Adelina stood outside the council room with her hands clasped in front of her. There had been an emergency summons from Raena and she was terrified of the reason for her presence. Alpha was on one side and Nadyah the other. Her guard had fetched her in the midst of studying those discs Varan had given Nash.

At the thought of Prince Nash her heart constricted in her chest and she had to breathe through the pain. Adelina had no word from him since he’d left Draga Terra three days ago. Such a short time, yet it had felt like an eternity to her.

Despite the presence of Nadyah, Joslynn, and occasionally Alpha – she felt alone. It had made her anxiety resurface in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Her control was impeccable thanks to Nadyah’s training, but if she let herself think about her sister or Nash and the danger they were in…the danger she could be in if Raena selected Marcel of Ushanov as her husband, or even Prince Ajax.

Or maybe the jilted male Raena did not choose for her own husband. It would pacify their family to be given at least one princess if not the next queen. That meant Hayden and Alock could be options. Alock would not be so bad, but something about Hayden set off her warning bells. Her instincts told her to run as far as she could from him.

“What are they waiting for?” Alpha muttered. “Where are Prince William and Prince Asher?”

“They are already inside,” Nadyah hissed. “They always attend War Councils.”

Adelina ignored their bickering. Raena would request her presence when she was ready and no sooner.

Panic rose as her thoughts raced, considering all the terrible reasons she could have been sent for. Had her sister somehow found out that she’d disobeyed her order? Had she learned of Adelina’s relationship with Nash? The anxiety threatened to choke her. Adelina breathed and pushed back the dizziness. The nausea was difficult to ignore, but vertigo was better than difficulty breathing.

Nash had been a distraction. A wonderful, beautiful distraction she had desperately needed to forget about the reality of her life. Now that he was gone she couldn’t ignore it any longer. And her feelings for him hadn’t dissipated as she thought they might. Perhaps she needed more time, but ever since Nash left she’d felt a bit…empty. Despite the burning purpose she felt to do anything in her power to help her people. There was a piece of her heart missing. She felt it like a hole constantly seeping.

Adelina only hoped he would find his way back to her soon.

The studies of the Drakesthai had been helpful and the reason she felt comfortable with her request. She was supposed to make a formal plea to travel as an ambassador the next day, but she supposed she could bring it up during the War Council if there was an opportunity.

The doors flew open and Caspian looked harried as he ushered her in. Adelina’s heart jumped into her throat, but she slipped on her small smile and let Alpha escort her. Her grip on his arm was tight as she took in the terrified faces around her. The War Council was different than those every day council meetings she attended and her people were inexperienced with war, floundering and struggling.

King Orion was present, but he looked brittle and hollow compared to the strong male he had been only a few months before. It made her heart ache to see him so sick and weak. The hours they spent in the royal library together were precious, but it was like watching him waste away right in front of her.

All eyes instantly went to Adelina when Raena motioned for her to stand before the dais.

Asher and William were seated, even Ian was present. Queen Adele strangely sat in Raena’s chair, and Raena sat in the Queen’s throne…Giselle’s throne was empty and then Adelina’s breath came in short bursts and it was difficult to fully fill her lungs.

The pounding of her heart grew louder and Adelina felt nerves flutter in her stomach, tightening the muscles in her shoulders and abdomen. Still she held her shoulders back and her chin up. Those eyes around her noted the difference in her appearance with the darker makeup, the black lacquer nails that had become her signature.

The amethyst swung heavily between her breasts as she took a step. The gauzy white spidersilk of her dress split to show her thigh and the gold heels she wore. The gold torque necklace at her throat was plain, but pure and glittering. The diamonds dangling from her ears were the only other jewels she wore. It was simple, yet elegant. Two more steps and she took a slow, deep breath.

The hushed silence made Adelina want to curve her shoulders inward, protecting her from the stares and the whispers, from the recorders zooming in on her. Without looking up she curtseyed so low it was nearly an insult. Adelina carefully toed that line and held the position.

“Princess Adelina, you may rise.”

Raena watched her like a hawk and Adelina tried not to swallow too hard as she clasped her hands before her again.

“I’m told you have intel on the dragons no one else possesses.”

It was difficult not to flinch. Who in all the hells had told her?

“Yes, Crown Princess. I have managed to acquire some intel from the Prince of Thieves.”

Raena grinned. “I quite like that male. Now, tell me what it is you plan to do with it?”

Recorders zoomed in, but there was a crackle on the blank screen, one that usually displayed the livestream. It wasn’t allowed in War Council meetings, but it powered to life on its own and every single one of them turned to look at the display as screams and explosions flickered.

Then there was a hair-raising screech she had only heard once before in her life.

Adelina felt sick, but she couldn’t look away from the carnage. Those Neprijat hounds tore her people to pieces as they tried to run. A flag fluttered in the wind as glass rained down from the domes. Seprilles – there was an attack on Seprilles.

The lord and lady of Seprilles jumped to their feet and guards had to hold them back as they pleaded with Raena to do something.

Adelina looked up at her sister and the look of horror on the Crown Princess’s face was not reassuring. She seemed frozen in shock.

Asher stood and looked around, as if searching for someone to blame. “Caspian, what is the meaning of this?”

“Hello princeling.”

That voice made Adelina shudder and it took everything she had not to vomit. It was the same voice she’d heard on the vid six months ago when the royal family of Khara Prime had been raped and slaughtered for all to witness.

The voice was dry and crackled. It was a whispering sound of death, and even Asher froze.

“I am the Neprijat King.”

The violence and destruction gave way to a male’s face in a room, one Adelina hadn’t seen for six months. Her knees went weak as his eyes found hers. “Goddess, protect me,” she whispered. This wasn’t a recording, this was a transmission. How could they send a transmission so far?

“My forces are currently stripping the life from Seprilles. Congratulations on your victory with Treon though.” The Neprijat King gave a mocking nod. His skin was so pale, and his hair was so white. His eyes were a deep black, and the contrast disturbed her.

“What do you want?” Raena snapped.

Her dominant voice wavered though and Adelina glanced at Asher. The grim look on his face told her he’d felt it as well.

“I’m here to ask you for your hand in marriage, dear Raena. Make me your King and I will make you my Queen.”

Raena became white as a sheet.

The entire council room hushed and Adelina could barely breathe as the recorders sensed the change in emotions and flew around the room in circles, trying to catch everyone’s reaction.

“If you accept my proposal I will retract my forces and let your people live. If you deny me I will let my hounds finish their feast.”

Bile rose up and Adelina couldn’t help how her hand held her throat in pure horror and terror. She’d never felt anything like it before. She couldn’t even run. Her feet were frozen to the floor and if the Neprijat King had prowled towards her right then and there she would have done nothing.

“Crown Princess,” Caspian whispered, reading the display on his shreve. “I’m getting reports corroborating the…King’s statement. Seprilles is asking for aid, and black ships are destroying every outpost they can find. The shield is stuttering. It won’t close if all the outposts in that area have been eradicated.”

Adelina wanted to collapse, but she looked to Asher. He would know what to do. Her brother took the steps two at a time until he was by her side. Instantly his warmth leached into her and Adelina pressed her shoulder against his.

“What promise do we have that you will not murder my sister on your wedding night?” Asher demanded. Somehow he managed to glare at the Neprijat King, never once blinking or looking away.

The King grinned and his mouth was full of sharp, glittering black teeth made for ripping and rending. “None at all.”

Raena stood slowly and Adelina’s grip on her throat tightened. Mala, please protect her sister.

“As future queen I cannot accept such an offer,” Raena said. “I’ve already chosen Lord Alock as my future husband and king.”

Gasps and murmurs. So, Adelina wasn’t the only one who hadn’t known. Had she even made it official with the contracts?

“But I can offer a marriage to a royal. My sister Adelina just came of age.” Raena waved her arm and the Neprijat King’s smile turned on her, as did the horrified gaze of everyone in that room.

Adelina dropped to her knees. Her entire body shook and she couldn’t look up. Asher’s hand gripped her shoulder tight and she could hear him snarling through the roar in her head.

“You dare, Raena?” Asher demanded.

The Neprijat King chuckled. “As much as I love a good bit of drama, I need a queen not a princess. If you and Giselle are willing to give up your lives for this one to be queen…” The Neprijat shrugged. “Then I’d be happy to marry the quivering princess.”

Those black eyes narrowed and Adelina gripped Asher’s hand hard enough she heard his bones creak. Could this really be happening, could her sister really have offered her up on a platter for the monster to devour?

“Are you giving up your life?” the king hissed.

Raena shuddered, but she squared her shoulders. “I’m sorry we couldn’t come to an accord. It looks like we’ll have to battle for the freedom of my people.”

The king’s laugh was like crunching, cracking bones and the livestream flickered to nothing but the death screams of their people on Seprilles.

Raena barked out orders, ordering every available soldier in the outer rim to aid Seprilles and protect the outposts until the shield could close. A transmission was sent to Nash and Adelina flinched. Her Prince accepted his orders and went to protect her people. They didn’t have the tech for long distance vid-chats so even his face was kept from her.

Never once did Asher leave her side, and she refused to stand.

The roaring in her head was too much and she had to breathe. She’d expected this, but the reality had been more frightening than she ever could have imagined. The only thing that kept her sane was the reminder of Alpha’s promise. He would kill her before he would ever let the Neprijat take her. And Nash would have torn the universe to pieces to get her back.

If she was still alive.

But the monster didn’t want a princess, he wanted a queen.

Finally she looked up at her sister. Their father looked sick and his face was green. Why didn’t he say anything?

Maybe Raena was the one who had poisoned their father with the hypomalarya. Adelina despised the thought, but Raena was ruthless now. She was cruel.

Adelina needed to leave Draga Terra. Her life was at stake.

It took every ounce of strength she had to get to her feet. Asher helped her and one by one the people in the council went quiet as they watched her push back her shoulders once more and gather up every dreg of dominance and power she possessed.

“May I propose a strategy?” she asked. Her words were barely a whisper but all could hear her. A skill she’d learned from her courtesan.

Everyone leaned in to watch and listen. Recorders flitted around like mad.

Raena frowned at her interruption, but waved for her to continue.

“The intel I’ve received from the Prince of Thieves has given me an idea. You asked what I plan to do with it. As you know I’ve studied the way of the Drakesthai and their language for many cycles now. I plan to request an alliance with them; it would be prudent given our current situation. And I am not needed, considering the Neprijat King was not interested in my hand in marriage.” She let those last words ring and more than one person flinched at the reminder.

Adelina let her amethyst eyes blaze with the wolf she felt inside, the one she’d always run from. Her gaze held Raena’s and there was no desire to submit to her sister which was unusual.

“May I be sent to them as an emissary to request an alliance? With the dragons at our backs we may have a chance to keep the Neprijat from slaughtering us all.”

Whispers grew at her words.

“The shield will protect us for now, but it cannot stay up forever,” Adelina pressed.

She stared at Raena as the nobles murmured, no doubt noticing her ability to stand straight before one who was higher in dominance, and outranked her. Adelina didn’t want to challenge her sister’s rule, but she did need to do something before her entire world shattered at her feet.

“It is not safe for you to travel,” Raena said. “A royal outside the shield is too much to risk. Your life would be in danger.”

Rage flickered in her veins and the wolf inside snarled. She didn’t bother to push it back; she let it give her strength as she kept her face carefully blank. Asher took a step away from her as if he could sense it.

This was not a matter she could afford to give up on. All of Draga was counting on her to make this alliance, whether they knew it or not.

“What if I were able to bring warriors with me that would not take away from the Royal Army? Prince Varan has enough soldiers and mercenaries to accompany me without appearing as a threat.”

The livestream showed their meeting, and Adelina wondered who had given access to the War Council or if it was the Neprijat’s hack, she wondered if Raena knew all was being broadcast.

The Crown Princess was silent as she studied her youngest sister. Adelina breathed and endured the assessing gaze.

“Caspian, tell me how many speak the Drakesthai tongue?” Raena asked.

“Three are registered as fluent in the Draga galaxy, your highness. Princess Adelina is one of them.”

One of those other two had been Adelina’s teacher. Both of the males were far too old to travel. “If I could bring Nadyah d’Lara along,” she said softly, carefully – as though she tread over broken glass. “I would have plenty of protection between her and the Prince.”

Acknowledging the thief’s title in such an official setting was a risk, but he’d made a claim for her at the coming-of-age party with no protest from Raena. He’d been a guest of the Crown on multiple occasions and her father seemed to know him more intimately than rumors led them all to believe.

The silence was heavy. Adelina didn’t dare look away from her sister, the true predator in the room.

This was what Adelina was born for. As third in line to the throne she was expendable and a symbol of the Crown. She could travel where Raena could not. With three more legitimate heirs after her, Adelina had played her cards so carefully.

She needed to put distance between her and her future queen.

“I don’t like it, but I do believe it is the right choice. I will send a cast with the allowed budget. Gather what you need and come to me before you schedule a ship to leave. When Princess Giselle returns we will discuss your departure.”

Adelina sank into a deep curtsey. “May I be dismissed to begin arrangements?” Two weeks would barely be enough time to find engineers who could alter the starships she needed per Nash’s instructions.

Raena actually stepped down from the dais and took Adelina’s hands to pull her up. She kissed both of Adelina’s cheeks and then tipped her chin with a gentle finger so that she looked up into Raena’s eyes as an equal before them all.

“You know I never would have let that monster have you,” Raena said. “Your life is precious to me. I was merely trying to buy us time.”

Adelina searched her sister’s eyes. She sensed the truth of Raena’s words, and that made everything worse. Her sister was naïve enough to assume she could do anything after Adelina was given to the king, that he wouldn’t have ripped their galaxy to shreds if he’d been denied her after they’d promised him a princess.

“We will have to consider options for you, sweet sister. You say Varan can help you in your travels. Do you believe he will make an official offer for you? I’ve already received a few.”

Adelina didn’t want to know who had already offered. She simply wanted to get out of there so she could do anything not to remember what those black, soulless eyes had felt like when he’d considered her.

“I’m not sure, your highness.”

Raena tapped the gold seal on Adelina’s palm. “I’ve no doubt you will make all of Draga proud with your endeavors. Send me a cast and I will help you prepare for your travels. I look forward to seeing you at the Games later, dear sister.”

Adelina dipped another curtsey and then left the War Council. It took everything not to run. Asher caught her eye as she passed him and he gave her a nod. He would find her later no doubt. The doors closed behind her and Alpha remained in the council room.

Her gold heels tapped on the marble as she walked. Nadyah appeared out of one of the hidden alcoves where servants came and went unseen. She fell into step beside Adelina in silence.

Raena had really done it. She’d offered her up to the Neprijat like a lamb for slaughter. Whether she’d meant it or not, it had been done in front of them all. So easily she’d suggested the union, as if the thought had already occurred to her.

The simulcast in her pocket chimed and Adelina slipped it out. Varan’s face was on the screen and a massive wave of relief flooded through her. She opened up the transmission and Varan snarled over the vid-cast. Clearly he had seen the meeting.

“Yes, Prince?” Adelina asked, trying to hide the quaver in her voice.

“Whatever you need, I’m at your service.”