Page 58 of The King's Omega
We arrivedin Verdan City in the wee hours, the horses lathered and blowing, with their riders little better.
Or at least not this rider. I had boasted about my ability to Axe, but it had been years since I’d ridden. When I attempted to dismount, my legs collapsed under me, and the ever-alert Lieutenant Darvon caught me. He carried me into the palace. It was late, but I had the impression that gold foil covered the walls. Giant chandeliers dripped with crystals that sparkled even with the sparse light. There were six enormous portraits of the same blond man on horseback, standing on a mound of dead wolves, a mound of dead bears, what might have been a mound of dead badgers, and more.
The lieutenant murmured in my ear, “His Majesty, King Milian.” He took a very unsubtle sniff at my neck when he came close, and I had to fight not to shudder. The lieutenant’s scent was harsh, like grease and smoke.
“My long-lost girl, can it be true?” The same man depicted in the paintings approached. He was ridiculously tall, with silver-flecked blond hair, and wore a slim-fitting, light-blue tunic that matched his eyes; pants in a deeper shade of blue; and brown riding boots.
His face was classically handsome, his jawline defined and covered with a close-cut golden beard. Although he looked old enough to be my father, fifty-five or so, there was nothing about him that would indicate I came from his line. I was short, deeply olive-skinned, curly-haired, and dark-eyed. Maybe someone should mention that.
Maybe someone would figure out they had the wrong girl.
“You look like your late mother,” he breathed, something sparking in his eyes. I’d like to think it was affection, but I’d seen greed too many times to be fooled.
“Your Majesty?” I murmured. “My mother?” Maybe he harbored some residual affection for a woman long dead or something.
“Call me Milian, darling.” He smiled benevolently at me and then allowed his gaze to move to the lieutenant. “I see my right hand has been taking care of you. He’ll keep doing so until the wedding. Good. Darvon, see her to her rooms and then report to me.”
“Until the what?” I barked out, and both men flinched.
“She’s had a hard few days,” the lieutenant said. “We must make allowances.”
“Must we?” The king tilted his head. “You know how these Omegas need discipline, Darvon. I can provide an example if you like. You’ll need to see how it’s done, as you’ll have your own Omega soon.”
“Yes, Sire.” Darvon’s lips curled into that cruel smile again, and I went as still as stone. His own Omega? There were more here like me?
“Maybe she should stay with the other Omegas tonight,” Darvon said. “We don’t want her to feel alone in the castle.”
“Splendid idea,” Milian replied, both of them ignoring me.
I was glad. Their attention felt predatory. But I had to ask, so I cleared my throat lightly. “Omegas? You have… more like me?”
“Of course,” the king said, smiling genuinely now. “My daughters. They can’t wait to meet you.”
Then Darvon bundled me away through first one set of locked gates, then another, and finally to a heavily guarded, wide oak door. The locks were not the kind Tarn had taught me to pick, and the guards were alert and attentive.
Goddess save me, I prayed, as Darvon had the guard unlock the door. He set me down and backed away.
That seemed ominous. “Why aren’t you going in?”
“No man is permitted near the King’s Omegas.” He inhaled deeply. “But none of them are like you. My friends will be jealous beyond measure that I was allowed to touch you, hold you.” He lifted his fingers to his mouth, licking them clean. “I can still relish you on my skin. Sweet dreams, Princess.”
Before I could protest, the door closed in my face, and I let out a small shriek. “Screaming won’t help,” a soft voice said behind me. “Nor crying. If it did, we’d all be free by now.”
I turned to see who had spoken and found myself facing Selene.
I blinked. No, not Selene. I blinked again, and looked around the enormous room full of sumptuous, soft furnishings in reds, purples, golds, and greens, and all draped with…
Holy shit. It was a whole room full of Selenes. “Am I in Hell?” I breathed.
Without saying a word, every one of the women nodded.
Then one girl did speak. “Yes.”
* * *
“Hell has good food,”I muttered around a mouthful of ham a few moments later. The girl next to me let out a defeated laugh.
“Oh, yes, we are kept well fed, and well-protected.”
