by Emma Dean
They just needed to get through the night, ask Varan for some DNA, and set up the alterations to the starships they needed. It wasn’t too much to ask, but with so many emotions running high it felt like one of the most difficult tasks she’d ever had to perform.
Nadyah stepped into Varan’s office after the prince and princess. Her eyes immediately went to the eyeballs bobbing around in the jars. They lined the ceiling on a shelf around the entire room. There were a few empty jars—waiting.
“Is everything all right?” Varan asked, glancing between Adelina and Nadyah. He leaned against his desk, arms crossed.
Nadyah gave him a kiss on the cheek in greeting and the thief tugged on one of her curls. “It’s been a rather – trying day,” Nadyah said. She took off Adelina’s cloak and then her own, hanging them to dry before inspecting the office again.
“I’d never considered what you’d look like as a dark-haired beauty, but it suits you,” Varan teased. Then his face grew serious as he studied the two of them. “The Games, was it?”
Adelina flicked a wary look to the thief. “Did you watch them?”
He shrugged. “We had them streaming on the largest viewer in the Ladrole. It was difficult to miss.” Varan went to the panel near his door and tapped a request, pressing his hand to seal the room.
A second later a tray of hot tea and delectables appeared in a chute. Nadyah raised a brow in question. She was positive such a contraption hadn’t been there the last time they’d been in the office.
“Since finding out our sweet Lina’s birthright I have set up a system to prevent as many prying eyes as possible, including removing a few servants from the Ladrole.” Varan took the tray and brought it over to the low table in the sitting area.
Nadyah brushed invisible dust off the couch before sitting. It looked more…battered than before. The chaise was also new. “Redecorated?” she asked.
Adelina sprawled on the chaise, one leg up on the cushion and the other firmly planted on the ground. She was the picture of nonchalance, but Nadyah knew better. There was a tenseness to the princess’s jaw and every once in a while she could see Adelina clench her teeth as though every movement was a trial to keep up the appearance of humanity.
“I had a bit of a brawl, nothing irreplaceable was damaged.” Varan served them both tea and selected a few choice bits for each of them before he sat on the couch as far away from Nadyah as he could get. He must still be irritated with her about what had happened at Adelina’s coming-of-age party.
Finally, those emerald eyes studied Adelina and she stiffened, so slight none would notice but those who knew her well. “That prick Hayden deserved it, and more,” Varan finally said.
The muscles in Adelina’s shoulders relaxed and so did Nadyah. “I need an update,” was all Adelina said. She left the food and drink untouched.
Nadyah sipped at the steaming, fragrant tea. It was delicious and gave her something to do. Varan was too observant; he’d eventually notice her sneaking glances. She’d have to ask him at some point, and the thief would want to know why she needed his DNA. Should she tell him the truth, or a half-truth?
Varan tossed his shreve to Adelina. “I have a few mercenary companies that have agreed to work for me. They are willing to take the oath. There are also the warriors I have access to. You will have to decide if you want them knowing the truth or not. No matter how good your disguise is, a few of them will notice similarities. All in all I have fifteen thousand profiles for you to go through, approve, and choose who comes with. They all know they will be taking our ships and not theirs, and that you will require them to wear your uniforms.”
Adelina’s eyes sparkled at that and she took out her own shreve to compare. Her fingers flew as she made notations. “I’ve actually been working on a new type of armor,” she confessed. “My factories will start producing it tomorrow if you have a few people willing to meet with me, and then test it. It should be stronger than anything – short of Corinthian tech. It will also be light enough you can’t even feel it.”
Varan leaned forward to watch her transfer data and pull up various different designs.
Nadyah hadn’t been told about the plans for the spidersilk armor, but she still monitored Adelina’s shreves, picking and choosing what to share with the Spider; whom she still had to speak to before they left. Perhaps Jael would come to the palace, or perhaps she and Adelina could request a visit to the House of Kismet.
If Adelina’s design held true it would be a breakthrough in strong and lightweight armor thanks to the help of a few of the weavers. It could save countless lives. Nadyah wondered if Adelina would share the design with Raena or not.
“I brought the tech Nash gave me to put into the starships,” Adelina continued, not once looking away from the shreves. “I’ll be taking one starship from our personal fleet, and the other two will be purchased for this occasion,” Adelina explained. “Once I became of age, I was supposed to be assigned a flagship of my own so this works out perfectly.”
Varan smirked and yanked her shreve right out of her hand. “Raena is allowing you to purchase starships? That is a lot of gold.”
Adelina snatched back the shreve and glared at him. “I will be paying for the starships myself. They will be owned by me personally so any attempts from the Crown to commandeer them have to go through me.”
Nadyah’s eyes widened. She wasn’t sure how much starships cost these days, but if the princess had that kind of gold lying around where did she keep it all? Then she smirked at Varan’s look of surprise; at least she wasn’t the only one who hadn’t known. It was good to know he didn’t have his fingers in as many pies as she’d originally assumed.
“Will we be shopping soon?” Nadyah asked, sipping her tea.
Adelina shook her head and made a few more transfers. “No, Varan will be.”
The male actually scoffed and those predatory eyes slid to him. Instantly Varan turned it into a cough and leaned back casually. Nadyah knew it was actually to get out of reach of those nails of Adelina’s. “I actually have already started searching, having anticipated the need,” he said simply, hands palms out.
She gave him a small smile and went back to work. “Perfect, we will need two starships – previously used, but with enough room for at least fourteen thousand between them. I can fit another five thousand if need be on my flagship which you, Varan, will help me choose as the most trustworthy and loyal out of them all. Then I will transfer the gold. Make sure to find a mechanic for me. One we will entrust with Nash’s tech. We will completely redo each of the starships including my flagship…and I want them done in a week.”
Adelina finished and tossed Varan the copy of Nash’s tech.
The thief wisely said nothing and Nadyah crossed her arms to wait and see what he would say.
“You said we weren’t leaving for at least two weeks,” he said, accepting his shreve from the princess.
Adelina placed a piece fruit into her mouth and Nadyah watched as she set it on her tongue, sensual enough Nadyah tucked her legs underneath her and looked away. It was the first time the two of them could really relax in days, or was it weeks? Even in the privacy of their rooms the weight of the palace was constantly on their minds. Raena’s room was too close for comfort.
Nadyah had gotten some good information from Caspian earlier and had already begun her own work to gather the supplies they would need for the trip. The budget Raena had sent over on a cast was so pitiful she’d nearly laughed. It was as though the crown princess wanted them to fail, to be unable to make the trip.
Varan shrugged. “I have a mechanic, but they will need a team to do what you want in that amount of time.”
Adelina simply stared at him. “I don’t care what it costs, Varan. Get this mechanic an entire army if you need to, but I want those ships ready as quickly as possible.”
Varan tapped those long, sinful fingers against the arm of the couch. “She is downstairs,” he said slowly. “Would you like me
to bring her up here?”
Nadyah glanced between the two of them. Bringing another into their circle would be a risk, but it had to happen at some point, may as well get it over with. “Is there a way to ensure this female’s absolute loyalty and discretion?” she asked, her voice sharper than she’d intended. “And this ‘team’ she will need, how do we keep them all from selling Nash’s tech to the highest bidder? Or the intel that Lina is the one who commissioned this work for a princess?”
Being suspicious was part of her job, and she could count on one hand the amount of people she trusted implicitly. It wasn’t likely Varan could promise none of the information would leak.
He flipped through the documents on his shreve and for a second Nadyah thought he was going to ignore her. That flash of rage inside eased when he said, “It is easy enough to make them sign contracts, parcel out the work so no one knows the whole plan except Roxy. You would have to bring her in to your circle,” Varan said. “If you’re really worried about it we can hire adequate grunts and then kill them all once the work is done.”
The nonchalant shrug, the lack of any emotion whatsoever about the prospect of killing so many people chilled Nadyah to the bone. It may become necessary but… “There has to be another way.”
Neither Varan nor Adelina replied.
Adelina looked thoughtful, not disgusted or horrified. Her princess had changed so much from the meek female she used to be, Nadyah didn’t always realize how much. Would Adelina put hundreds of people to death to keep a secret?
“If we keep the intel parceled out we should be fine, but I want your spies to keep an eye on them. I suppose I should meet them as well.” Adelina smirked. “I don’t think we’ll need to kill them all, but I appreciate the offer.”
Nadyah breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment she hadn’t been sure what Adelina would say. “Can we meet this mechanic now?” Nadyah asked.
Varan gave her a flashy grin. “I’ll send Roxy a cast.” Adelina lounged on the chair as Varan got out the liquor from his desk. “I have a feeling we’ll need this,” he said, pouring four glasses of his famous winterflower liquor. The sweet, spicy scent filled the air and Nadyah’s mouth watered.
She took the glass he handed her and watched as Varan gave Adelina hers. The smell of the liquor reminded her so much of Varan’s personal scent she wondered if licking the sweat from his skin would taste similar to the burning liquid on her tongue.
A few moments later there was a knock on the door and Varan crossed the room in two strides. “Hello Roxy, thank you for coming up so quickly.”
The female just snorted in response.
Maybe Nadyah would like her after all. Adelina gave her a look as though she agreed, a playful smile tugged on her lips but it was still a bit sharper than normal.
“What do you want Varan?” she demanded, her voice was husky and warm, a tad deeper than Nadyah’s own.
She tried to crane her neck to see around Varan, but he stubbornly blocked the doorway.
“I have a possible job for you if you’re interested, but there’s someone you need to meet first.”
Roxy shoved Varan out of the way.
Nadyah couldn’t help her choked laughter from escaping. Oh, she would definitely like this one.
The female was about the same height as Nadyah, if a little shorter and with so much fiery red hair that washing it had to be a nightmare. The curls were bouncy and thick, a beautiful mess that set off the freckles across her nose quite nicely. Nadyah hadn’t seen many people with that coloring, and only Lady Joslynn had hair so intensely red. The only difference was her dusky brown skin. It was as if Roxy were a living flame.
There wasn’t an accent so perhaps the girl had immigrated from Pedranus or her parents had at some point.
Those sharp green eyes flicked to Nadyah first and then Adelina. They were the color of malachite, of a beautiful pond or lake against white stone. Those full lips pursed when she recognized Lina. “I’ve met your thief before,” she snapped.
The temper on that one fueled a never-ending fire by the way her eyes simply blazed.
Roxy crossed her arms over a very full chest and glared at Varan. Her pants were a moss green, slung low on her waist and baggy, barely held up with the black belt. The boots she wore were similar to the ones Nadyah had borrowed from Adelina, but they looked well-worn with stains on the black leather.
What caught Nadyah’s eyes though was the shirt she wore. It was spidersilk with billowy sleeves that went to bands on her wrists. The black was see-through except for the black camisole underneath. Gold shimmered from multiple piercings in her ear and a gold choker necklace held a green stone in the hollow of her throat. It was such a contrast of lazy, messy comfort and femininity that it had Nadyah openly staring, holding her breath as she waited for what would happen next.
“Yes, but she is the one with the job,” Varan said, gently steering the female towards them. He pushed her into one of his armchairs and placed the glass of winterflower liquor in her hand. Then he leaned against his desk once more and waved a hand as if to say they may begin.
Adelina rolled her eyes, but didn’t bother sitting up straight. Instead she downed the rest of the liquor and leaned forward to set the glass on the low table before them. “Who’s your favorite royal?” Adelina asked innocently, gossiping about the royal family like any other citizen.
Roxy crossed her arms. “I hate them all.”
Nadyah’s brows rose and she turned to Varan. He just smiled. He’d known and he still brought this bitch to talk to the princess. Every muscle in her body yanked against her leash of control, demanding she stalk across the room and slap that smirk off Varan’s face.
Roxy only had more unpleasant things to say, and Nadyah almost felt sorry for her. “They’re all spoiled and have no clue about what life is really like for their citizens,” Roxy went on. “If I could, I would give them a piece of my mind.” She sipped casually from the glass, with no idea who she was speaking to, peacefully ignorant.
“Well, here’s your chance,” Adelina said, that wolfish grin back on her face and Nadyah stilled when she saw it. Her princess dropped the disguise program and flashed her gold palm in a small wave. “Give me a piece of your mind, Roxy.”
Glass shattered against the floor and Nadyah sighed in exasperation. Varan could be so dramatic.
Chapter Eleven
Varan
Ladrole
Stella di Draga
Planet Draga Terra
The courtesan gave Varan a long-suffering look and Roxy was so very pale under those gorgeous freckles. Surprisingly Adelina remained as cool as the night, smiling as she waited for a response.
Varan chuckled. He loved riling up the females in his life. They were all so hot-tempered it took almost nothing to do so. The look of utter horror on Roxy’s face was worth it, the perfect payback for insinuating earlier that he had no idea how to handle females, in bed or out.
Nadyah’s look made him think twice about the surprise, but he shrugged. The meeting had to happen. Might as well make it work to his benefit. “Roxy, meet the Princess Adelina. She’s looking for a mechanic to hire.”
The glare Roxy shot at him over her shoulder would have killed him if she had that kind of power. He had the good sense to stay as far away from the trio as possible, eyeing his valuables. Last time he’d had one of Lina’s personal friends in his office it hadn’t ended well for his furniture.
“I admire your honesty,” Lina, or rather Adelina said. That frightening smile remained on her face. Varan felt it in his bones, and that survival instinct which had kept him alive all this time warned him to tread carefully.
The two females stared each other down for a long, uncomfortable silence.
“I do agree the royal family can be rather removed from their people,” Adelina admitted, breaking the tension. “That is something I’ve been trying to fix, but as of right now I need three ships to take me to the Hai galaxy faster than any we have
in Draga.”
Roxy hardly moved, knowing that being in the presence of a royal and flaunting that attitude could get her thrown in a cell, if not killed. She allowed herself a frown, those glorious red brows drawing together. “That is not possible.”
Lina’s smile didn’t waver. “And I want it done in less than a week.”
That fire in Roxy crackled and sparked. Varan hid his tension behind his lazy smile and poured them all more alcohol. His princess downed it in one gulp and he glanced at Nadyah who watched Lina like a hawk. He wasn’t the only one who’d noticed her strange behavior then. Normally she only drank one, and hardly that.
Varan’s eyes snagged on that sinful mouth of Nadyah’s, the pert nose, and then finally those deep sapphire eyes that seemed to strip him down to his soul every time she looked at him. He still preferred her natural hair color, but it was fun to see her as someone else for a night. Varan cleared his throat and moved towards his desk, but Nadyah patted the spot next to her on the couch.
He almost hesitated, but he turned the pause into a smooth movement, setting the decanter of his best liquor on the low table. He sat, resting his arms along the top of the couch as if it had been his idea all along and not a silent demand from the courtesan. The fabric of his shirt brushed against Nadyah’s neck and he stared at Lina, ignoring the female next to him.
“What you’re asking for simply isn’t possible,” Roxy griped. She was on the edge of exploding and Varan wondered how far Lina would push her.
“I have gold for a team, and the tech to make it work. Varan will be purchasing two starships for me; I believe your expertise would be of use. You will have the team you need and as many as you require to get it done as well as any tools or supplies. A fee will be paid for the work, including a bonus if you can finish it in less than seven days.”
Roxy gaped, but Lina wasn’t done.
The princess poured some more liquor into her glass, hands trembling ever so slightly. Varan’s eyes were sharp otherwise he would have missed it. Nadyah’s knee pressed into his leg, noting it as well. He shifted so they no longer touched.