Page 14 of The Omega Slave

It was chaos for a few seconds as the poor surged forward and the nobles retreated in fear and confusion, and he reveled in the fact that the poor thought to make sure the needy were pushed ahead. The elderly. The children.

And shame licked at his skin. He sent a promise to Rajpur that he would return with food for everyone, before a hand Kamir knew almost better than his own jerked him back, and despite the shouts of the guards, the crowd surged forward, and he was bundled into a carriage.

He gazed at Mansala. “What did we just do?”

“You just took your crown, Highness” he said. But Kamir remembered the starving girl and doubted if the day had ended in a victory for her.

“And the slave?” he croaked. Kamir knew Mansala knew who he meant.

“We are on our way. Her highness has him. Above all, you two must be together. I ”

Kamir scoffed. “And look what happened last time we were.”

Mansala chuckled. Actually chuckled. “Maybe don’t touch? At least while you are in a carriage?”

He was glad at least someone found humor.

Chapter seven

“I owe you my life.”

Tsaria gaped as the emir smiled at him, and he seemed to fall into those deep amber eyes again, so different from the brown he would swear they were originally. Then he absorbed the words and shook his head. He was nothing. A body hired for pleasure. How could he possibly be here with the emir? Maybe he had really died in that awful cell, or maybe the dragon had roasted him alive.

“You not only saved my life, but if the gods are willing, you may be able to help me save the people of Rajpur. My uncle wouldn’t have just let me walk away from the palace. I would have been dead by the time he was crowned.”

Tsaria glanced to his side just to make doubly sure there wasn’t someone else there that the emir was talking to. People of wealth didn’t feel they owed the poor anything.

“You know who I am.” He didn’t make it a question.

“Yes, your Highness,” Tsaria managed to get out.

“Then please call me Kamir at least when it’s just the two of us, or all the time, if you feel comfortable enough to do so. May I have your name?”

“Tsaria,” he whispered. “Just Tsaria.” Because the emir might think him rude for not answering fully, but he only had one name. His father had officially stripped him of the right to carry his family name when he had sold him to the pleasure house.

“I’m sure you’re wondering what in seven hells is going on, and we have some time, so I will share what I know.”

“I don’t understand, Highness,” Tsaria said, and he didn’t. Why did he deserve any explanation, and why was he here in this wagon?

“Firstly, I would give anything for you not to have endured the last few days. My uncle convinced me you were dead, along with everyone else.”

“Dead? Who died?” But then he snapped his mouth shut. It wasn’t his place—

“Everyone who was in the room when I entered. I’m afraid all your friends who came with you.”

Tsaria pressed shaky fingers to his lips. Karice was barely more than a child, and Ayella was with child. One that would never live now. And the new boys. His eyes smarted, and he tried to swallow down his tight throat.

“I’m sorry, so sorry. My uncle is blaming the dragon. Insisting it was the dragon from Cadmeera, but we both know that isn’t true.”

Tsaria shivered, sure his life was forfeit. He just didn’t understand why he hadn’t been left to die in the dungeon. “I promise I won’t tell.”

The emir smiled. “I know. You kept my secret when you had no reason to.”

Tsaria looked his fill. If he wasn’t going to die, or even if he was, the emir didn’t seem to be angry with him at the moment,and his highness was stunning. He wanted to trace his high cheek bones and lush lips with his finger, and his tongue, which shocked him silly. He rarely felt interest that wasn't feigned to make his customers think they were desirable. His own body had long given up feeling genuine desire.

“Let me start at the beginning. I wish I could touch you, but as we are in the confines of a wagon, it may not be a good idea.”

Why? Because…oh. Well, yes, but Tsaria doubted he had anything to do with it.

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