Page 80 of The King's Omega
“We’re fairly certain they’re in the tunnels now. We’ve heard them a few times. This room has a hidden catch that locks it, so we’re safer here than elsewhere,” Lorn assured me.
At least there was that. “Our only allies outside are Sorcha and her friends and Vilkurn, who may still be on his way from Verdan. Milian married me, but he still wants to mate me. He could suspect that I ran, or he might think I was kidnapped.” I swallowed the bile that threatened to erupt. “I need to be found. He had taken the rooms next to Rigol’s. I think he was planning to… complete our mating in front of Rigol. I could go back to him and get closer to Rigol that way.”
The thought of being under Milian’s control again made me shudder. Who knew if this time I would be able to fend off his advances? But I had to try.
All three men let out fearsome sounds. Axe’s hands began flying. I squeezed my eyes shut. “Ugh! I will not let him complete the mating. But if I can get close enough, maybe I can knock him out, or distract him long enough to reach Rigol and heal him.”
Axe’s hand landed on my arm, and I opened my eyes. He was signing so fast that I had to look to Lorn to interpret. “He’s asking how you plan to heal Rigol? We aren’t certain if it was your nectar, or being in your presence, or…” He gestured at my breasts.
I made a face. “Can we never talk about that? It’s disgusting.”
Axe’s sign was adamant. “No. We will speak of it, and do it, many times. I will drink from you every day, my mate.”
If that hadn’t been so sweet, I would have made an even worse face. “In the dark, maybe. I can’t… just no.” I cleared my throat. “I’m not sure either. I can try one thing at a time, I suppose.”
A strange silence filled the room. Tarn’s voice broke it. “Peaches, you have feelings for Axe.” I nodded, suddenly shy. “I dare to think you could someday have them for me, and Lorn as well.” I nodded again. I didn’t need to tell him I already had those feelings for them. “But when it comes to Rigol, can you honestly tell me, if you needed to take him into you to bring out your gifts… well, the book said the Omega chooses. We’re not letting you go; it’s too dangerous. But even if we did, could you—would you—choose him?”
I thought of Rigol and how cruel he’d been to me at first. How he’d hurt Mischief and mated Selene. How he’d smelled of her, rancid oil ruining his pine. The way he’d expected me to give myself to him, how he’d demanded it.
My gut churned with anger at the memory.
Then I thought of my men and how they loved him, called him brother. I remembered the hours sitting close in the library, with him teaching me to read and sign. How intent he had been on saving as many citizens as he could. On protecting the vulnerable.
For some reason, a vision of the countryside of Rimholt came to mind. Our lands were well cared for, our farms flourishing. Outside of its palace, Verdan was a wasteland. Even if I had never met either king, I would know which one was evil, and which one truly cared for his people.
But could I choose Rigol? Not just over Milian, but as a lover. I didn’t know.
His face flickered in my memories. His lip curled in disgust when we’d met, but then in laughter at Mischief’s antics in the library. His eyes sparked with resolve when he spoke to his lieutenant and filled with abject despair when Selene had returned to claim him. His posture had revealed a deep loneliness that he hadn’t been able to hide when we spent those weeks together. He had longed for more than just my Omega powers. He had wanted me for a friend, and more.
And now he was dying, when I might be able to help him, if I let my anger go and forgave him. Even if he had never asked for my forgiveness outright.
“I would.” The room was silent. I could tell I’d shocked them all.
Honestly, I had shocked myself. But it was true; I had forgiven him in my heart. I could love him.
Maybe… I already did.
Not thirty seconds later, the sound of footsteps right outside the hidden door, then the slow creak of the wall scraping open, galvanized us into action.
“Shit,” Axe signed, sliding behind the opening door. “Brothers, kidnap Vali!”
In a flash, they tossed me onto the mattress, my chemise pulled open and my skirts thrown over my knees. “Hold still, little Omega,” Lorn sneered. “You’ll see what happens to females who betray their country.”
Tarn held both my wrists in a firm grip. “My turn next, brother. Get her wet for me.”
“No! No!” I screamed, the fear in my voice real, although not because my men would hurt me. They were pretending, so I would have a chance to be taken back into Milian’s inner circle rather than hanged as a traitor.
I feared who was listening at the door. “Please don’t, I’m Milian’s mate! I’m his queen. He’ll pay you whatever you ask, he’ll—”
“What in the name of the Goddess are you idiots doing here?” Vilkurn’s quiet voice was a whiplash of fury, and each of his hands held a gleaming blade.
“Mischief!” I yelled. Lorn frowned. Vilkurn growled. “I said MISCHIEF!”
Tarn let me go, and I shot off the mattress, running to greet Vil. “You’re safe, you’re here! Did you get the Omegas out?”
He slid one of his knives away and tucked me behind his back. “Of course I did. What are these oafs playing at?”
“Pretend torture,” I said, hugging his back. “We didn’t know it was you.” I stayed clamped to his back like a lamprey as the others quickly apprised Vilkurn of the situation.
