Page 16 of The Omega Slave

“Highness,” Mansala wrenched the door open just as Kamir struggled to sit up. “Quickly.” Kamir reached for Tsaria, but Mansala pulled at his arm. “Highness—"

“No, take him first.”

“Highness—"

“Do it.” Kamir pulled Tsaria to him as gently as he could. “He’s hit his head. As if he hasn’t had enough injuries.”

“Highness!” Tam yelled as the hooves became all but deafening. Mansala caught Tsaria and pulled him free. Kamir bent down to Jael who was very much awake and lifted the blankets. “Quick, hide.” Jael looked terrified but instantly obeyed him and Kamir climbed out, just in time for the twenty or so troops from his uncle’s private guard to catch them up.

“Highness.” The sergeant dismounted quickly and bowed. “Thank goodness.” Mansala kept a hold of Tsaria but was surrounded and had the tip of three swords all pointed at him. Tam likewise.

“Sergeant, what is the meaning of this?” Kamir tried to sound angry and objectionable rather than terrified they would be dragged back to the palace. “Your horses scared ours and theyshied injuring my servant as you can see. If you had approached in a sensible manner—”

“Highness, we understand you have been taken against your will,” the sergeant interrupted, and even Kamir was shocked. If the man had done that to his uncle, he would have lost his head.

“Well, you are mistaken. As you can see, my life sentinel is with me, and I am on urgent diplomatic business.”

The sergeant narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry, but my orders are to escort you back to the palace.”

Mansala moved an inch and one of the swords to his neck scored a red line that oozed with blood. “Stand down,” Kamir thundered, but the soldiers took no notice. And Kamir knew at that moment that they listened only to his uncle. “Very well, I will return with you, but my sentinel and driver will leave.” Jael had to remain hidden as there was no way he could explain his presence.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, your Highness,” the sergeant continued, almost smugly. “I am under orders to bring everyone so it can be ascertained you aren’t under duress.”

Kamir wanted to rage. He knew if Tsaria returned to the palace he would be dead, but he also knew they couldn’t fight twenty armed men. Or could he? Kamir took a step toward Tsaria, only for the sergeant to smoothly insert himself and stop Kamir from touching him. “Highness, if you won’t come freely, I have orders to detain you.”

Kamir thought he’d seen everything his uncle was capable of in the last few days, but clearly he was wrong. “You know laying your hands on me is a capital offense.”

The sergeant didn’t move, and one of the others even slid closer. “I have orders to make sure you aren’t being threatened or even drugged. Once we get back to the palace, it can be straightened out.”

Kamir glanced in frustration at Mansala surrounded by three guards, and then Tsaria, who was still limp in his arms. What could he do? He drew in a breath and tried to imagine the feeling of his dragon, the love, but there was nothing.

And then they heard it.

A strange cry above that Kamir recognized instantly. So did the troops, and they all looked up as a large shadow loomed over them. Wing beats ruffled his hair and a few of the troops struggled to contain their horses.

Kamir didn’t look up, just blessed Attiker’s foresight, if he was responsible. “I suggest, sergeant, that you release my sentinel right away or I will be forced to let my dragon feast. She sounds a little hungry to me.”

Two of the troops couldn’t hold their horses as powerful wing beats battered at them from overhead. Kamir thought it fitting that the troops didn’t hang around either.

“You have one chance, sergeant. I suggest you don’t waste it, or it will definitely be your last one.”

And as if there was some unseen signal, all the remaining troops turned and ran as one. The sergeant blinked, suddenly realizing he had no one at his back, and turned, stumbling as Eldara dropped even lower, then covered his head with his arms and ran.

The wing beats lessened as hooves were heard approaching from the other direction, and Kamir looked up as Eldara rose, hovering, while the approaching horses and carriage came closer, then lifted herself higher with a powerful beat of her wings and flew away.

“Kamir!”

He glanced at the lead rider just in time to see her fling herself from the horse and throw herself into his arms. “We were nearly too late. I am sorry.”

Kamir disentangled himself. “I think you came at exactly the right time.” He looked over at Mansala and his breath caught as he saw Tsaria’s eyes were open and staring at him with a mixture of awe and fear.

“Come brother, get in the carriage and…” but Kamir wasn’t listening. He closed the distance to Mansala and simply opened his arms for Tsaria.

“Give him to me.”

Mansala obeyed, and Kamir took him carefully. He should feel his weight far more than he did, and for an instant, Kamir marveled at his sudden strength. He should never have been able to carry another man this easily, but he not only held him with ease, he also walked back to the carriage, climbing in with no difficulty. Tsaria didn’t try to move or to get away, which Kamir was grateful for. He needed to keep him close.

Jael scrambled out and stared at everyone in astonishment, until Veda told him to sit as they were leaving again.

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