Page 62 of The King's Omega
“You didn’t. You blacked out.” I blushed, but she shook her head. “No, don’t be ashamed. It meant that when Milian sent servants to bring you to dinner we were able to tell him you weren’t well. Bought you some time.”
My mouth went bone dry. I still wasn’t sure what Milian wanted with me, but I had a very bad feeling I would know soon. “Water?”
“Right outside.” She handed me an apple, but my stomach roiled. “Be careful what you eat, by the way. Milian’s really into poisons. I’m sure he won’t use any on you, but if you start to feel odd, tell me. I’ve learned a lot about antidotes.”
That didn’t make me feel any better. “How?”
“Like I said, a girl’s got to have a hobby.” The deeply evil smile that crossed her angelic face made me gasp. “Someday, mine’s going to be murder.”
I stepped away, wondering if I should call Valerie or one of the others.
Roya’s nose wrinkled. “Not you. I meant of bad men. Starting with Milian.” She fidgeted with the remaining two apples in her hands, and for a moment, she looked exactly like what she was: a girl who had lived her life in prison and clung to whatever hope she could muster that someday she would have the power to change her situation. She was beautiful, but more importantly, she was brave, and clever, and determined to overcome all the odds.
If this young girl could believe herself capable of overthrowing a tyrant, who was I to step back from the challenge of saving myself?
And maybe even Rimholt.
I felt a matching, evil smile take hold of my lips and grasped her hand. “Not if I kill him first.” We both giggled, and she showed me to the toilet.
A guard opened the door not more than two minutes after I emerged from the sumptuous bathing room, and female servants began pouring into the Omega Suite. They were carrying dresses, lingerie, and an assortment of toiletries.
One stopped in front of me, staring at the ground. “His Majesty asks that you bathe, dress, and join him for breakfast in the King’s Courtyard.”
“Asks,” I muttered, “or orders?”
She didn’t answer, but her shoulders tensed.
“It’s fine. I’ll go quietly.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. For the next hour servants plucked, shaved, scrubbed with sugar and salt, then oiled, dried, dressed and perfected me. They had thoughtfully brought a comb and oil for my curls, and I watched as the servant—named Fleur—heaped my hair high, using clever, long metal pins with small, jeweled butterflies on the ends to hold the style. Ringlets fell on both sides of my face as she dabbed pink tint on my lips, and a fine dusting of gold powder to my cheeks. “Gold?” I wondered aloud.
“Genuine gold,” she answered, letting her voice drop to almost nothing. “The king is in a good mood today. Comment on the beauty of his topiaries and his crown.”
Crown? So, this wasn’t a casual breakfast. I nodded my thanks and followed her to the door. To my surprise, the rest of the Omegas lined up behind me. “All of us?”
Valerie swallowed hard. “Yes. The officers will be at breakfast. They may be… choosing.”
Oh, Goddess. “They gathered my scent just now, with the oils, in the bath.”
Valerie nodded. “Smile. Be submissive. The king enjoys disciplining rebellious females.” She held out a hand, and I took it with my trembling one.
I had to get through this. For Rimholt.
The King’s Courtyard was as ostentatious as the rest of the palace. Instead of being gold-plated, it was decorated with every variety of flower I’d ever seen, and a few more I hadn’t. Mounds of peonies and roses perched atop the tables that sat between topiaries shaped like crowns, swans, and… a monkey?
“Oh my,” I said, staring at the monkey a little too long. King Milian approached, a retinue of courtiers or some such trailing him. “You like my topiary?”
“It’s… so majestic,” I said. “Such an amazing likeness—” I was about to say, “of a monkey wearing a crown,” but he interrupted. “Yes, the gardeners had me pose for hours to get it just right. See the line of my chin? It took them a week before it was perfect.”
I coughed, trying not to laugh.
“Wine, darling?” he offered, taking my arm and practically dragging me across the lawn to the biggest table, covered with the most roses, and stacked with piles of cut meats, cheese, jellied fruit, puddings, and… my mind spun at the amount of food.
“This is amazing.” I gasped as I stared at his thinning hair. “Your crown, it’s so, so… regal!” A bunch of the same crystals that Vilkurn had given me adorned it. I stifled my amusement; Verdan’s crown jewels were Rimholt’s pretty rocks.
“It is, isn’t it?” Milian leaned down to my ear. “I wore it for you. It’s not every day we host an engagement breakfast.”
I refused to ask the obvious question. If I ignored it, maybe it would go away. “Well, I’m impressed. The hall at the castle in Rimholt has nothing on this spread.”
