AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Adelina watched from Command as Kaita took off in those glittering black ships – so many it was difficult to keep count with the way they blended into the starry sky. So many Kharans off on their most dangerous mission yet – infiltrate their home and sabotage the Neprijat from the inside so that when the signal was given, the enemy would fall.
It was all Adelina had been able to come up with. Hammer from as many sides as possible to split up their enemy’s defense. That wouldn’t take care of the horde that was steadily making their way to them, but it was a start. The fewer enemies attacking all at once, the higher their chances of survival would be.
And Adelina held onto a tiny sliver of hope that if the Neprijat king was dead before the horde arrived, they would stand down and surrender without further bloodshed. It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to fight them – there were females and children onboard many of those ships.
Adelina refused to kill innocents.
It was a line she would not cross.
Roxy joining Kaita had been a surprise, but not when she’d taken a moment to think about it. It was easy to see that things weren’t exactly strained between her and Nadyah, but the two of them were no longer focused on each other. Roxy’s attention had shifted severely and Adelina had no doubt the pretty purple-haired pirate captain was the reason she’d left with the Corinthians.
Despite the murmurs around her and the crew going about their business, Adelina felt isolated as she stood in the center of Command, watching as those ships disappeared. On the border outposts there was a higher risk of the Neprijat discovering them – discovering not all was well within Hai, but the Drakesthai knew their enemies’ patterns and codes. They’d kept them on the precise schedule to hide the truth for as long as possible.
Adelina didn’t want to think about what would happen if they were discovered too soon. How would she fight off the might of the Neprijat in Khara with her army when Asher had barely survived a fraction of that?
Squaring her shoulders she banished the thought from her head. That was not how they would make it through this war. Adelina could not doubt. She could not waver. Her people needed her – not just to lead them, but as an example, as a beacon of hope.
If her death would save her people Adelina would not falter, but welcome it with open arms.
She was not just their queen, but a symbol of their strength.
Still…there was much that would happen before those final moments occurred. Her path could veer dramatically – it could alter completely…depending on what Kaita accomplished in the next few days. And it would depend on whether they could piece together the weapons to replace the worldbreakers. Already gone and used before they’d even reached Khara.
“I need the top scientists from the Unchanged, the Drakesthai, Draga, and Khara,” Adelina said to no one in particular.
The outpost hid her ships well, and Adelina was grateful to be off that nasty station.
Recovering from their attack on Hai had been going on for two days now. The wounded moved to starships where they could be cared for – the dead put to rest, and those still on planets doing sweeps to ensure nothing and no one snuck past them.
Adelina had not moved the fleet back to Hai Delta, there was no point when they needed to launch another attack. So the fastest ships gathered supplies and brought them to the front lines. The warships from across the Hai System had made their way to her until she had millions ready to depart for Khara.
But not yet, not until the time was right. Not until their allies made it to the border to reinforce them – waiting for Kaita’s signal.
So much rested on the princess’s shoulders.
Adelina forgot sometimes that they were nearly the same age. Still so young, but there was nothing either of them wouldn’t do for their people.
In moments there were five scientists including P’draic on Command.
Adelina tried not to think about her mates, about what they were doing. She just wanted to lie down and rest with them surrounding her – safe and protected, but there was work to be done yet.
“I want the five of you to come up with a weapon as powerful and deadly as a worldbreaker, but with the supplies we currently have access to, and I need them built as quickly as possible. Production for each one cannot take longer than a day.”
She turned to face them and clasped her hands behind her back. The gown felt strange after days in nothing but her armor. But to be clean again was a blessing.
Adelina watched them as they all eyed each other warily. “This means technology between our people must be shared openly. We must work together or we will not make it through this war. You need to be honest with each other and forthcoming. And now that we are allied…there is no reason to withhold information. I will ensure that when we win this war that everything is in writing and properly signed. You may keep the patents as well, but a portion will be taxed of course for when we will need to rebuild. It will be distributed equally among the kingdoms.”
Silence.
No doubt everyone was wondering if she had the authority to make a unilateral decision like that without addressing the council and the other leaders, but they did not have time to squabble. This was war and she was the highest ranking person among them all. No others held the equal to her title.
“Any questions?” Adelina asked.
“We have access to any and all elements and tech?” P’draic asked – his eyes shining like he’d been given an early Winter Solstice gift.
Adelina nodded once, looking at each of them. “Can you do this for me? For your people?”
Again they looked at each other. Whatever animosity that may have been between them, due to the differences in culture or perhaps their past, seemed to melt away in the face of a challenge that was exactly why they’d become scientists in the first place.
