Page 88 of The King's Omega
“I won’t give up my kingdom,” he said. “I can’t.”
Selene cursed and pulled my hair back, exposing my neck. “Well then, I don’t have any use for this one, do I? I mean, if I let her live, Milian will just breed her and make her queen. No, she needs to die.”
One of Rigol’s hands flew up, and I recognized a sign.Now.
Before I knew what had happened, Selene lay on the foot of the bed with her head half caved in. Dahlia stood behind her, panting with effort, a giant brass candlestick in her grip.
Sorcha had been right; servants really were invisible. Selene hadn’t even noticed her in the room.
“Untie her,” Rigol commanded, and Dahlia grabbed the dagger to cut my bonds. She dragged Selene—who was still breathing, to my shock—off the bed, and I scrambled up, slicing through Rigol’s bonds. I dropped the dagger, and brushed a hand gently over his brow, one of the few places there wasn’t a wound.
“Rigol, you’re so hurt,” I choked out, terrified of touching him anywhere else with all those injuries. “I healed Axe and the others—”
“You mated Axe?” His eyes were so swollen, I couldn’t tell if he was angry, or glad, or what.
“I did,” I said. “I truly mated Axe, anyway. Biting and all. But, um… the others… well, once we figured out I could heal them without the biting…” I grimaced. “I’m also technically mated to Milian. So there’s that.”
“So… you are… the King’s Omega,” he murmured. “I’m glad.” He exhaled heavily, and I had a terrible feeling it was getting harder for him to breathe at all. “Must tell you… sorry.”
“No,” I said, pressing a kiss to his forehead, “don’t be sorry. You taught me to read, and to speak in signs, and you work so hard for Rimholt.” I stared into his battered face. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I said you were a vile man, and a vile king. You’re neither of those things.”
His eyes closed gently, and his mouth moved again as if he was trying to speak, but then he sort of… deflated. His lungs emptied and didn’t refill. His face went slack, and his hands slipped down and out of mine.
Dahlia’s gasp behind me drew my attention. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I hit her too hard.” She pointed to Selene, who was still, her eyes wide and staring. No, not staring.
Unseeing.
She was dead. She was dead and mated to Rigol. And that meant…
“No!” I choked and pulled him into my arms, sobbing. “You can’t die! We need you. I need you!” I let the waves of grief wash over me, drowning me, then releasing through my tears—my despair clear to the world.
He was gone before I had the chance to understand him. Before he would ever know I might love him. Behind me, I heard Dahlia run from the room. I wished it were that easy for me to escape the horror in front of me.
Oh, Goddess, give him back. Please, give him back to me.
Rigol
Iknew I had died because the pain stopped.
I knew the Goddess had taken me into Her arms, because the scent She had blessed whichever level of the afterlife I had been granted, was Vali’s.
Peaches and honey mixed with salt. I could almost taste it on my tongue. Feel it in my soul. “Thank you, Goddess,” I tried to say, though no sound emerged from my parched throat.
Her arms tightened around me, and hot liquid rained down on my face. Of course, the Goddess would know I needed to drink. I let my tongue slip out to sample the crisp water… but salt flooded my taste buds. She shook, small arms quivering, as She held me.
Was the Goddess… weeping? For me? I sipped the tears again and strove to open my eyes.
She had ebony hair in ringlets, dusky skin, pink lips, and dark eyes that were clouded with pain. A face that I adored, and one I had thought never to see again.
“Vali?” The salt of her tears filled my mouth, and I let myself savor them again. Was I not dead?
“R-Rigol!” She shouted my name and leaned in, pressing her sweet lips to mine, raining kisses on them. Wait, Vali, kissing me?
“Are you the Goddess?” I mumbled through her desperate kisses.
“Oh, no. Your brain’s been scrambled!” She pulled back and stared into my eyes. “Do you know who you are, where you are?”
“Rigol. In the castle in Turino.” In the arms of the only woman I ever wanted to hold again.
