Page 25 of The King's Omega
Vilkurn’s lips tilted upward in a wicked smile. “It doesn’t take time, Axe. It takes effort.” He showed me the book, and when I finished reading, I had never been so hard… or so bitter to leave the castle and follow my idiot king into the streets of Turino.
I nodded at Vilkurn. “The war will start soon. Prepare her. We need her gifts.”
Rigol needed her.
Vali
Iwoke from my strange dream about clouds and angels and giant kittens to find myself dressed in a nightshirt, bandaged from knee to waist, and not alone.
“Miss?” The red-haired maid, whose task was obviously to watch for me to awaken, jumped up from her chair by the door. “You hungry?”
“No. But I need to pee. Is there…?”
She smirked and waved at an alcove. “There is, and in this wing, we got whole chambers for bathing as well. I would draw you a bath, but you’re all bandaged, so…” Her pinched mouth and wrinkled nose made it clear she didn’t think someone like me merited a drawn bath.
“Another time,” I said. “Do you know whose room this is?”
I had an idea; the whole room smelled vaguely of cinnamon, especially the bed I’d been lying on. Cinnamon was one of my favorite flavors in the world. But I kept that to myself.
“It’s Lord Lorn’s,” she said, her hands fluttering as she pressed them to her chest. “He’s the most handsome of all the generals and the kindest, in bed and out.”
“I’m n-not sure I need to know about such things,” I stammered. “I’m not sure you should talk about them either.”
“Oh, servants talk all about such things. Tarn’s wicked tongue, Lorn’s stamina. Vilkurn’s special way wi’ ropes. I heard you spent time in his dungeon, yeah? The servants heard you all over the wing, you know.”
I didn’t answer, but my face was on fire.
She went on, “Even that great brute Axe with his donkey—”
“Out!” I yelled, uncertain why I was shouting. Or why I was furious, thinking of this wench seeing Axe’s privates. “I need privacy.”
The maid rolled her eyes. “You’re a servant, from what I hear. From a cathouse. Don’t act shy and blushing. I heard from the ladies that took care of your traitorous mistress that you were as much a whore as she was.”
Her mention of Selene brought the past evening rushing back. “Quick! I must see the king, or Axe, or one of the generals! Selene is a spy.”
“Ah, you already told ’em. Don’t ya remember? They all came runnin’ in here last night after Sorcha’s niece, Dahlia, found ya lying here. You talked in your sleep, see? All about how he shouldn’t mate her, but oops! Too late on that one.”
I shook my head slowly as she prattled on. “And I heard King Rigol was plannin’ to use you the same as your mistress. Mate you and force a bond, though he doesn’t want you.”
My mind spun. “B-but he’s already bonded to Selene.” Mate bonds were between two people. Everyone knew that.
“Apparently, he can mate you as well. You’ll be sort of his side mate, a consolation prize since his first one turned out to be a spy.” She scrutinized me. “Not sure why he’d want you, though. That’s the only thing we haven’t sussed out in the kitchens. It was no puzzle why the first one tricked him. But a king can have any lass, yeah? How anyone could see you and think of…” Her voice trailed off. “Maybe his generals gave ’im a hint. They do seem to talk about you a lot.” She shrugged.
So many emotions rioted through me, I didn’t know which way was up. Was this maid a spy as well? She hinted at things that had only happened hours before. Private things.
Suddenly, I felt dirty, as if it had all been a terrible trick. “H-how do you know all this? How did you hear these things?”
“The highborn never look at us servants, yeah?” She scooted onto the bed and lay back on the sheets, rubbing her face against the soft pillows. “Never consider that one of us is always in the room whilst they’re making their grand plans and all.”
I considered that and knew it was true. At least that would be a better explanation than Axe or Vilkurn justtellingKing Rigol about our time together. The thought of Rigol made me want to spit. Side mate, indeed.
“Go now,” I told her, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “I’ll find my way to the kitchens. I’ll not be the king’s second anything. I’m not a whore, and he can’t command me to be one.”
The maid’s expression changed to one of genuine concern. “Oh, ya poor girl, that’s not right at all. The king gets what he wants.” She slipped off the bed and padded to the door. “At least until Verdan invades.”
“Verdan is invading?”
“Pretty soon. They must be waiting for something.” She tapped the side of her freckled nose, like she knew a secret. “I hope the Verdanian lords are as handsome as ours. Suppose I’ll find out.”
