by Emma Dean
“Lina!” Alpha’s voice reached her and her gaze snapped to his.
He wasn’t far. Alpha jumped over rubble and slid across the slick floor towards her. The biggest crack in the marble separated them and it wouldn’t be long before the heavy weight of the balcony over nothing but air would deepen the fracture until it could no longer support the weight.
“Lina grab my hand and climb up!” Alpha reached out towards her and he was frantic. He’d disobeyed protocol and wasn’t even wearing safety gear or a tether to pull them back up.
“I can’t!” Adelina yelled. “My wrist is broken, Alpha. I can’t climb any farther.” She could take his hand but he would have to bear the full brunt of her weight and then pull her up. Without a tether Alpha could slip and fall, taking them both down.
“I can hold you, just take my hand.” His blue eyes pleaded with hers and they both knew the risk. There was a good chance he couldn’t.
Would she risk his life? Did she really have a choice? It was take the risk or die, and Adelina wasn’t ready for her own death. “I’m going to jump towards you and reach out…” she trailed off. The screaming and yelling a constant background and the balcony shifted again. It was now or never.
“I’ll catch you,” he promised.
Adelina closed her eyes for a brief second and took a breath. She trusted Alpha with her life. He would keep his word.
She pushed off with her legs, using every bit of strength she had and reached out with her good hand. There was a moment where she was suspended and weightless, a moment where she doubted. Then Alpha’s strong hands caught hers and gravity came down hard. Adelina slammed against the marble and the breath was knocked out of her. She looked up and Alpha strained, his feet braced and then he pulled. Adelina felt herself rise. He’d done it.
There was a percussive wave before the sound of another explosion hit her. The marble shifted and fell and Adelina felt her hand slide out of Alpha’s. He pitched forward and they slipped. The sensation in her stomach had her panicking, scrabbling for purchase – for anything she could get her hands on. Adelina screamed as she fell backwards.
Their fall was halted abruptly and they both slammed into the marble floor as nobles and guards ran for safety. Alpha had managed to catch a large crack in the marble, his hand wedged in deep. He had had kept his promise. His hand held hers so hard it hurt and she could feel the bones grind together.
Alpha pulled her up with one arm, a testament to his new strength, and she used the arm of her broken wrist to hold her place as she let go of Alpha. Adelina wedged her own hand into the crack and looked to Alpha for direction. She said nothing, but her eyes were wide and she knew she looked frightened. They were both stranded.
“It’s going to be okay, Lina. I’ll get us out of this.” Alpha pressed his forehead into hers gently and she nodded. She trusted him implicitly.
Alpha planted his feet against the marble and pulled himself up. The crack was wide enough he could stand on it. The skill of the architects the only reason the entire balcony hadn’t fallen to the ground far below them already. Alpha’s weight on the edge made the entire slab shudder.
“Alpha,” Adelina warned. “It’s about to fall.” She could feel it beneath her as it slowly came apart at the seams.
Without a word he grabbed her under the arms and pulled as hard as he could. Adelina flew upwards and the marble gave way beneath them. Alpha jumped back with her in his arms. He scrabbled backwards as fast as he could, pulling her along the whole way. Adelina held her tongue as she bore the pain in her wrist.
Alpha got them both back behind the huge archway between the palace and the balcony and they watched as the entire thing split off and plummeted. Huge chunks slammed into the earth and marble broke through buildings. Adelina only hoped most of their people had gotten away in time.
They both breathed heavily and Adelina turned into him, resting her head against his chest. Alpha held her tight, his arms around her, pulling her into his lap as he leaned against the arch. “I thought I’d lost you,” he muttered over and over. “I couldn’t find you, Lina, and I thought you were dead.” Alpha buried his face in her dusty hair and she gripped him tight with her good hand.
“Alpha, you found me,” she tried to soothe. “I’m okay. You saved me.” Adelina wanted to tell him how much she loved him. She wanted to tell him everything she’d been meaning to put into words. She stroked his hair and kissed him hard. Adelina wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him.
“Lina!” Giselle’s screech was a slap of reality. Her sister threw herself on Adelina and inspected every inch of her. Adelina hissed when she touched her arm. “You need to see a physician right away,” Giselle scolded. “The guards are investigating the explosion, but a man was caught and he’s being questioned now. It won’t be long before we have answers.”
Giselle helped Adelina up and Alpha stood slowly as her sister dragged her away. Adelina looked back at her guard and tried to tell him with one look everything she felt. She promised herself she would find him later and tell him.
Chapter Eight
The Palace
Planet Draga
Adelina’s arm was in a sling and she had been required to have help cleaning up and dressing. It was a bit humiliating, but the maid had been excited and flattered to be chosen to assist a princess. Adelina hadn’t wanted to ruin it for her by complaining. Instead she had thanked her and let her fuss over the broken bones and bruises.
It hadn’t even been an hour since the incident and Adelina had received a cast calling her to the council. The entire royal family was there including the Queen Mother – her grandmother. Advisors and nobles also crowded the room. A few heads of guilds and the Mistress of the House of Kismet herself. Adelina couldn’t tear her eyes from the gorgeous courtesan’s figure.
The courtesans were such a mystery, so sexual. The Mistress caught her stare and winked at Adelina. She blushed and looked down, embarrassed to have been caught. Only a few more months and the Mistress would assign her a courtesan to train her. Adelina wondered who she would choose.
A man cleared his throat behind her. Guards lined the walls of the council room and Adelina spotted Alpha among them. He stared forward, not acknowledging if he saw her or not. She turned back to her father and tried not to let it bother her.
“We’ve captured one of the bombers and our interrogators have relayed he is a mercenary, part of a team which we are currently on the hunt for,” King Orion stated, eyes narrowed and voice harsh. He was furious and it showed. Every muscle in his face was tense and the tendons in his neck corded as he ground his teeth together. “These men seem to have been hired by a noble family of Draga, and the reason has yet to be uncovered.”
Their own nobles plotted against them? The last time there was a plot against the throne from their own people was hundreds of cycles ago. The prospect sent chills up and down Adelina’s spine. She couldn’t imagine not being able to trust the people who surrounded her. She glanced at the different nobles and a few of them shifted uncomfortably. Adelina took note of whom.
“I suspect this may have something to do with who Raena may choose as her partner. As such we will have a ball and invite the entire galaxy. By the coronation Raena will have chosen. An heir will be imminent and the future secure.” The king sighed and looked to his eldest.
Raena nodded and stepped forward. Adelina watched her closely for signs of how she felt about the situation. “I do not take this choice lightly, and will choose based on my own will and no one else’s. This will secure my reign as queen and fulfill part of my duty to the realm.” She met every single noble’s gaze and held it. There would be no question who would be the one choosing, who would be the sole ruler of Draga.
Raena was determined, she was brave and there were no doubts on her face or in her eyes. Adelina caught the Mistress smiling, a proud look Adelina didn’t quite understand. She noted it and reminded herself to write it down later. The Mistress was an ally, but the
re was more to it than that. She would find out what.
The murmurs of the nobles and advisors grew so loud they turned to shouts. Finally Raena put a stop to it. “Silence!” She glared until they all shut their mouths. Every single one of them looked surprised they’d felt compelled to obey. Adelina smiled. The Draga genes were not to be trifled with.
“Do any of you have a disagreement with this decision the king and I have made?” Without the help of their advisors it seemed.
None of them spoke. There were plenty of single courtiers who undoubtedly planned to approach her at a later time, on their own. One of the older advisors cleared her throat; the Lord High Admiral Tamika inclined her head to the chief advisor, Caspian, in deference and then spoke. “Do you believe, Princess Raena, it is wise to lose such a strong bargaining chip before ascending to the throne?”
It was a fair question and Adelina agreed it seemed rather hasty.
Raena seemed to concur, but she’d made her decision and would stick to it. “An heir of my own is more important.”
Giselle was loved by the people, but she was never meant to be queen and goddess protect Raena, but if she were to die Giselle would not be a good choice. The people loved her reckless ways and her fighting spirit, but those weren’t traits they’d want in their queen. Someone trained, someone dependable, someone who would value them more than their own desires was what they needed. Raena’s heir would be trained for nothing less.
Tamika seemed to understand the sacrifice. She bowed to Raena. “No further questions, your highness.”
The room was silent and she gave them five seconds before cutting off any further questions. “The invitations will be sent out and there will be no announcement. We cannot afford a public display at the moment. The livestream will have to be satisfied with daily court life for the time being, and we will attempt to make them more personal until we can tighten our security and find the culprits.” Raena stepped back and allowed the king to take the spotlight once again.
“My best people will continue the investigation into how the mercenaries managed to get so close without tripping any of our highly sensitive alarms. It points to inside help and as you all know the crime is treason and an attempt to murder a member of the royal family, not to mention the deaths of innocent civilians.” The king’s dark gaze sent every single person’s eyes to the floor.
There was a reason everyone respected the king.
He dismissed them all and Adelina kept her eye on Alpha. She hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to him since the chaos. The guards were always the last to file out so she left with the rest of her family and waited outside the council room door. The bright sunlight streaming in from the floor to ceiling windows belied the aura of despair she could still feel after the bombings.
Adelina breathed the clean air in deep. The robotics had already cleaned the dust from the air and currently worked on repairing the balcony as suspects were interrogated. The guards filed out in a precise march and split off to their scheduled areas. An entire group of them headed towards the security wing and the guardhouse. Adelina spotted Alpha among them and followed.
She didn’t want to call out his name and embarrass him in front of his comrades. Adelina took her new simulcast out of her pocket and sent him a quick message. Adelina saw him check his own device and slip it back into his pocket.
Alpha continued on with the other guards and didn’t slow his pace. Adelina frowned. Was he purposefully ignoring her communication? She sent another message asking him to meet her in the study and turned abruptly. The stairs were down the hall and she couldn’t stop thinking the whole way there if something had happened between the incident and now. It was such a short time, had someone spoken to him? Had Alpha been scolded or punished for his familiar treatment of her? Everyone knew how close they were, it was doubtful he’d be punished for saving her life no matter how he did it.
The royal study was empty and Adelina relaxed just a little. No recorders were allowed in the study and her entire family was busy with the aftermath of the bombings. William had orders as a warrior, and Giselle did also as a volunteer. Asher had his training and Ian his science. Raena had an entire galaxy to rule in a few short months.
Once again Adelina was forgotten. She didn’t mind really, but occasionally she wished she could do more to help. It’s why she quietly gathered information. Intel was invaluable and she could use it to advise her sister. It was why she secretly went out disguised aside from her own desires. Until her wrist healed she would be stuck inside the palace walls.
Adelina sat on a window seat and watched the guards scurry over the palace grounds. Triple the normal amount of guards patrolled the area and she assumed the entire capitol. She played with the soft spidersilk of her gown and tried to imagine the changes such an event would have on her life. An assassination from a neighboring galaxy was to be expected, but a bombing that put innocent lives in danger from one of their own people? It was difficult to fathom.
This placation of a royal wedding would only do so much. The real source of the malice would need to be found and fixed. Adelina would have to do some digging if she were to help her sister. Who would be the best to speak to? Her mind went to the courtesans, but their confidentiality agreement would hinder her. Perhaps there was a way around it. They engaged with anyone who had the coin, from all walks of life. They would know anything she could think of to ask.
The door opened and she looked back to see Alpha in the doorway. His face was a blank mask and a bad feeling settled in Adelina’s stomach. He was completely closed off from her and she had no idea why. Adelina shot to her feet and crossed the room. Alpha stepped into the study and closed the door behind him. She threw her good arm around his neck and hugged him tight, her face buried in his chest.
“Is something wrong?” Adelina asked. Her panic skyrocketed as the mask stayed in place and he kept his hands to himself. Those blue eyes she loved so much were dull and lacked the light that was there every time he looked at her. “Are you hurt?” she demanded.
Alpha shook his head. “No, I’m not hurt Princess. Thank you for asking.”
A knife twisted in her heart and she took a step back from him. Something was very wrong. “Alpha, I asked you to meet with me because I wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were there to save me. Without you I doubt I’d be standing here right now,” she told him, placing a hand on his cheek. He had to know how she felt. “You have to know how much I care for you.” Adelina was such a coward. She shook her head. No, she didn’t just care for him, it was more than that.
Alpha took her hand and removed it from his face. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Princess.”
Her title felt like a slap. “You know you may call me by my given name. What is wrong?”
“I can’t,” was all he said. He dropped her hand and clasped his hands behind his back.
Adelina could feel the knife twisting harder, deeper and she gasped for air. What had changed so drastically and so quickly? “What do you mean you can’t?” she snapped. The way he acted triggered a fury she didn’t know she had. “You can’t what exactly?”
Alpha flinched at the tone in her voice. Adelina never raised her voice – ever. “I can’t continue a romantic relationship with you, Princess.”
Even though by that point she expected the words, they still hurt worse than anything she could remember, including the punishment she’d had. “Why not? You owe me an explanation at the very least. Not an hour ago you held me in your arms as though you loved me.” Tears pricked Adelina’s eyes and she hated them. “Do my feelings not matter? Do you not care that I love you?” There, she’d finally said it, but she’d spat them out like a bad taste in her mouth.
Finally he looked down at her, his eyes met hers directly and they pleaded with her, they begged her not to make this worse. “Lina, please, you almost died today and I wasn’t there until it was almost too late.” He unclasped his hands and took her in his arms. He res
ted his head on top of hers and breathed her in. “Everything about you distracts me, your taste, your smell, the small smile you save only for me.”
The tears finally fell, streaking her cheeks and she didn’t even bother to wipe them away. Alpha had made his choice. She could hear it in his voice and feel it in the way he held her.
“If I hadn’t been so busy staring at you, maybe I would have seen something suspicious sooner, perhaps I could have stopped them before they could set off the bombs. Then you wouldn’t be here with a broken wrist and scratches on your beautiful face.” He pulled back and traced the marks gently. “I cannot afford another mistake like that, not when it is your life on the line. You are too important to me, Lina.”
Alpha kissed her cheek and then took another step back. “I would understand if you would have me reassigned.” When Adelina looked up into his face his stare was blank yet again.
She was a Draga.
Adelina straightened and clasped her hands in front of her, head held high as though she wore the crown she was born to. “I do not accept your request for reassignment, Guard.” Adelina was proud of herself. The words didn’t get stuck in her throat and she sounded strong and sure rather than the heartbroken fool she was. She shoved her emotions down deep to deal with later. At the moment a guard needed her direction, and that was all he was to her right now. “I will not punish you for a mistake that I have made. You have earned your position as my guard. You are dismissed.”
Her cold words fractured the bored look on his face briefly as he studied her. Then he slipped it back on and bowed before exiting the study.