead them, and no one else.

There was always the possibility she could fail. It frightened Adelina and she had to remind herself that there was no room for failure – that the pack she’d formed around herself would help her succeed. Cycles of study and training had led her to this.

One of her instructors had once told her that fear was a dream killer. She could have a thousand dreams and the motivation and power to accomplish them, but if she let fear keep her from trying then she would fail before she’d even started.

Adelina refused to let her people down.

Standing on the tarmac with Varan slightly behind her, she was able to see everything. Then Nadyah and Joslynn stood behind him, parallel to each other due to their equal rank. Roxy was already on the ship and the small guard flanking them looked professional and fierce in the new spidersilk armor she’d commissioned for them.

These weren’t royal soldiers or warriors. These were all Varan’s most loyal and vetted rogues, assassins, and warriors. As such he’d had a gold jasmine stamped on each arm and chest with the Draga wolf howling behind. They were all for Adelina, and she felt the weight of the stares from the other nobles and courtiers and even the palace servants.

What did they think of her? What did they think of this venture? There were too many of them for her to filter out the emotions, but the intensity of them had her sweating. All these people were rooting for her to succeed – or fail. She had to prove to them she was no longer the submissive little princess they’d seen all her life.

Adelina wasn’t the only one on the tarmac. All the forces on Draga Terra had been gathered and were prepped to ship out after she was gone. Asher and Veri stood side by side – equal before everyone. The pair was dressed for war and both looked fierce and ready to rip the Neprijat to pieces with their bare hands. Thousands of soldiers marched into their various starships behind her brother and Veri.

Sirus and his small contingent of warriors stood in formation near his starship, the Warrior’s Curse. William was with Ajax who wore armor as well. Adelina was the only royal not dressed for battle. Even her cousin Vasara who stood behind Giselle – they were both dressed head to toe in armor.

As did Varan, who wore his flashy black armor trimmed in gold. It was a strange moment, but Adelina reminded herself she’d never trained as a warrior – only enough to protect herself. Seeing her sister and cousin though – she wanted to learn. It was her place to protect her people and she couldn’t always do that from the sidelines.

Perhaps it was time she took her training in the fighting arts more seriously.

Then Giselle took a step forward and stood before Adelina. They stared at each other for a moment in silence as the recorders zoomed about, journalists reported on each section of the fleet, and where they would all be headed. Relief was palpable in the air as the watching citizens held back by guards saw something would finally be done.

Adelina had so many mixed feelings as she stared at her sister and queen. Giselle had made her prejudice about her genetics clear, but she was also allowing Adelina to go to the Hai Galaxy rather than take that away from her.

It was difficult to read Giselle with so many other emotions clogging the air, but Adelina could see the flickers in her sister’s eyes. Would they ever be as close as they once were? She doubted it, and that truth was hard and painful to swallow.

“Princess Adelina,” Giselle finally said. Her voice was loud and clear. The morning sun glinted off her gold-plated armor. Her black cape whipped behind her in the wind. Giselle had never looked as magnificent as she did then, armed to the teeth with the royal crown atop her tightly braided hair. “Heir to the Draga throne, Ambassador to the Draga Galaxy – my sister.”

Adelina’s heart lurched into her throat when she saw Giselle’s expression soften a fraction. Whatever had happened to her on Treon had changed her forever. But the sister she’d known was somewhere deep down. She may hate what Adelina was, but she couldn’t help loving her regardless. Even if that love infuriated Giselle.

“You will be the first Dragan royal – the first Dragan citizen to cross the border into the Hai Galaxy in more than three centuries. I pray the gods and goddesses watch over your journey and protect you. I pray you are successful, and I give you the means and permission to make any bargain necessary to bring the Drakesthai into our fold.”

Giselle lifted her hand palm up and servants poured from the palace onto the tarmac. They were eight stories above the surface of the planet, jutting out over the ocean with the floating ramparts watching over them all. There were gasps from the crowd on the tarmac, but thousands of murmurs of surprise rose from below.

The servants carried goods for trade: food, spices, gold, jewels, medicine, weapons, rare metals, spidersilk fabric and armor, even a few of the spiders themselves. Adelina could hardly believe it. Giselle had selected a little bit of everything that the Draga Galaxy produced and she was giving it all to Adelina in the desperate hope something might win over the Drakesthai.

Adelina bowed instead of curtseyed and she bowed low. Then she dropped to one knee and placed her fist over her heart in a show of allegiance. Adelina knew Giselle thought the trip was complete folly. Yet, here she was, giving Adelina everything Raena had not – every chance to succeed. Giselle had signed off on Adelina’s claim to her starship, renamed The Jasmine, and she’d accepted that Adelina had purchased two more, knowing exactly where the money had come from.

Something about risking everything Adelina had worked for her entire life must have convinced Giselle that Adelina was serious about her endeavors. After all, they used to be nearly inseparable. Giselle out of everyone knew what Adelina had given up for this fool’s errand.

It made her heart ache – the sensation sharp as it was edged with the pain of her sister’s rejection. Giselle was able to see past her genetics only so much as it served the Crown. She supposed she had that at least. The support and love from her brothers was more than enough.

“Queen Giselle – my beloved sister,” Adelina said softly, hearing her voice echo to the crowd below on the livestream. “I will do my best to honor your trust in me. Regardless of the outcome, we will meet you on the battlefield and drive the Neprijat back to where they came from. The safety and protection of our people is my only goal.”

Giselle nodded, satisfied with her pretty words as she saw the true meaning beneath them. Her queen sister may not be adept at politics and word play, but she knew Adelina well enough to understand what she meant.

Despite being the most submissive royal to ever live – Adelina would not hide behind the safety of the shields. She would stand and fight with them all – wielding what weapons and skill she had. She had the loyalty of thousands and they all had the skill to take out a good portion of the Neprijat.

When Adelina straightened she tucked a curl behind her ear and fluttered her fingers as she adjusted her earring. Despite our differences I still love you. Stay safe.

Giselle’s eyes narrowed and she adjusted her cape with a twist of her fingers. Be safe little sister, and come back alive. Her reply showed more care than Adelina had anticipated.

Then the queen stepped away and made room for Ian who hugged Adelina tight. “All the physicians look competent enough and I already had the ships supplied with the best medical equipment. Send updates often or I will have to hunt you down myself.”

She smiled at her brother, seeing the similarities between them once more in his face. They shared a mother as well as a father now. Adelina kissed his cheek and said her good-byes.

Asher and Veri were next. Both said nothing but the fierce look on their faces told her they believed in her and were proud of her. Pretty words weren’t necessary between them.

William gave her a sweet good-bye and a trinket for good luck. Adelina slipped it over her head and tucked it into her jacket; styled after the one Raena had worn during the Games as a memory to her sister.

Then it was time to say good-bye to her mothers. Both had tears in their eyes and their smiles were sad. They each embraced her and reminded her to be careful, but they all knew how dangerous the future was.

No one knew how long the war would last or if they’d win. It could very easily be the end of an era.

With her goodbyes done, Adelina strode across the tarmac to her ship. All the soldiers, nobles, and citizens saluted her and her team as they made their way up the ramp. Adelina stopped at the edge of the ramp and turned to face her people, arms clasped behind her back as she’d seen Asher do a thousand times, her face stern.

Only Varan stayed nearby, a few steps behind as she waited for her people to load up. Then all three starships powered up. As the two other ships took off, The Jasmine began to slowly rise from the tarmac and Adelina saluted them all – her fist over her heart.

Never had the golden crown she wore felt so heavy when they all returned the salute. Anyone lower in rank than her dropped to one knee and with a sad smile she blew a kiss to them in farewell. As she walked up into the dark ship, the ramp closing swiftly behind her, Adelina wondered how many of them she would ever see again.

The door to her old life on Draga Terra had officially been shut as well and Adelina wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Things had been changing ever since their father had gotten sick, ever since the attack on Khara. The innocence she’d had, the sweet crush on Alpha she’d held onto all those cycles, and the willingness to accept her submission – never once wondering why it was so hard sometimes to stay quiet…that Adelina was gone. She’d shed her like the legends had once said the royals could shed their human skin for fur.

There was no going back to that life even if she’d wanted to. Only dealing with the present would help her reach her future and Adelina was both terrified and excited to find out what that future would be.

Varan was silent as he followed her to the closest window. Adelina looked down and watched her siblings enter their own starships while the soldiers disappeared into the remaining ones. There had to be at least a hundred different vessels and they all started their own takeoffs as The Jasmine rose higher and higher until the stars were visible even with the Kala sun shining down on her planet.

Adelina had never left Draga Terra without her family. But now she had her own little family she’d cobbled together. Oddly she felt safe despite being more alone than she’d ever been in her entire life, though that wasn’t saying much. As a royal she’d always had someone shadowing her.

They would reach the border in less than three days after dropping off Joslynn. Adelina wasn’t sure how she felt about the timetable. It felt like an eternity and a blink of an eye all at the same time. She would have time to prepare, but it was difficult to be ready for the unexpected. The Drakesthai were such a mystery.

Draga Terra grew smaller and smaller as she watched until it was just a beautiful blue and green ball. When the other ships became visible she turned to face her husband.

“Are you ready for what comes next?” she asked him.

Despite the tenderness and intense physical intimacy the night before, Adelina felt separate. She wasn’t interested in being touched quite yet, and somehow Varan knew. He smiled and slipped his hands in his pockets.

“I’m ready to meet these bastards after so many rumors and shady reports from my spies. It will be quite the adventure.” His cocky grin made her smile and Adelina walked slowly down the corridor. The Jasmine was massive. It was roughly the size of one of the palace wings.

Small fighter ships lined up in rows upon rows. Her mechas and armory were displayed, locked and guarded. From the inventory lists, Varan had gotten his slippery fingers on three worldbreakers and enough ammunition to take out an entire legion of Neprijat, or Drakesthai. Whatever the situation called for.

“Somehow we managed all this,” Adelina said, taking it in.

Warriors and various other workers watched her and Varan, but they all knew her. Most had been at the party where she’d revealed herself, and then some of the others knew her through the hiring process.

Adelina had approved every single one of them.

“I knew we could,” Varan said. “Though the reasons for the trip are different. We are no longer running away, but towards something.”

She stopped in the center of the hangar and looked up. The space had to be about five stories high. It was so massive she felt tiny and lost. Adelina hadn’t had time to fully explore her ship. She only knew the basic layout and ironically the engine rooms from when she’d helped Roxy.

“Would you like me to show you around, wife?” Varan asked with a teasing smile, his arm held out to escort her.

Adelina took it and nodded. “Show me everything.”

Varan took her through the hangar the long way, stopping to talk with warriors and engineers alike. They all thanked her for the once in a lifetime opportunity, but Adelina had a difficult time accepting their gratitude when she didn’t know what would befall them during the trip.

This could very well mean their death.

The dark thought made her pause and she felt the old nervousness pull at her, making her fingers tingle. Her anxiety rose up hard and fast, closing her airway as it clawed at her from the inside out. She tried to focus on keeping her breathing steady and the smile on her face.

But of course, Varan noticed. Pulling her aside he checked her face and neck with soft fingers. He frowned when he found it clammy. Taking her hand he placed it on his chest as he had once before. “Breathe with me, and tell me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t protect them all,” she whispered, breathing in when he did. “This was a massive mistake. We should turn around, or head to the border instead. I don’t think I can do this.”

“It’s not a mistake,” Varan reassured her, keeping his voice low and soothing. “This is the best thing we could do for our people.” He bent down so she had to look into his eyes and the green depths were so calm and sure Adelina nodded in agreement, feeling some of the panic ease.

“Do you trust me to be honest?” Varan asked.

Again she nodded, tugging her skirts just so. Varan had never been anything other than honest, even when she hadn’t wanted him to be.

“If I had thought for one second this wouldn’t work, that there wasn’t some small chance for success, I would have told you that you were out of your mind and declined the offer to come along.” Varan searched her eyes, her face, trying to see into her.

Adelina took a deep, cleansing breath and pulled her shoulders back. “You’re right. And regardless, there’s no going back now.”

It sounded like false bravado, but with Varan beside her Adelina knew she could accomplish anything. He eased her fears in ways she’d never experienced. They calmed under his touch and gave her back the control she needed. Her friend and husband anchored her to reality which she desperately needed on occasion.

Varan cocked his head to the side and took a step back, but he didn’t let go of her hand. The beating of his heart relaxed her. “You aren’t stuck in this situation. If you wanted to turn around, or simply chose to head straight to the front lines we could. You are the one in control. There is no one to tell you no, or that you must do something you don’t want to.”

Adelina closed the distance between them and ran her free hand up his arm, feeling the muscles. The scent of winterflowers surrounded her and she breathed it in, closing her eyes to center herself.

“What would I do without you?” she asked, opening her eyes to smile up at him. “It’s only been one day and already I have no clue how I lived without you.”

Varan’s expression was serious as he touched the line of her jaw, her cheek, and then traced her lips. “I don’t know how I ever thought I was happy or fulfilled before. You’ve been the piece that was missing in my life, Lina.”

She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. The taste of him was spice and desire; love and adoration. Varan was so in love with her and Adelina could hardly stand it. She loved him more than she ever thought possible. How had they fallen so hard and so fast?

Like shooting stars.

Adelina pulled back as she felt the heat and desire for him grow. She still had the tour to take, and needed to ensure Joslynn and Roxy were settled in. Nadyah was already in her quarters setting things up.

She would check in on her courtesan and change her outfit into something a little less flashy. Then they could finish looking over The Jasmine.

“Take me to my quarters and then you can show me the rest of Roxy’s masterpiece.” Adelina tapped Varan’s bottom lip and smiled at him. They had five days to themselves. Five whole days she could explore him and learn what else he liked.

“As you wish, my love. Nadyah will be happy to see you I’m sure,” he teased.

“Yes,” Adelina murmured. “I need to speak with her about future arrangements. It’s quite fortunate you aren’t the jealous type.” She elbowed him in the ribs as they took a lift up innumerable floors.

It only took a few minutes to reach her quarters on the top floor, but she hesitated outside the room. “Yours are attached?” she asked as they stood outside.

Had they managed to do what she asked? Would she feel comfortable and safe in this new place? How would they manage sharing walls? They hadn’t talked about it specifically, but Adelina knew Varan and Nadyah could never be shared together. Their convoluted past would complicate things, but Adelina wondered if perhaps Varan couldn’t watch at least once…

Adelina shook her head to disperse the tantalizing thought and placed her palm on the door, resolute and sure. It slid open when it recognized her DNA and golden seal.

“It’s unfortunate we did not have the time to get your royal seal,” she murmured.

Varan flashed his ring and grinned at her. “I’m not overly concerned when I’m wearing a ring you made for me.”

“It was a simple design,” she said, stepping into the sitting room. “I am pleased you are satisfied with it.”

Nadyah sat on the couch with her feet tucked underneath her and a book in her hands. Varan looked between the two of them and took the door that was meant to be his. Adelina waited until it slid closed behind him before speaking.

“Have you settled in?” she asked Nadyah, crossing the elegant sitting room to sit next to her courtesan.

“Everything has been unpacked,” Nadyah told her.

Adelina looked around at the large sitting room they were all to share. As The Jasmine was her flagship Adelina had asked for some changes to be made to the way her quarters were done. The same changes she planned to have done to her rooms at the palace.

The massive sitting room had a small dining table with a nearby food processor, a large sofa, an oversized velvet chair, and a low table set before them. One wall was lined with shelves that currently had only a handful of items, including the unread books her father had left her in the royal library before he’d passed. One entire wall was a clear window with velvet drapes framing the endless stars, the sun in the distance, and a few planets Adelina recognized.

The constellations of the gods and goddesses were easy to pick out and Adelina said a silent prayer to the Three-Faced Goddess and Amora the goddess of love – to protect them on this trip and help her with the transition into the next phase of her life.

What made this set up unique was the way her quarters were off the main sitting room. As were Nadyah’s, Varan’s, and two other sets of rooms. Roxy had opted to stay in a set of rooms near the engines, but Adelina had wanted her inner circle close to her. Even Joslynn was set up in the fourth room. Adelina had known when she’d approved the designs that she may one day need them for children, for spouses…

It was as cozy and comfortable as she’d hoped, but it would take time to get used to the new arrangements.

“Nadyah, how is this meant to work now?” Adelina asked in Ilashyan, glancing at Varan’s closed door – right beside hers. “Now that I am wedded to Varan how do we complete the camerraleto?”

Nadyah smiled and set her book aside. “However you like. We only have a few more positions to learn and I believe you are otherwise ready. You’ve successfully adapted the methods of seduction and flirtation to your own style. I believe you could make anyone do anything you wished now, including these Drakesthai we are to meet.”

Adelina felt herself blush with pleasure and pride. For Nadyah to believe she was ready – there was no higher praise. But Adelina did feel regret that it would soon be over. That her courtesan would have to move back to the House of Kismet…

“I suppose it is prudent I stole you away for this trip,” she said with a sad smile, keeping to the language of females. Adelina planned to confide in Varan, but she didn’t want him overhearing such a sensitive subject. “I won’t have to return you to Mistress Jael right away.”

“There is no rush, my love,” Nadyah said gently. “I could claim the camerraleto incomplete for as long as you wish, but I also believe you’ve done everything I’ve asked of you and more with the skill and grace any courtesan would be envious of. To be truthful, I’m not prepared to leave you quite yet.”

It was exactly what she’d needed to hear. Adelina sat down on the couch and wrapped her arms around Nadyah’s waist, breathing her in. The innocuous scent of cactus blossom filled her nose and soothed her. “I don’t believe it makes sense to ask you to join Varan and I, or vice versa, but there are a few instances I’d be willing to try.” The blush deepened and her cheeks heated with embarrassment. Adelina was still shy, but she could ask for what she wanted. She was simply grateful Varan couldn’t understand her words. Their closeness was still so new. Nadyah – she could tell her anything.

“I do have to watch you at least once,” Nadyah confessed. “But I’m sure we could arrange for Varan to observe.” Her smile widened and she kissed Adelina softly on the lips.

It was quick and innocent, but Adelina had missed the taste of her courtesan. She reached out and slipped her hand around Nadyah’s neck, pulling her in close. Adelina slipped her tongue in Nadyah’s mouth, tasting and teasing. She bit her bottom lip, fingers tightening on Nadyah’s neck.

It had been too long since their last training session, their last tryst. Adelina felt her desire flare. She wanted to crawl onto Nadyah’s lap, or slip to the floor and part those creamy thighs to taste her underneath the flowing skirts. But this was not a private space. Anyone with rooms in her quarters had access.

So Adelina pulled away, enjoying the dazed look on Nadyah’s face. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered in Ilashyan. “A male could never change the way I want you, need you in my life.”

Nadyah blinked and looked away. “There is something I need to tell you.”

Those words struck a strange fear into her heart and Adelina pulled back, slipping on her court mask for safety’s sake. “You know you can tell me anything, Nadyah.”

She’d never seen those sapphire eyes so haunted or guilty. Adelina nearly changed her mind. Did she really want to know whatever could make Nadyah look like that?