Crown of Draga

by Emma Dean

  Varan narrowed his eyes. “I practically begged for you to accept my offer the other night and you told me it would never happen. Now you feel otherwise? I don’t enjoy being toyed with, Nadyah.”

  Another second and she would scream. Nadyah turned and walked away blindly.

  The buffet table was as good a place as any to stew in her emotions. The sick feeling of jealousy wouldn’t ease, not even with the fresh fruit. Nadyah grabbed a glass of champagne and downed it. Stupid males. How could he even consider marrying Adelina?

  As she watched the princess smile and laugh Nadyah knew how. Oh, how she knew.

  Her hand stilled mid-reach for a second glass as something occurred to her. Was she jealous that Varan already considered another female, or was she jealous that her princess would be wed soon? Nadyah wasn’t sure which she was angrier about.

  When Adelina wed she would lose her princess whether the camerraleto was finished or not.

  Who would Nadyah be more devastated to lose, Adelina or Varan?

  Chapter Five

  Veri

  Crystal Ballroom

  Draga Royal Palace

  Planet Draga Terra

  “May I have this dance, Lady Veri?” Hayden asked with a cocky smile and a bow.

  Veri laughed and gave him a sweeping curtsey. “Why of course, my lord.” There was so much freedom in finally being on Draga Terra, away from Hayden’s awful mother and the constraints of her title on Priea.

  Veri missed home, but she had too much to do to simply stay on her own planet like so many other nobles. It was a massive mistake to stay so far from the core. If she hadn’t been to Avvis she wouldn’t have made the match with Hayden. If she did not go to court to attend the festivities she would be lost among the lesser nobles. There were deals and alliances to be made aplenty.

  One, in particular, would give her more power than all the others combined.

  “I saw the way Prince Asher danced with you,” Hayden said, teeth clenching as his smile turned fake. “Is this some sort of payback for what I said about Princess Raena?”

  Veri smiled pleasantly, pleased to know his feelings for her were still there. It would do Hayden some good to see he was not the only available option for her and that she would not suffer long if he were to drop her. “It might be,” she teased. “But we both know how important it is to have a royal favor you. Priea needs that kind of backing more than Avvis does.” She shrugged as he led her through the steps.

  Hayden frowned. “I won’t be played with, Veri,” he hissed.

  Irritated at his sudden display, Veri dropped her smile and gave him a sharp look. “And neither will I, Hayden. It would be best if you remembered that when the crown princess calls. You are male and therefore think you are somehow more important, that I must wait around for you to make a choice instead of also exploring the options available to me.” She dropped his hands and practically stomped off the dance floor before the song was even over. She needed a drink and to clear her head.

  Veri snatched a glass of champagne and headed to the terrace. A spider dropped from the ceiling and she flinched, giving it a wide berth despite knowing it couldn’t touch her. It wasn’t that she was particularly afraid of spiders, she simply didn’t like them. The way they moved and skittered, how they hid, waiting for their prey, the feel of their feet on her skin when she hunted in the jungles.

  There had been an incident during a hunt. She and her brother, Alock, had been tracking one of the creatures who’d attacked a family in a nearby village for days and when they’d had to stop and camp to rest, she’d woken up with bright blue spiders resting on her arms and legs. They were hunting her long and slow, injecting their paralysis venom while she slept. They’d had to give up that hunt so she could be treated at their seat. Alock had to carry her for over ten kilometers to get her back home.

  Veri shuddered. Without those spiders the creatures they hunted would be far more plentiful, but her feelings about the spiders on her planet since then had changed drastically. Thank the goddess the ones Princess Adelina had on display looked nothing like the ones at home.

  They still moved the same though.

  She drank from her glass, keeping an eye on them until she was outside on the terrace. The cool night air reminded her of home, so different from the sweltering day on Draga Terra. She had forgotten how hot it could get. How many cycles had it been since the last time she was at court?

  The triple moons in the starry sky were a glory to behold and Veri tapped a nail against her champagne glass. Not even her turquoise gown could shake her out of this mood. It didn’t matter how exotic and lovely it made her look. The male she wanted to admire her had just picked a fight and it was not the first one since Hayden said he would accept the Princess Raena’s proposal if it was offered.

  She shook her head and took a long drink. Being out in the open air helped settle her emotions. Those spiders made her flinch every time someone brushed against her.

  “Lady Veri, are you all right?” Asher’s deep voice sent a shiver up her spine. Despite the commanding dominance in his voice she didn’t turn around, but allowed him to approach her instead. Asher leaned his back against the stone banister and propped his elbows up so he could study her. “Should I look into why Lord Hayden would anger you?”

  His innocent question was anything but. Veri glanced at him and shuddered at the delicious darkness in his eyes. “No thank you, mia prince. It’s simply a misunderstanding.” Would the prince care if they were former lovers? Her and Hayden’s current relationship was a secret. Everyone thought she and Hayden had officially ended their romance when the Archduchess of Avvis had denied her father’s request for their marriage.

  “Was it a misunderstanding concerning my dance with you?” Asher leaned forward, getting into her space. His scent was everywhere and intoxicating.

  “Among other things,” she admitted. Veri finished her champagne and sighed. “After our relationship ended there were rumors he might be favored for a royal marriage. Lord Hayden would accept of course. Now he is angry I appear to be moving on as well.”

  “That seems rather idiotic.” Asher took the glass from her hand and set it aside. Then he tugged her towards him and simply held her. There was no sexual tension or indicator he wanted more from her. Asher just comforted her and Veri melted against him. “You need to do what is best for you,” he told her. “Ignore his childish temper.”

  She laughed. Asher was a few cycles younger than Hayden, but it was easy to forget it with the way he spoke. “You seem to know exactly what to say to make me feel better.” It was strange as she knew Asher was always the quiet, brooding one.

  “Come riding with me,” he murmured against her neck. “I think you would like the forests on Draga Terra. They are not so different from your tropical jungles.”

  A breeze ruffled her skirts and Veri’s hands clenched his arms. “Of course, mia prince. I would love to ride.” She grinned, leaving the statement open to interpretation. Her prince.

  Asher actually smiled at her before pressing a kiss to her cheek. He stepped sideways and out of her arms, trailing his fingers down her sides. “By the way, I think you ought to know how stunning you look in that dress. It matches your coloring perfectly.”

  Pleased someone had noticed, Veri watched him wander back into the ballroom. Being a prince meant there were certain requirements and she understood completely. One more deep breath of the sweet night air and she drew her shoulders back. If she wanted to be a princess herself one day, she would have to get used to the demands. Her time at court would be a test she could not fail.

  Veri swept back into the ballroom, a winning smile on her face. She made sure to chat with every noble there. Even the Prince of Thieves was due a smile and perhaps a dance. The rogue certainly was handsome despite his disreputable nature.

  The fire opal around her neck glittered and she tapped it as she talked with a lesser noble from Deytis. The answering glimmer across the room dre
w her attention and Veri saw Hayden run his hand through his hair, the opals at his wrist glittering under the candlelight. Who knew the sweet, submissive Princess Adelina had such a dark and romantic side?

  Veri nearly excused herself to go speak with Hayden and make an apology for her temper, not necessarily her words. But she hesitated when she saw a different, darker sparkle of black. The noble had asked her something. She nodded without really paying attention to the repeated question and he swept her onto the dance floor. It gave her a better view of Hayden.

  Hayden laughed and chatted with the royal family and the royal cousins, Princess Vasara and Prince Ajax. He smiled at Raena as she asked him something and then her tinkling laugh in response set Veri’s teeth on edge. How dare he flaunt such a thing in front of her so soon after their argument?

  Accepting a proposal was one matter, actively seeking out a new relationship was another entirely. How dare he treat her like something disposable, something unimportant? She was not one to be scorned like she was no more than a scullery maid desperate for attention.

  As the room spun again, she seethed. The warmth and love she felt for Hayden trickled away to be replaced by a need for vengeance, for justice. He should have simply told her they were through instead of leading her on as he had all these weeks.

  “Lady please, you’re hurting me,” the lesser noble whispered.

  Instantly she relaxed her grip on him. “I apologize, I didn’t intend to hurt you,” she said gently, truly sorry about the mistake.

  The male smiled again, happy with her attentions. “I’ll be all right, but I appreciate your concern, Lady.”

  Veri curtseyed as the song ended. If Hayden wanted to play these games with her, then she would play. Oh, how she would play.

  Lord Hayden had no idea who he had just crossed, and if a male she thought had loved her would throw her away so easily – Veri didn’t intend to waste the energy mourning their supposed relationship.

  She set her sights ahead to a more glorious future.

  Chapter Six

  Adelina

  Crystal Ballroom

  Draga Royal Palace

  Planet Draga Terra

  The throne on the dais helped her aching feet relax after all the dancing. It had been nonstop since Adelina began the party with her escort. Sweat dripped down her back and she leaned against the cushioned chair as she watched her cousins and the guests laugh, mingle, and dance. The performance would come next and Adelina couldn’t wait to see it.

  She’d given the Lady Masha an idea, but Adelina had no idea what she had done with it. The choreography was supposed to be completely original though. The sol-powered lights dimmed, leaving only the candles to light the ballroom and Adelina smiled when the crowd hushed in anticipation.

  All dancing stopped completely as a deep and haunting note filled the ballroom and bounced off the walls, the acoustics absolute perfection. It twirled and twined around every person in that room and even the spiders could feel the beat as they swayed. The spiders danced in their own way as they moved among each other with an eerie grace. All eyes were turned up and the following explosion of smoke made everyone gasp.

  One spotlight drew attention to the stage. The musicians had disappeared and four dancers were in their place. Adelina studied the performers and didn’t see Lady Masha. Her brothers and sisters settled into their chairs on the dais as well when the music began. As the song rose and intensified the dark mysterious notes grew louder and the dancers on the stage shimmied in their barely there outfits of glittering spidersilk. The females wore a scrap across the breasts and long skirts baring the belly. The skirts shook and mesmerized as they twirled, showing the long legs of the dancers through the many slits.

  Adelina leaned forward in anticipation. The wild beauty astounded her and resonated with a part of herself deep inside, one that she’d ignored for so long.

  The male dancers were shirtless and wore low pants that glittered just as much as the skirts and were even sheer enough to see outlines under the fabric. She couldn’t help her blush as she realized what she was seeing. It wasn’t like she’d never seen a cock before, but Adelina hadn’t expected such a public display.

  Still, they were graceful and powerful – every move perfect.

  Every single guest was in a hushed trance as they waited for what would unfold. The performers danced and leapt and tumbled. The men threw the women into the air like they weighed nothing. The acrobatics were heart-stopping. As the music took a breath, so did the dancers. They formed a circle and with a crescendo; Masha suddenly appeared.

  The Lady was a sight to behold.

  Masha’s black skirts matched the red ones on the other dancers. The young female had gorgeously muscular legs and beautifully bare feet. The scrap across her breasts showed the full roundness of them and seemed to be held in place by magic alone. Adelina was entranced. The bravery required to perform something so seductive and sexual – she knew the culture on Avvis wasn’t as forward about such things as Draga Terra.

  Each movement of Masha’s body was perfection and her breath caught as she watched, hardly blinking for fear she’d miss something. The girl’s hips moved and undulated and Masha was lifted up, thrown and spun. She rolled across the floor, stopping only to strike magnificent and impossible poses. The glory of the goddess-maiden Nubia was before them. With the cello’s dark tremble, the other dancer’s covered her, ripping and tearing until she stood before them anew. The now purple spidersilk hid a full, pregnant belly and with a final leap the candles were snuffed simultaneously so the moon behind her – Mala – framed Masha’s beautiful form through the massive window as curtains dropped.

  The music trailed off and Masha rose with an enormous smile. Adelina wiped away tears as the girl bowed for her transformative performance. The cheers in the ballroom were deafening and the dance would be one Adelina would never forget. It was a dance representing the goddess’s transformation from maiden to mother, fitting for a coming-of-age celebration.

  Adelina was honored to have such a magnificent artist create a dance so unforgettably perfect. Masha curtseyed elegantly for the royal family and Adelina stood and clapped with the rest of the guests, a huge smile on her face.

  She leaned over and asked Alpha to invite Lady Masha to the dais. Her performance had been everything Adelina had hoped for.

  Masha disappeared for a moment and then came out of the parlor Adelina had given her access to in her ball gown, the fire opal at her throat. She was pleased Masha wore her gift and practically bounced in her chair waiting for the girl to reach the dais.

  Adelina jumped to her feet and grabbed Masha’s hands. She practically gushed her gratitude.

  Masha blushed and bowed over Adelina’s hands.

  “You were absolutely breathtaking,” Adelina told her. “Here, I’d like to personally introduce you to my family.” It didn’t take long and her father was indulgent. Adelina knew it would mean much to Masha to have their support. Perhaps it would help the girl achieve her dreams in the future performing to billions across the Draga galaxy.

  “Thank you, your highness. You are too kind,” Masha murmured.

  Adelina knew from her own experiences how nervous and anxious Masha was as a submissive among royals. She patted her hand one more time. “Please, I’d love to spend some time with you in the coming weeks. Feel free to approach me at any time.” Adelina gave her a kiss on the cheek and thanked her again before releasing the young lady.

  Masha curtseyed, her cheeks red and her eyes on the floor, but there was an enormous smile on her face. “I will, your highness. Thank you again for such a lovely opportunity.” Masha turned and made her way to the sidelines but another noble requested a dance. All eyes were on Masha now and plenty wished to congratulate her.

  Adelina sat down with a happy sigh. It wasn’t always easy to be seen when one was a submissive in a world of dominants.

  “Here you are Princess,” Alpha said, bowing as he handed her iced
water.

  It was like heaven as Adelina sipped. The hint of berries and mint was refreshing.

  “Can I get you anything else?” Alpha asked. “Do you need me to escort you to the parlor?”

  Adelina smiled and didn’t bother reminding him that he wasn’t her escort for the night. Alpha would never stop caring about her, and their friendship allowed for such things.

  “I might go in a little bit, but I’d like to stay for now.” The words were a show. Adelina was too terrified to go into the parlor where her sister could find her. Raena had been glaring most of the night and only a few moments with Hayden had calmed her down.

  Raena sat on her throne and ignored Adelina. There wasn’t much she could do with their parents sitting right there, and there would be no official punishment as Adelina had not broken any rules or protocol. She wasn’t alone with Nash and on the coming-of-age night she had as much weight behind her rank as Raena did, at least until dawn.

  Adelina sipped on her water and glanced up at the ceiling. The shield she chose to protect the spiders glittered with gold sparks here and there to add to the ambience of the party. The sol-powered lights were on but the room was cast in shadow while the servants made their way around the ballroom, relighting all of the candles after the performance.

  The spiders swayed on their webs as the musicians started up again, the vibrations reaching the ragna despite all her work to keep sound and heat from her spiders. It amused Adelina how uncomfortable everyone had been about them. It was easy to see when they flinched or backed away when one dropped down too close for comfort. The shield was only a few inches taller than Nash and the fat bodies didn’t mind the feel of the shield on their feet as they plodded along.

  It had been so much work and she’d been so careful with them, but the spiders had given her the most wonderful present and woven gorgeous glittering webs in intricate patterns. The end result was worth every sleepless night she’d spent moving and caring for them.