The hunger in Adelina’s eyes flared and then settled. The tension eased from her shoulders and then the raging fire was banked. She saw the female she knew in Adelina’s face once more, but that sharpness remained. Nadyah doubted the wolf would ever be so buried again now that the princess had let it out of her cage.
As she studied her, Nadyah realized Adelina looked like Asher. Their features were so similar, but with that new gleam in her eyes – the princess could be Asher’s twin. It was the goddess’s blessing the two of them were on the same side.
Laughter and chatter grew louder as they approached Varan’s tavern.
“I’m nervous,” Adelina admitted, pausing on the threshold and glancing at Nadyah. “I’m afraid to see Varan.”
That jealousy flared for a second – Adelina was hers – but then it died. She could deny her princess nothing and would gladly share her so she could still have Adelina. “If you want him, I won’t stop you.”
Adelina licked her lips, and then stepped over the threshold. “He is a delicious male, and would make a good prince. We need to find out if he’s your mate, Nadyah. I can’t take a mate from you.”
Nadyah squeezed Adelina’s hand. “I want you both,” she said simply, shrugging one shoulder.
Adelina’s gaze whipped to hers. “Don’t say things like that,” she gritted out. “My control is very—tenuous right now.”
If Nadyah were honest with herself, she wanted Adelina more. Ever since they started having sex together Varan was almost a distant memory. The feelings were still there when she remembered to think of him, but at the moment what she felt for him as a friend was mixed up and confused with how she felt for him romantically.
“We’re going to be on a ship together for weeks,” Nadyah reminded her.
Weeks in space, away from all those watching eyes…oh what they could do to fill the time.
“Stop it,” Adelina hissed.
She couldn’t help her laugh. Her princess desired her…and even loved her. It didn’t matter that Adelina wasn’t her mate; Nadyah would selfishly enjoy her while she still could.
Some of the Ladrole patrons nodded when they recognized Adelina. She’d been there enough she was considered part of Varan’s court, if not his inner circle. He kept the details of who served him close. Adelina’s personal shreve had a few profiles, but the rest were guesses.
Nadyah wanted to know who those others were, but doubted Varan would tell her. She followed close to her princess as they wove through the tavern towards the large table in the back, where the ancient fireplace burned away the chill of the night.
“Lina darling!” Varan’s voice rose above all the others. Cheers followed his announcement when Adelina took his outstretched hand. “So lovely of you to visit us. Do you have anything for me?”
Adelina slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a hunk of raw ruby. Varan made to snatch it from her fingers, but she was too quick. Nadyah smiled at the two of them. They put on a good show. Lina the thief couldn’t come to her Prince empty-handed. Varan tugged Adelina into his lap and Nadyah saw her stiffen.
“Could we perhaps take this upstairs?” Nadyah asked, using her most sultry voice. Anyone listening would assume they’d go upstairs to a private room for pleasure rather than a meeting to make plans for war.
Varan’s eyes snapped to hers and she shook her head ever so slightly, hoping he understood how on edge Adelina was.
As if he’d planned it, Varan stood smoothly with an arm around Adelina’s shoulders. “Let’s see if this is as good as you say it is. Want to make a bet on how much the beauty weighs?” The Prince of Thieves steered Adelina towards the exit behind his unofficial ‘throne’ and Nadyah followed, weaving her way around the furniture and patrons carefully.
Nadyah wasn’t sure how much teasing Adelina could stand at the moment, and she wasn’t sure if Varan was even aware of what had occurred during the Games. It was safer to talk in his office where distance between them all wouldn’t look suspicious.
Varan’s footsteps on the stairs made no noise, and Adelina was just as silent. Nadyah watched the two of them and wondered if Varan had ever given Adelina lessons in stealth. As she trailed behind them Nadyah couldn’t help but notice how tight his pants were and how they accentuated the curves of his ass. She let herself admire him for once. He truly was a fine male specimen.
All those weeks they’d be alone together in space, it would be a true test. Her mouth went dry at the thought. Adelina was right. She needed to scan Varan’s DNA. The last time they’d been in his office after he found out Lina was really a princess, she’d kept her distance. But the time before when he’d asked who she worked for…Nadyah had almost let him take her.
Varan gave her emotional whiplash and she was fully trained. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for Adelina. When Nadyah had gone through the courtesan maturing she’d been sixteen like all the others. There had been no one for her to love, and only her training to focus on to help her with all those desires.
By the time she’d found someone to have feelings for, Nadyah had unflinching control. It had been a shock the first time she’d met Varan. Of course she had feelings for each of her clients, but those were somehow different. What she felt for Varan had tested her control in ways she’d never anticipated – that is until she’d been assigned her first camerraleto pupil, Adelina.
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.