Lady Veri – heir to the planet Priea – tried to make herself smaller as Hayden’s mother – the archduchess of the planet Avvis – beckoned to the servant. Veri was a guest of the Avvis family at the moment, and not a willing one. There were only two reasons she was even on Avvis to begin with and not her beloved homeworld of Priea.

Her father, Lord Greyson was the Marquis of Priea. He had sent a request for Veri to visit the Avvis family seat and she had done so without question, but it was not for the same reasons her father had.

Her father wanted information; he wanted to know what the Avvis family planned, he wanted to know if they were still loyal to the royal family and the soon-to-be queen, Princess Raena.

Veri reported to him every week as required, but personally she was there for Hayden, the golden boy of the Draga galaxy and heir to the Avvis planet and fortune. Ever since they met last year at the mid-cycle party his family threw every season they’d stolen moments together whenever they could.

Afternoon tea was dreadful and tedious. Veri tucked a teal curl behind her slightly pointed ear and sighed. The main wall of the parlor was thick plas-glass which allowed the sunlight to stream in but kept the insects out. The garden right outside was a glory to behold. Avvis was the most fertile planet in the galaxy with Pedranus at a close second. Veri was envious as her own planet, Priea, was much smaller and their jungles made harvest difficult. She tried to comfort herself with the reminder Avvis would be hers one day as well as Priea when she finally married Hayden.

The archduchess raised a brow at Veri from across the room, the letter in her hands clearly from the royal palace on Draga Terra. Veri refused to leave the parlor despite Indra’s obvious hint. She had every right to be there.

Veri m’Lian d’Priea was the heir to all of Priea and Indra would treat her as such whether she wanted to or not. The Priea Marquise was not much lower than the Avvis Duchy in rank. Indra needed to screw her head on straight. She was not the damn queen of the galaxy.

After an annoyed look, Indra turned to her daughter and transformed her face into that of a proud mother. “Oh Masha, it is the invitation for the Avvis family to attend the royal Choosing Ball,” Indra cooed as she read the extravagant linen invitation. Hayden’s sister Masha simply smiled and nodded, ever the submissive, knowing her mother did not actually expect a reply to her exclamation.

The royal family of Draga did not send out simple transmissions like the rest of the galaxy. No, they wanted to ensure everyone was reminded of their wealth and power. The gold the palace must have spent on the linen, let alone the number of couriers who would need to be timed perfectly to reach each family seat on each of the nine planets of the Draga galaxy at the same time…Veri almost couldn’t fathom the resources required.

The Draga royal family ruled over all of Draga galaxy from the first planet in their solar system – Deytis, to the last planet at the edge of their space in the outer rim – the planet Seprilles. The capitol planet Draga Terra housed the royal palace and the whole Draga family including the cousins. But the entire Draga galaxy and each noble family recognized the rule of the monarchy and pledged their banners to the Sons and Daughters of Draga.

The power of the Dragas was something she wished she could have, and then maybe Indra wouldn’t treat her like the hired help.

“Masha, there is also a special request for you to perform during Princess Adelina’s coming-of-age celebration. How wonderful!” Indra went on in a sweet tone that made Veri’s teeth ache.

Masha blushed and Veri fisted her hands in her skirts. She wanted to slap some sense into the girl.

A small chime distracted her and Veri slipped her simulcast from the hidden pocket of her dress. Her mother had just sent her a cast with a pic of the same royal invitation. Veri nearly grinned before she remembered the archduchess’s hawk-like eyes on her.

“It looks like the Priea family will be attending as well,” Veri said softly, keeping her eyes downcast with a small smile on her face.

Indra hated her, it was best to pretend deference and submission to the archduchess, though anyone with a nose could sense the real dominant.

Indra’s eyes narrowed but she said nothing. Immediately she turned her attention back to her daughter and went on about which of her dance routines she should perform for the coming-of-age party. Veri ignored them both and wondered where Hayden had gone off too. He generally hated afternoon tea and Veri couldn’t blame him for that, but she did blame him for abandoning her with his awful mother.

Veri turned to the plas-glass wall and watched the butterflies swirl around the summer-berry bushes. Perhaps she should take a walk in the garden rather than pretend to enjoy tea.

“Lady Veri, can I get you anything else?” a quiet servant girl asked.

Veri liked her in particular for her soft-spoken ways and how she fixed her tea and sandwiches similar to the kind she would have on Priea. She wasn’t used to the heavy foods of Avvis. On Priea they generally ate more fruits and vegetables than meat.

“Yes,” she replied quietly. “Have you seen the Archduke Hayden?” The girl curtseyed and murmured her response before disappearing.

Veri could feel Indra’s eyes on her again but ignored the woman. Veri tucked her simulcast back into her dress pocket with plans to pack as soon as possible. She had had enough of this place and Indra’s constant, silent accusations. The archduchess’s obvious hatred for Veri and the threat she posed to Veri’s plans for Hayden, had tried her very thin patience.

The quiet servant girl returned with a fresh cup of tea and placed it on the carved side-table next to Veri. The cup and saucer were gold and shone like the sun. Veri was about to stand when she heard Indra carry on and instantly she froze at the words the archduchess so carelessly spoke.

“It will be wonderful. We all know the Dragas are looking to pair off their daughters with this ball, especially Princess Raena. She will need an heir soon after her coronation. Hayden would be such a lovely king,” Indra rambled, eyes sparkling at the prospect of such power. “And you Masha, there are two legitimate princes; let’s not speak of the bastard as an actual option.”

Indra’s voice was disgusted but Veri had heard the bastard was actually a legitimate lord and very easy on the eyes. His father the king adored him as did the rest of the royal family.

Veri felt sick to her stomach as the sparkle in the archduchess’s eye turned to a hard glint. “If Hayden cannot become king, one of my children will rule.” Her voice was resolute and determined. The crafty look on Indra’s face made the breath in Veri’s chest short. “There is always the Neprijat King for you Masha. He is looking for a bride, or so I’ve heard.”

Her mind reeled. The archduchess spoke treason. If Indra had contact with the Neprijat monsters…Veri stopped her thoughts from going any further. Why would the archduchess say such things in front of her? She had to be testing Veri, poking to see if she was a spy. Veri wouldn’t fall for Indra’s stupid games.

She stood from her chair, the tea untouched, and excused herself quietly. Those hawk eyes watched her every move closely. Veri forced herself to walk sedately from the parlor, blind to the luxuries as she exited into the stone hall. Finally, she could take a deep breath, one hand to her stomach as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Hayden was somewhere on the grounds, practicing as the servant girl had said. Veri needed to find him; she needed a distraction from the politics and intrigue. She also needed confirmation of the Avvis family possibly being in contact with the usurper before she left for Draga Terra.

The Neprijat were from another galaxy far, far from theirs and their neighbors. Not much was known about them except they possessed weapons more advanced than anything their galaxy or even Khara’s had seen. Draga was peaceful, and had been at peace with the Khara galaxy for decades.

War was on the horizon, but Veri didn’t know if it would be from within, or from outside Draga space.

Veri needed Hayden’s gentle reassurance and kind words. Veri wanted the safety of his arms around her. She hurried down the empty hall, her soft slippers silent on the stone beneath her feet. Hayden wouldn’t be in the garden outside the parlor as his mother would be able to watch him from there, and the heir to Avvis despised his mother’s scheming. It was part of what Veri loved about him.

The stone steps led out of the castle and she followed them around to the back where the food for the noble family was grown and the animals were kept. Veri passed the stables and headed to the practice yard and the barracks.

Avvis not only supplied most of the galaxy with their wide variety of food, but they also held the largest army in the galaxy, large enough to rival the royal army of Draga Terra. Peace was kept with the constant preparation and training for war. A battle hadn’t been fought in over three hundred cycles, but Veri’s grandfather remembered the blood that ran through the streets like rivers and how the plants soaked it up like gory reminders when the winterflowers bloomed red instead of white.

She could hear the sounds of metal clash on metal before she saw the practice yards where the soldiers trained every day. Her skirts snagged on the bushes as she passed but she didn’t care about the fabric. Hayden was her only thought. She nearly burst through the aggressively pruned trees and suddenly the space opened wide and the fields went on as far as the eye could see. Veri stopped abruptly and swept her gaze over the men training in the dirt before the barracks.

Hayden was in the center square, paired with the Master of the Guard. Hundreds of other soldiers were paired off, each in their own practice square and the sound of metal deafened her. Though Veri rather enjoyed the shouts and grunts of exertion, the beauty and grace in each figure as they moved, but none of them moved with as much grace and power as Hayden.

Veri climbed the stairs of the barracks office building and then watched the soldiers from the terrace. She rested her arms on the railing and leaned forward. Finally, her mind was her own again and the poison from Indra’s shrill voice dissipated.

She watched as Hayden sidestepped quickly before giving the Master of the Guard a playful swat with the flat side of his blade. The sound of male laughter and good-natured jibes reached her ears and she relaxed.

Being heir of a noble family was no easy task. She and Hayden had that in common. She was supposed to find a good match, learn how to run her family business, and keep the citizens of her planet happy. She enjoyed her work, but she yearned for more.

Hayden looked up and the sun caught the blond highlights in his hair. He smiled at Veri. Her heart stuttered as she smiled back. His brown eyes melted her from the inside out and all her worries seemed so inconsequential in comparison.

A tiny flash of fear made Veri look over her shoulder, but no one was there to witness their exchange.

Indra had made it clear she would never approve of Veri as a marriage prospect for Hayden. He was too good for her and was meant to be king. Veri didn’t disagree Hayden would make a great king, but she would be his queen.

She watched as he spoke a few words with the Master of the Guard before handing him his sword. Hayden made his way to the barracks as he wiped the sweat from his bare chest with a cloth and she watched with pleasure. She loved the way he tasted after he’d been practicing. His skin was always warm and his muscles hard against her soft curves.

Hayden made his way up the steps before leaning his back against the railing next to her. “How was tea?” he asked. His arm was so close to hers that his fingers barely brushed the fabric of her dress.

The nearness of him had her wanting to throw caution to the wind, but they couldn’t afford for anyone to see them act as more than the courteous friendship Hayden owed a Daughter of Priea.

“It was dreadful as usual,” she told him. Her eyes stayed on the soldiers below, but she could feel the heat from his skin and his bare chest tempted her. “We’ve all been invited to the royal Choosing Ball and your mother is excited to sell you to the crown princess.”

Hayden sighed and turned to face the practice yard as well. The afternoon sun was heavy and hot, almost too hot for Veri’s liking. His mouth turned down into a grim and determined line. Suddenly her stomach dropped and she felt as though she may vomit.

“You wouldn’t marry Princess Raena, would you?” Oh gods what if he did? Did Hayden even really care for her or was it all a distraction?

It was so difficult to tell when they had to steal the little time they had together.

He shrugged. “My mother believes our family should rule the Draga galaxy. I’m ninth in line to the throne and only if none of the royal children produce any heirs.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “I am grateful I would never rule the kingdom, but if the crown princess proposed to me I would not dishonor her by refusing. Peace is important and our two families have always been on the brink of a civil war thanks to the addiction of power.”

Hayden was an honorable man.

“Even if you don’t love her?” she asked, her voice trembled with the emotion she tried to hold back.

He sighed and his large shoulders and broad chest heaved with the motion. “Yes Veri, even though I don’t love her.” He took her hand in a rare show of affection and looked deep in her eyes. “But you have nothing to worry about. The crown princess will never choose me for her husband.”

Veri took her hand from his and didn’t feel reassured.

Hayden pushed from the balcony and grasped her hand again. He brushed his lips over her knuckles as he bowed. “I hope you enjoy your time in the library, Lady Veri,” he said before he retreated into his office to change.

He would expect her among the library stacks within the hour. She debated not going, but it was the only way they could be together while his mother still actively disapproved of a match between them. Her father had already presented the request for their marriage, but the archduchess said she would have to wait and see if Veri was the best option for her heir.

In other, less polite words she had said no.

The idea of him marrying someone else made her physically sick. Despite her concern and hesitation, Veri’s feet already moved toward the castle of their own accord. Veri loved Hayden. She would do anything for him. Punishing him by refusing to see him would only punish her as well.

The transition from bright sun to dark stone momentarily blinded her. Veri weaved her way through the halls towards the largest room in the center of the castle. The familiar smell of the dark and rarely used library set her blood boiling and her heart racing. Veri headed towards the back where the history books were.

She looked for her favorite, a book on the ancient warrior queen who wrested Draga from a tyrant nearly two thousand cycles ago. Her finger traced the spine and suddenly a warm hand came around and pressed on her stomach. She was pulled against Hayden’s warm body which smelled of soap. The fragrance warred with his natural lilac scent.

She gasped and grabbed the hand holding her to him, his hard muscles and hard cock pressed against her backside. Veri had no idea how he got to the library so quickly or what secret entrance he had used this time, but she didn’t care. She only cared about the feeling of his lips on her neck and the way his warm breath gave her shivers.

“Hayden,” she murmured as she turned and placed her hands on his smooth face.

Veri kissed him gently and reveled in the feeling of his fingers twined in her teal curls and the soft kisses he gave her in return.

“I’m so sorry,” he told her, whispering it over and over. “I only want you.”

She smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms tight around his neck, her more dominant orange blossom scent tangled pleasantly with his. “Say it again,” she demanded, kissing him hard.

Her tongue traced his lower lip and Hayden groaned. He pressed himself harder against her until the bookshelf dug into her spine.

“I only want you,” Hayden said again. His hands gripped her hips brutally and he lifted her. Her legs wrapped around his waist naturally, slippers falling to the floor when his rough hand traced her soft skin from her ankle, up her knee to her thigh, pushing her dress up and out of the way.

Veri was already wet and ready. She wanted him more than she wanted food or water. She needed him like she needed air. She would die without his touch. Her fingers went to the laces of his pants and she undid them as quickly as she could. His other hand traced the top of her dress to brush gently across the curve of her breast. When she groaned he yanked the fabric of her bodice down to expose her bare breast.

Hayden dipped his head and brought her nipple deep into his mouth. His tongue did wicked things to her. Veri pushed him back and could not get his laces undone quickly enough. She shoved his pants down with her toes the second they were loose and she grabbed his hard cock. She didn’t have the patience to be gentle. He growled as he took her breast, mouth warm and wet. Hayden ground his hips against hers as she stroked him, teasing them both.

Veri could spend all day in his arms. She could spend all night showing him how much she loved him, but she only had these few stolen moments and she would make them count. Her wetness dripped down her thighs as she placed the head of his cock to her entrance. Veri’s heart pounded as he pushed against her gently, her pussy tight enough to resist him.

He brought his head up to kiss her neck and then her jaw. When his mouth reached hers, he thrust and groaned when he slid partially in. Veri gasped and rolled her hips at the exquisite sensation of him stretching and filling her. She kissed him hard; dipping her tongue into his mouth, stealing what she could before reality came crashing back. The taste of him electrified her and slowly he pulled out before thrusting hard enough to fill her completely. She gasped and gripped his shoulders tight, nails digging into his skin as she tried to keep quiet.

One day she would scream for him.

Hayden released one of her hips and placed his hand over her mouth as he groaned, deep and low. The large, calloused hand holding her up repositioned so he held her by the ass and squeezed her flesh as he thrust again. Veri couldn’t help her moan as he hit the end of her channel with each stroke.

The pressure of his body on her clit made her wild and she rode him faster and harder, one hand clutching him as the other used the bookcase for leverage. Their tempo increased and she felt the pressure building, her pleasure rising as he seemed to get harder inside of her. Veri knew he was close. She dragged her fingernails across his shoulder as his hand pressed harder against her mouth.

“Come for me, Veri.” Hayden thrust all the way into her.

She could only nod against his hand as she breathed hard. The way he said her name, husky and forceful drove her mad.

He demanded her release and she would give it to him. He drove into her again and again and the mounted pleasure suddenly burst as she screamed into his hand. He thrust harder and faster as she clenched tightly around him. She could feel as he became harder than a rock. It amplified her pleasure and she did not stop riding him as his seed burst into her, filling her as his cock pulsed. She rode him even when he stilled and moaned against her throat, biting down on her tender flesh to keep as quiet as possible.

When he stopped pulsing inside of her she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. His seed leaked down her thigh. Veri smiled knowing she could do that to him.

“I love you, Hayden,” she murmured.

He buried his hands in her hair and kissed her hard and possessively. Hayden was a passionate lover. “Veri,” he said her name again and she shivered with pleasure. “I love you.”

She knew she would do anything for this male. Including making him king if that was the only way she could have him.