Page 24 of The Diamond Dragon Prince
“We didn’t know where this camp was,” I said, trying to sound apologetic, which didn’t come naturally to me. “We weren’t even aware of its existence. We only just found out about it a few days ago.”
“We’ve been held prisoner ourselves,” Rumi added, far better at being friendly than I was. “The king keeps us locked in our bedchamber in the castle.”
“Then how is it that you’re here?” an omega woman who looked several months pregnant asked with a frown. “Have they brought you here to spy on us?”
“No!” I said.
I would have explained, but a deep twinge of pain struck me just then, nearly doubling me over. I clasped my hands to my belly in a futile attempt to stop the feeling.
The pregnant woman seemed to understand my problem immediately. “How far along are you?” she asked, stepping bravely forward to rest a hand on my arm. “I’m Shayla,” she added.
I tried to smile gratefully at her, but at the same time, Iwas wary of explaining fully. “I’m far enough along to feel horrible,” I said with a groan.
Shayla immediately shifted to my side to rub my back. “The king did this as well, I suppose,” she said in a disapproving voice. “Selling his own son’s heat for whatever gain he thinks it will get him.”
My face flared hot with reluctant shame at the idea. Even though that wasn’t how I’d ended up with child, Father had sold my heats before. It made me feel sick that the people of our kingdom knew about our shame, or rather, our father’s shame.
At the same time, it broke down the barrier that would have been there otherwise.
“King Freslik is evil and a menace to this kingdom,” the beta growled, coming forward to shake Rumi’s hand. “I’m Milosh, and I hope you don’t mind me saying that.”
“Not at all,” Rumi said, shaking Milosh’s hand in return. “I agree with you. We all do.”
The atmosphere in the longhouse changed immediately. My brothers and I were drawn farther into the building, to the far end of the room, where some sort of weak stew was bubbling in a large pot over an open fire. The captive villagers made certain the four of us were settled and had been given a meager portion of the supper, although they all took less than we were served, and in short order, we were eating together.
“From what we can gather,” Milosh explained as we ate, most people sitting on the floor, “the purpose of this work camp is more about separating us from our families and loved ones so that they do whatever the king says than it is to produce anything.”
“Baylin, the chief in charge of the camp, is as corrupt as they come,” Shayla picked up the explanation. “He’s theone who’s profiting from the wool we’ve carded and the rope we’ve made.”
“The entire system is corrupt, from top to bottom,” another young omega said with a sigh.
“How well-guarded is the camp?” I asked. “Has anyone tried to escape?”
“We’ve tried a few times,” Milosh said, rubbing a hand over his face in exhaustion. “The trouble is that they work us so hard that by the end of the day, no one has the energy to try to battle their way out.”
“They keep us guarded as we work,” another beta added from the edge of our group. “There aren’t a lot of them, but they’re heartless and think nothing of hurting anyone who, as they say, gets out of line.”
“But you could all rise up and fight back as one if you needed to,” I said, more plans swirling together in my mind.
The villagers exchanged another round of tired, sheepish looks.
“We’ll do whatever you need us to, if you’re willing to lead us,” Milosh said. “You don’t know what being in a place like this day after day, week after week, does to you, though.”
“We want to break free,” Shayla said. “I want to return to my wife. But the relentlessness of cruelty shown toward us—” She burst into tears instead of finishing.
Anger tore through me, which only made me feel worse than I already did. Kidnapping people from their homes and lives and holding them prisoner was one thing. Breaking their spirits until they no longer had the will to fight back was salt rubbed into the wound.
“We’ll help you,” Obi said, still full of youthful enthusiasm. “We can help everyone form a plan to fight back and toescape.”
The villagers looked hopeful but doubtful at the same time.
“Begging your pardon, Your Highnesses,” Milosh said, “but how can four pampered omegas fight back against an army of hardened mercenaries to free hundreds of captive souls, many of whom have lost the will to resist?”
“We have help,” I said, wanting to reassure them, but uncertain how much I could say about the magical realm. “We have strong, powerful help from people who know we are here and know how to find us.”
That brightened the spirits of the villagers.
“He’s right,” Rumi added. “We have support from men that the king doesn’t even know about. They will find us soon, and if all goes to plan, we will not only be able to escape, we will free all of the captives and destroy this place.”
