Page 46 of Fire and Fate
Alessia braided my curls while Solace massaged my feet, and I felt so cherished I could barely breathe. When Solace came back from her walk with Zara, she had this glow about her, this satisfaction that made it clear exactly what they'd been doing. I'm happy for her, thrilled that she's finally letting herself be cared for instead of always being the caretaker.
Zara seems more hesitant around me though, always looking on with pride and something that looks almost like longing, but never quite approaching. It's like she thinks she's going to break me if she gets too close, like I'm made of glass instead of flesh and bone. I catch her watching me constantly, her dark eyes tracking my movements with an intensity that makes my skin warm, but she keeps her distance even when everything in me wants to close that gap.
We're all sitting around the table in one of the lounges now, having an afternoon snack that involves more exotic fruits and delicate pastries than I've ever seen in my life. I'm draped over Solace's lap, loving that I can publicly claim my Beta without shame or fear.
My head rests against her shoulder, one of her arms wrapped around my waist to keep me secure. It feels perfect, natural, exactly how things should be. But my eyes keep darting to Zara, who sits across from us with that same hesitant expression.
Solace is laughing at something Alessia said about dragon politics, her chest vibrating against my back with the sound. She notices where my attention keeps going and leans down to murmur in my ear. "Go to her, princess. She wants you just as much as you want her."
"I'm not sure," I whisper back, uncertainty making my voice small.
Solace nudges me gently. "You can want more than one person. You taught me that, remember? Now go show your Alpha that you're not afraid of her."
Before I can second-guess myself, Zara pulls her seat back a little, creating space in her lap. She gestures for me to come closer, and the invitation is clear even if no words are spoken. I slide off Solace's lap and cross the short distance between us, crowding into Zara's space. She helps me settle, her stronghands guiding me until I'm curled up in her lap with my head tucked beneath her chin.
"I've never really wanted to be an Omega before," I admit quietly, the words spilling out before I can stop them. "Those instincts weren't there for me. I didn't want to submit or nest or any of the things Omegas are supposed to crave. But now I want it. I want to do all the things. I want to curl up in my Alphas' laps and be fed and cared for. I want to build a nest or maybe just have a bed and fill it with all of our scents. I want everything I used to think was weakness."
Solace's voice comes from behind me, encouraging me further. "Your Alpha queens are offering you exactly what you seek. Why don't you take it?"
I turn my head to look at her, confusion and fear warring in my chest. "Because I don't want you to think I'm moving on from you just as I don't want you to feel like you have to move on from me. You're still mine, Sol. You'll always be mine."
Solace laughs, the sound full of affection and amusement. "You were the one that said a heart can hold more than one. That loving them doesn't mean loving me less. Are you taking back those words now?"
Heat floods my cheeks. "You were awake? When I said that to Zara, you were awake?"
"My protection for you never stops, princess," Solace says with a gentle smile. "Even when I'm resting, part of me is always aware of where you are and if you're safe. I heard everything, and I meant what I said. I love seeing you like this, happy and cared for. It doesn't diminish what we have. It enhances it."
Zara gently adjusts me in her lap, reaching for one of the pastries on the table. She brings it to my lips, and I open automatically, letting her feed me. The sweetness explodes on my tongue, honey and cream and something else I can't identify.I hum in pleasure, and I can feel Zara's satisfied smile against the top of my head.
"I love seeing you like this," Solace repeats, reaching over to caress my face. Her fingers trace along my cheekbone, tender and loving. "Relaxed and happy. This is what you deserve."
Alessia leans in from the other side, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. Her hand finds mine, lacing our fingers together. "We all want to take care of you, sweetheart. Let us."
I feel spiritually full for the first time since arriving here, surrounded by people who love me and want nothing but my happiness. The sensation is so overwhelming that it takes me a moment to notice something else. Something that should be there but isn't.
I frown, my body going slightly tense in Zara's lap. I can feel Solace's emotions like I always can, that steady stream of love and contentment and protective satisfaction washing over me in familiar waves. But the two queens, Alessia and Zara, I feel nothing from them. No emotions bleeding into my awareness, no sense of what they're feeling beyond what I can see in their expressions and body language. It's like there's a wall between us, blocking the empathic connection I've had with every other person I've ever met.
"What's wrong?" Zara asks immediately, her hands tightening on me slightly. "Are you uncomfortable? Do you need something?"
I look to Solace first, seeking permission with my eyes. This is something I've kept hidden my entire life, something my mother taught me never to speak about openly. The ability to feel others' emotions has always been my secret, my advantage, the thing that kept me safe in a court full of people with hidden agendas. But Solace nods, encouraging me to share, her eyes warm with support.
"I've always been able to feel emotions," I say slowly, choosing my words carefully. "Just as good as I've been able to smell scents, sometimes better. It's like everyone around me is broadcasting their feelings and I can't help but pick them up. Happiness, anger, fear, desire, all of it washes over me constantly. But with you two, I feel nothing. I can't gather your emotions at all. It's like you're blank spaces in my awareness."
Alessia sits up straighter, her eyes widening with surprise and something that looks almost like recognition. "That's distinctly draconic magic. Empathic abilities like that don't occur in wolves, not naturally. They're exclusive to dragons and a few other ancient bloodlines. How long have you been able to do this?"
"My entire life," I admit, watching her face carefully for any sign of judgment or fear. "My mother said it was normal, that many of our Omegas have some kind of latent magic. I can also tell when people are lying, sense their intentions before they act on them. I thought everyone could do it until I was older and realized it was just me. Most people can't feel what others are feeling, can't sense the truth beneath someone's words."
Zara's voice rumbles through her chest, thoughtful and confused. "That magic isn't meant to work within Embrath. Dragons are naturally shielded against empathic intrusion, it's part of our defensive capabilities. The empathic magic you're describing is used as a defense against others, a way to detect threats and deception from outsiders. But there's no reason for a wolf to have it, especially not at the level you're describing. That kind of power is rare even among dragons. Most of us can sense surface emotions, but reading intentions and detecting lies requires significant magical strength."
I laugh, the sound coming out slightly bitter. "But I'm not a wolf. I'm just an Omega. Not everyone shifts in Valoria. Most Omegas can't, actually. We have other gifts to compensate,magic that helps us navigate a world built for Alphas and Betas. My mother always said my abilities were a blessing, that they'd keep me safe when nothing else could."
"And your mother?" Alessia asks carefully, her voice gentle but probing. "And your father? What were they? Did they have similar abilities?"
"My father is a wolf," I say, the present tense for him and past tense for her feeling heavy on my tongue. "An Alpha wolf who rules Valoria with absolute authority. He can shift, commands respect and obedience from everyone around him. My mother was just an Omega. She couldn't shift either, but she was fierce and strong despite that. She taught me everything I know about fighting, about protecting myself when the world wants Omegas to be soft and weak. She left me this."
I reach under my dress at my hip, fingers finding the familiar hilt of the blade I've carried since her death. It's always with me, strapped securely where I can reach it quickly if needed. The leather is worn smooth from years of handling, molded to fit my grip perfectly. I draw it out carefully, the metal singing slightly as it leaves its sheath, the sound pure and clear in the quiet lounge.
The moment the blade appears, silence falls over the room. Both queens stare at it with expressions I can't quite read. Shock, recognition, something that looks almost like grief mixed with disbelief.
