Everything had been perfectly set up, and she’d passed his inspection with flying colors.
Wanting her came with the territory as Lina was vivacious, fun, teasing, and had a sharp intelligence he admired. Varan had only asked her to bed him once a cycle or so ago, but she’d laughed him off and said she had a lover, so he’d left it alone.
But Princess Adelina was nothing to him. He rarely ever noticed her on the livestream. For some reason Varan’s eyes always slid from Giselle to Asher in the lineup and he wondered how she’d managed to stay so invisible for so many cycles, and why. The first time he’d ever really noticed her was the day the Announcements Balcony had exploded, crumbling into a million pieces. He’d watched helplessly as she’d nearly fallen to her death.
Any royal death was a terrible thing and every citizen of Draga felt it as though it were a death in their own family. The royals were theirs to serve and protect. Watching them all their lives led to a familiarity that was difficult to describe.
But when Adelina had walked among the rubble and the citizens, helping in any way she could – that was when he’d first seen her as more than a vapid, unintelligent creature. He’d always felt bad for her, a true submissive among royals.
Varan had always wondered if the king and queen had been disappointed with her lack of dominance.
But she wasn’t really submissive either, not when he knew her as Lina. Her scent was submissive, but there was something extremely odd about it.
He loved Lina, but Princess Adelina was still no more than a stranger to him and he’d hesitated. That was why Varan hadn’t delivered the diamond sooner. Despite all his intel Varan couldn’t have anticipated the Neprijat King’s actions, not in a million cycles. Now he would deliver the diamond to protect his princess.
He shook his head as he watched the display, the publicist on the livestream going on about the different Games that would be played and who would be playing. Nowhere did he see Nadyah or Adelina’s name listed as contenders.
The next few days would hold different events, but the main ones that day would be the swords, a race, the ancient tradition of the Wolf, and the Hunt. The Game of the Wolf was played every Winter Solstice at the palace, but he didn’t think he’d ever seen Adelina play.
Varan knew the day would be long, but he always enjoyed watching the events. There was so much to learn when nobles and royals were put into positions they normally wouldn’t be in.
He sighed when he wondered if Nadyah would play the Wolf. The rift between him and Nadyah – Varan wished it could be repaired. She’d denied him after leading him on for cycles. Varan had watched how the courtesan flirted and touched him. She gave him every cue she was interested and still he’d waited to make sure she had actual feelings for him, and not just lust from her genetics. Then she’d turned him down in no uncertain terms, telling him it would never happen.
Now he just wanted his friend back, and Varan had no idea how to accomplish that. He missed Nadyah sneaking into his tavern to have a few drinks with him to gossip about her clients.
“Your highness?”
Varan blinked and looked up at one of his spies from the palace, a plain-looking servant. She hid the most cunning mind behind that humble face. “What is it?” His stomach turned and he regretted eating that food Roxy had pushed on him.
The servant was dressed as any other citizen, but she slipped a disc to him and bowed. “My weekly report, your highness. It’s my day off.”
Varan nodded. The schedule he kept in his mind had gone to shit after that morning. He needed to get it together. He only had two weeks to get things under control. Varan had never left Draga Terra while he was the Prince of Thieves and he was concerned about what trouble his rogues might cause in his absence.
The disc slid into his shreve and he glanced through the reports. His mind knew the code by heart and he didn’t even have to decode it anymore. Nothing was amiss, only a report of the reactions from the staff and nobles after the council meeting. Many were outraged, and others grumbled about Raena becoming queen.
He raked his fingers through his hair again, making it all stick up straight. Varan couldn’t care less. If Raena didn’t do something and soon, the people would be against her as their ruler and that would only spell disaster for them all. They did not need a civil war on top of an invasion.
“Thank you, good work as usual,” Varan said. “Keep an eye out and send me a cast immediately if you see anything strange, any inkling that what transpired today will come to fruition.”
The female bowed again and disappeared among the patrons. No doubt she’d stay to watch the Games. The Ladrole was the only place he didn’t have to worry about his underhanded dealings. His rogues and programs always kept a watchful eye out for Law Enforcers and palace guards.
“So what exactly was that vid-cast earlier about?” Roxy asked.
The Games were gearing up and bets were displayed on the adjacent wall to the livestream. Varan caught a glimpse of Princess Adelina and the red-headed Countess who could be his friend’s twin. He hadn’t been aware those two were friends.
Roxy had put money on one of the citizens, a Stefano it seemed. She always favored the blue-haired Prieans.
“I was asked to serve,” Varan said after a pause. He didn’t have to say more than that; there was only one family he’d ever serve.
He shrugged and went through his shreve again. There was an ever-growing list of tasks he needed to accomplish. Messages were already pouring in from his favorite mercenary companies, the various warrior teams he knew of, and his own personal contacts that had served him at one point or another. The rogues on Draga Terra would handle the business and his assets.
The various lists he shuffled them into would help when choosing where to put them. A few would be perfect for Adelina’s personal ship, but one company he didn’t want anywhere near her.
The mechanic that Adelina needed though…well, she was right next to him and Varan still hadn’t figured out how to broach the topic. Roxy hated royalty. Maybe he could just throw her into the meeting without any warning. She’d be annoyed, but it wouldn’t give her a chance to say no before someone could explain.
“Sire, here is the information you requested from our latest reports,” Felix said, sliding another disc toward him. His Second was a quiet man, but he got the job done and was fiercely loyal. The citizens would obey him in Varan’s absence.
“Thank you, Felix. Have you managed to gather anything else?” Varan switched the discs and found the coordinates he needed.
Three starships were needed, and Adelina might only get one from the palace. Varan had started his search the second the vid-call had ended. Then there was the matter of everything else she would need for such a journey. How they were going to manage was beyond him. Hopefully Felix had pulled through.