by Zoey Ellis
The king tilted his head as he watched her. “Your contempt of my practices is not surprising, but I do not control the territories. I have no say in what goes on in another’s domain. I can only do what I can to ensure my territory remains dominant and relevant.”
“Yes, but always at the expense of others,” Amara shot back. “Never yourself.”
The king’s disinterested expression did not change. He held her eye for a long moment and then turned away, strolling to the other side of the room.
Amara cursed inwardly. Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut? At this one crucial time when she needed to, she couldn’t. Maybe it was because of all she had seen in his castle, in his territory. She never thought she would ever get to speak to him, let alone tell him exactly what she thought of his “practices.” But after repeatedly witnessing the pain and suffering of the people affected by his rule, it was hard to keep quiet.
“I can see that you feel you know everything about what happens here,” the king said, turning back to her. “I would like to assure you that nothing is as it seems, but unfortunately, that would not be true.” He slowly walked toward her. “And I am telling you that you and your Omega friends are in danger of being found out. How long do you think Omegas will last against Alphas who have never seen them before? The best thing you can do is make an arrangement to protect yourselves.”
Amara pressed her lips together, forcing herself not to speak. She absolutely did not trust the king. He was a liar and manipulator; she had heard and seen enough to know his true nature. Although he may know some information about the existence of Omegas, it did not mean that anything else he said was true. And yet, a doubt niggled at her when she considered the danger to her team if the rulers did indeed start looking. She still didn’t know how he found her.
“What is your name?” he asked.
Amara breathed heavily, trying to decide what to do. Committing suicide was the first protocol they were trained to follow if the situation was dire, but if there was any truth to what he said, her death wouldn’t help the others. They might guess that she was caught while out in DarRojan, or maybe even discovered as a Talent-crafter by one of Malloron’s staff, but they would have absolutely no idea that it was King Malloron himself who had caught her, or the potential danger of the other rulers searching for them. She could not keep them ignorant of those details. They had to know the danger they were in. Once the rulers of the Western Lands had Omegas in their control, no other Omega in the known Lands was safe. She shuddered. It didn’t bear thinking about. She could not leave them unprepared.
“Your name.” His tone deepened, the request no longer a question.
Amara clenched her jaw. “Amara.”
He inclined his head and then stepped back. Suddenly, the magic holding her up left her in a swoop, and she dropped to the ground, her legs almost unable to hold her up. She stumbled away from him, managing to stay upright.
“Let us discuss how things will move forward,” the king said, gesturing to the table in the center of the room as though he was in the middle of a business negotiation.
Staying aware of him, she glanced around the room. She saw no escape. An archway led to another room on one side, which would most likely be a bedroom or another living space, but there were no other doors. The room was higher up in the castle, possibly in one of the spires. There were plenty of windows she could jump out of, but she did not doubt that the windows contained the same magic as the doors.
The king moved slowly to the table and sat down. He gestured to the chair opposite him. “Please take a seat.”
Amara glanced around the room once more, before reluctantly moving to the chair. She would find out exactly what he wanted and then get word back to the other Omegas. Zanya’s observation of the king being more visible had obviously been because he was watching them. From the moment her Omega sister Cailyn said he knew she was an Omega, she should have suggested the Mothers dismantle the team or change their approach to a more aggressive one. How much more did he know about them, and did he know their mission? She had to find out.
As she sank into the chair, the king gestured to the jug of what looked like red wine on the table. “Would you like anything to drink?”
Amara shook her head.
King Malloron lifted the jug and poured the ruby liquid into the two glasses on the table. “You will first admit that you are an Omega.”
Anger flared in Amara at his demands, but she said nothing. She had learned that when dealing with the dishonest and sly merchants, lords and power players of the Western Lands that it was sometimes better to say nothing and let them reach their own conclusions.
He lifted his glass and watched her for a long moment. “We cannot move forward unless you admit what you are.”
Amara continued to simply watch him, keeping her face as blank as possible.
The king sipped his wine, his deep brown eyes on her. “Fine.” He placed his glass down. “I will tell you what you are.” He leaned forward. “You are an illegal citizen of the Western Lands, which makes you vulnerable. You are of a rare dynamic, which makes you vulnerable. You are also a Talent-crafter who has illegally used magic in a forbidden area, which makes you vulnerable.” He smiled, and a deep dimple appeared in his right cheek.
Amara kept her gaze steady on him, unable to deny how stunning he looked. Most of the heartless bastards in the Western Lands were ugly fucks, why couldn’t King Malloron be one of them?
“I can tell you are not one to be afraid of consequences,” he continued. “In fact, I admire your survival instinct. It’s a pity your elders weren’t smarter. I would have liked to have learned from them how they managed the feat of hiding Omegas in plain sight.”
Curiosity stirred in Amara but she didn’t rise to the taunt. If he didn’t know how they hid, that was a good thing. It was also likely he didn’t understand how Omegas could use the Talent, but she didn’t like the way he used the past tense to refer to the Mothers—as though something had happened to them.
"However," the Alpha continued, "that is not my main area of interest. I don't even want to know what you're doing here; although, I'm sure it cannot be anything that would benefit me." He placed his glass down slowly, watching her carefully. "I want to make an arrangement with you. An arrangement that benefits us both."
"What do you mean," Amara said evenly.
"I mean, that I would like you and your Omega friends to consider coming out of hiding… under my protection."
Amara remained silent. How could he possibly think that would be an attractive idea for Omegas? He must be delusional.
"I know it sounds strange," the king said, the hint of a smile on his face. "But it would indeed be the best way forward. Eiros is the biggest, the most dominant, and most influential territory in the Western Lands. Coming to an arrangement with me would benefit you all greatly instead of having the other territories find you themselves."
"And what would stop you from simply turning us into slaves?" Amara asked. "With your history, I am at a loss as to why you think this would be a good suggestion for anyone, Omegas or not."
Malloron’s expression turned deadly serious. "Unfortunately, you will not have a choice either way. You either choose to trust me, or you take your chances with the rest of the territories."
Amara nodded, completely sure of her choice. There was no way she was going to trust him. The other rulers were less powerful and had less of a hold on the Western Lands. Since the Talent couldn’t be used in the normal way, because of limited access to magic, any escape plan required preparation. They needed time to get help from outside of Eiros to arrange it, but if the situation were truly that desperate, all of the Omegas could find a way to escape within the next week if they had to. There was no need to make any kind of arrangement with the worst of them all.
"And before you think you would be better off taking your chances with them," Malloron added, "you should know, that their greatest weakness is being unable t
o work together." He leaned forward slightly. "If all of those rulers joined as one to come against me, they would be a real threat. But their egos are too big for them to even consider joining forces. I believe that Omegas may make them consider it."
"Are you saying you have a vested interest in this for that reason."
"No." Malloron leaned back, relaxing into his chair. "Creating a united front against me is something I have considered and prepared for. What I'm trying to tell you is that if they choose to join together, you and all of the other Omegas will not escape. You will be caught, I guarantee it. You need the protection of someone who is capable of giving it to you."
"You are not offering any assurances," Amara pointed out.
"You have not confirmed yet that you are an Omega," King Malloron returned. He smiled, his dimple reappearing. "Confirm you are an Omega and we can discuss how to move forward."
"Even if I were an Omega, I would not be able to speak for all Omegas. It is foolish to assume that any arrangement you make with me would be accepted by any other."
"But you can persuade them." Malloron clasped his hands on the table. "You could persuade them to at least listen to my offer. I propose you stay with me for a month as the diplomat for the Omegas. You will see that I truly mean Omegas no harm. We can discuss how Omegas could fit into my kingdom and its culture, and build an alliance of sorts."
Amara eyed him, aware he had no intention of building an alliance with Omegas. Do wild beasts negotiate with their prey? "So you will let me go back and speak to them about this?"
"No. You will remain here until tomorrow to think over what I've said. Then you can give me your answer."
"And if I say no?"
Malloron’s dimpled smile deepened. "Then you and your friends will have a very difficult time surviving the Western Lands. And me."
CHAPTER FIVE
MALLORON
Malloron headed to the temple, every single inch of his body alive with excitement. He found an Omega. Once he had her in place, he would be able to achieve something his father and grandfather had been unable to do.
"Emric!" he bellowed into the corridor, feeling the charms in the wall absorb his summons. Even though it was in the middle of the night, Emric was on call at every hour.
He navigated the corridors, his mind completely on the Omega. She was much more intriguing than he anticipated. Granted, he never actually considered what an Omega would be like, it was never something he ever wondered about. She upheld her meek servant role so well, he assumed she would be more forthcoming than the usual servant, but not with such depth. While observing her secretly, he’d never seen expressions of anger, worry or contempt on her face before, and the richness of emotion was appealing. She attempted to be emotionless, but she clearly did not have that kind of discipline, at least not with him. In any case, he was glad for it. She seemed to be permanently angry with him—certainly not afraid of him as he expected her to be; she wasn’t even fearful for her life. After their exchange of words, he found her utterly fascinating. The small examination he conducted showed her to have a delightful body. Although she was small, she had the kind of curves clients paid extra for, plus she was bigger around her hips and had a plump ass. The Omega was ripe for the pleasure chambers, but that wasn’t what he had planned for her. Hopefully, the other Omegas would be similar in stature and temperament and he could offer them to clients.
If he could offer Omegas in his pleasure chambers, his power and control of the Western Lands would catapult far beyond the reach of any of the other rulers. Clients would literally bankrupt themselves and do anything he asked to get their cocks in an Omega. And so would some of the rulers themselves.
By the time he reached his temple, Emric was there once again, this time dressed in his night-robes.
"I have an extremely special guest in the Carodoc rooms," Malloron announced. "No one is to enter but me from now on. Anyone who does will find themselves strapped to a bench in the pleasure chamber, no matter their status, no matter who they are."
Emric nodded. “Understood.”
“I need regal gowns, undergarments, and footwear and all the necessary accompanying items prepared for her. I will give you measurements.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
"The servant named Jayleen," Malloron continued. "She no longer works here, but I need her records—where she was from, how she was recruited, her skills, her shift patterns… everything."
"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Emric murmured. "I will get this information for you immediately."
"I want to move my meeting tomorrow with Duke Brecc to next week. I'm too busy to meet him."
Emric winced. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Your Majesty. From what I understand, he arranged meetings this week with the rulers of Rucevale, DarRojan, and Cleyanti. I would not advise you meeting him after he has met with those rulers."
Malloron stilled for a moment in thought. Emric was right; he could not allow his territory to be the last one to meet with Brecc. If he was planning anything significant, it could potentially impact Eiros. He needed to be abreast of what was happening. "All right," he said reluctantly. "The meeting stays."
As he opened the door to his temple, Emric asked, "With regards to your special guest, should I be providing food?"
Malloron nodded. "Get one of the crafters to weave a spell that will transfer her meals directly into the room without anyone needing to enter. You can prepare the menu, or one of the chefs that you choose, but it needs to be excellent food and wine."
Emric nodded but still did not move. "And that food… should it be… tainted?"
Malloron thought for a moment. "No. Not for now. That may change, but I will let you know."
Emric bowed and headed down the corridor.
Malloron let himself into the temple and headed straight to the spell book on the stand. He needed to double-check all of the criteria for his plan and whether the Omega met them all. He turned to the page near the back of the book. The parchment was different from the rest of the pages having been sewn in after the book’s completion. That was one of the reasons why he struggled to find it at first, he should have known that his grandfather would have been persistent about putting it in the correct book.
He spent the rest of the night examining the page and applying it to Amara and making sure she was suitable. It seemed as though she was the perfect fit. She was an Omega, she was strong in spirit, and she had the capacity for the Talent. The only thing was that he had to wait until the monthly night of the dark moon before he could move forward… and she had to be willing. He hoped that she took his warning about the other rulers seriously. In all honesty, it was unlikely that they would be organized enough to join together in the way he had elaborated to her, but it was a possibility when it came to Omegas. Regardless, he didn't give a shit about any of the other Omegas. They could become slaves, they could be sold, they could be hired out to the highest bidder. He only needed one, and he already had her.
***
Malloron made his way back up to the main part of the castle, trying to shake off his agitation as he headed to one of his casting rooms. The meeting with Brecc that morning had been strangely uneventful and highly suspicious. He had agreed to all of Malloron’s demands with minimal resistance and didn’t mention his meetings with the other rulers at all.
“I don’t care how it’s done,” he barked at Emric who followed behind him. “I want to know what he is discussing in the other meetings. Find a way to be present. Get a crafter to create a Beta or Alpha scent for you like before, whatever you need to do, do it.”
“I can be at maybe two of them at most,” Emric said, apologetically. “But it will seem suspicious if the same person is at all of the meetings, Your Majesty.”
Malloron turned to him sharply. “Then do not be the same person, Emric. What do you think is your main use to me? Because it is not organizing schedules and putting servants in pretty tunics. This is what I need from
you. Blend in, change your scent multiple times, change your accent and clothes. You will not be found out.”
Emric fidgeted, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Banon has forced me into an agreement to visit his pleasure chamber every evening.”
Malloron frowned. “What for?”
“To help him ‘oversee’ the chamber.”
“Why?”
Emric didn’t reply, but the mortification on his face said it all.
“He is doing that because he wants you,” Malloron said, irritably. “Why don’t you just let him fuck you and get it over with?”
Emric’s face lowered. “It would not satisfy him, Your Majesty.”
“You have tried it?”
Emric nodded, clearly embarrassed.
Malloron clenched his jaw. This was the problem with having Alphas running things for him, their need to fuck everything always got in the way. “You do your job as you’re supposed to,” he told Emric. “Take the time to become different people and tell me what Brecc has planned. You have to make sure you are not discovered, that is your responsibility. Your agreement with Banon is broken by word of the king. If he has a problem with that, he needs to see me.”
Emric nodded again. He didn’t seem happy about it, but Malloron didn’t care. He let himself into his casting room and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening experimenting with different spells and magical energies.
Magic was actually quite simple to understand. It was an invisible energy that penetrated the entire land, and existed in various forms and strengths. It responded to patterns and symbols found in spoken language, gestures, and an individual’s will. Of course, with the numerous amount of different energies in the world, some pure, some combined, some manipulated in nature, some manipulated by man, the experimentation of different combinations of energies was what made one Talent-crafter more powerful than another. The Visant family had done extensive experimentation over the centuries, ensuring they remained the most powerful. But other ambitious Talent-crafters had risen since then, and some of them supported rulers in the other territories. So Malloron was always experimenting, always committed to keeping on top of the newest combinations of magic and how they may be used to benefit him or his allies.
