Page 64 of The King's Omega
“Clever,” I said, my throat dry. “But what about slow poisons?”
“Oh, my taster ate the individual ingredients for this meal the past two nights as well.” He reached out and ran his fingers through my curls, tangling them and tugging his hand free so quickly I felt hair being pulled loose. “I’m smarter than Rigol’s father ever was. Or Rigol.”
“He has a food taster, too.”
“Yes, little Omega,” Milian said, tapping the end of my nose. “But he’s just mated the most lethal poisoner in all of Verdan. I don’t think he’ll be bothering us, or you, much longer.” I suppressed the urge to cry out. Selene wasn’t just a spy, but an assassin? “Now eat your meal, darling. Our ceremony is this evening. I want you to be well fortified for our wedding night.”
He leaned in and inhaled my scent. “You’re opening to me, aren’t you? I can detect your perfume from here.”
I dropped my eyes, feigning shyness. But rage boiled inside me.
I had to get out of here, fast. But how?
The servant who had seated me was at my elbow then, picking up the spilled things that always seemed to accumulate around me when I ate at a grand table. “Thank—” I began, then stopped and used Axe’s sign for thank you instead.
The servant looked at me with familiar blue eyes and signed, “You’re welcome, kitten.”
Vilkurn
Only my years of training and practice kept me from exposing my identity when Vali walked into the garden, dressed in splendor, celebrating her engagement to King Milian.
For a moment, I wondered if I had been wrong about her all along. Was she one of them? The news I’d received from Rimholt was dire. One of my embedded spies had discovered a Verdanian messenger racing for the city the night before and killed him, taking his place. The information in that intercepted message had sent me reeling.
King Rigol had been poisoned and was expected to be dead within days. His mate, Selene—I couldn’t make myself even think Queen Selene—had invited Milian to the castle to discuss terms of surrender. She needed him to come quickly with a show of force, as some of the citizens weren’t accepting her rule.
Of course they weren’t—she had no right to rule. Did she not understand Rimholt’s procedures for succession? The man who was training Verdan’s spies since I had killed their previous Spymaster needed to step up his training.
Shortly after my arrival in Verdan City, I’d learned who Selene really was: Milian’s spy and chief poisoner. Somehow, she had found her way back into the castle in Turino while I was in Verdan City and gotten close enough to Rigol to poison him. It was possible Vali had been a party to the deception. For all I knew, the two women had colluded for months, waiting for the right moment to strike.
But could any young woman be as effective an actress as Vali had been? Good enough to fool every single person she’d met in Turino? My heart said no.
As the party progressed, and I watched the odious Milian rub up against Vali, making more and more suggestive remarks as if that would attract her to him, it was obvious Vali was indeed an outstanding actress.
But not so exceptional that she could disguise the fear and anger in her scent. Or the trembling in her small hands. When Milian mentioned their wedding night, she appeared close to breaking.
I knew I was. It took every ounce of control I possessed not to pull a knife and stab the treacherous monster in the heart. But that wouldn’t get my kitten out of the grave trouble she was in. She needed to know she wasn’t alone. After she signed her thanks, I hazarded a response and prayed she would stay calm.
“I’m afraid I’m over warm, King Milian,” she replied to his next leering comment about the coming evening’s activities. “I don’t want to suffer from sunstroke before the wedding. May I please be excused?”
“Yes, of course. All the ladies must go. Servants, take some of the food into the Omega Suite for them. My officers and I have matters of war to discuss.”
More like whiskey to drink and war crimes to plan. I hoisted a platter of fruit and followed the bevy of Omegas into the Suite. In the melee—many of the girls were weeping over the woman whom Farthan had taken—I slipped into a bathing chamber, pulled on a pale pink robe with a cowl and toed off my boots. I hoped to pass for a grieving woman on quick inspection.
Vali was easy to find; she sat alone on a cushion against a wall, staring into space. I had never seen her face so vacant.
“Omega?” I murmured, coming as close as I could. “I’m here to help prepare you for your wedding.”
“I’m not marrying that foul man,” she spat out. Her nose crinkled, then she froze. “Vilkurn?”
“In this robe, surely I’m a Vilamina?” I teased. “At least for today.”
“I knew it was you!”
I shushed her. “Softly, my kitten. How is it you are here?”
“Someone kidnapped me. Selene came back to the castle, and Rigol believed her wild tale of woe. He let her out of the dungeon and back into his bed!” The words rushed out of her, and I took her icy fingers in mine.
“I’ve got you now. I’m going to get you out, Vali. I promise.”
