Page 32 of The Omega Slave

“Nothing I can do will make any difference,” Tsaria said at last, and they came to a stop in a small courtyard that to Tsaria seemed to overlook the whole kingdom. It was beautiful.

“Because you don’t think you can bring Kamir’s dragon out.” Tsaria didn’t know how to answer, and after another silent moment he looked up to see Attiker gazing softly at him. “But that’s not the problem exactly, is it?” Attiker pushed.

Tsaria struggled to find words.

“Because whether Kamir finds his dragon or doesn’t, you don’t believe it will give you a life. He might get his dragon then learn to shift himself, in which case you’d be unnecessary, or even worse, he might trot you out when he needs to make a display then put you back in your nice little box until he needs you again.” Tsaria didn’t meet Attiker’s eyes. “He could be killed before you get the chance to help him, in which case you’d be dead as well if Gabar ever managed to get his hands on you.”

Attiker tapped his lips with his finger, the picture of great concentration. “Of course, I had it easier. Yeah, attempted kidnap, poison, and drowning sure, but I had a goal. You’ve just got a desire you share with hundreds of thousands of people. It’s not specific enough. Tell me,” Attiker pressed. “Tell me what your future looks like.”

Tsaria thought back to the image of him holding a baby from all that time ago. “I want a family,” he whispered. “And not one where I worry if I have enough to feed them at every meal.” He gazed at Attiker and Attiker smiled.

“You know this title I have?”

Tsaria nodded but squirmed internally. He didn’t want that. He wanted smaller, quieter. He wanted to make food for his kids, even though he would have to learn to cook. He wanted his mate to share their family. To have him wrapped around him every night in bed…

Tsaria wasn’t stupid, despite what Ishmael always told him. He knew the image in his mind was of Kamir. Beautiful dark-skinned amber-eyed babies. Maybe one with grey eyes.

“Well, it’s quite political, and I don’t think something like that would suit you at all.”

Tsaria’s cheeks heated in shame. Attiker thought he was incapable of being a consort as well. Soon Kamir would agree, then—

“The problem with Rajpur is the same as Cadmeera. You have to dismantle a broken system before making it into something we need. That’s got to be a graveyard’s missing shovel harder than starting from zero.”

“A what?” Tsaria repeated, bewildered, but Attiker waved a hand dismissively.

“Name me one thing you want to change, money isn’t an object.”

Tsaria sat back, stunned. Opened his mouth but closed it quickly. He had no idea. There were so many things, but then the memory of the dungeon hit him, and that goddess-awful smell. “I don’t want anyone in the dungeon simply because they are poor.”

Attiker smiled and leaned forward. “Then take that thought and hold it tight, and no matter what you go through in the coming weeks, don’t forget it.”

Jael was full of chatter about his new friends. Apparently, Flynn and Candy had been eelers which Tsaria had vaguely heard of, but more importantly they had a similar background to Jael, and he had started learning his letters in the same way Flynn had last year.

The palace was riddled with secret passages and Jael was being trusted with them all. They discovered a direct line from their suite to the kitchen and knew how to sneak treats from Cookie and run back before anyone was the wiser.

Tsaria laughed delightedly and was so grateful that Jael hadn’t been made to feel unworthy. After they had eaten, he watched Kamir teach Jael to playShyann. The pieces on the board resembled a wolf king and his pack, and Jael picked it up quickly, moving his roving gammas until they nearly surrounded Kamir’s alpha. Tsaria had never played it himself but had watched it many times. Kamir and Jael seemed to becomingcloser, and he knew Kamir was making a real effort despite his worry.

When Jael started struggling to keep his eyes open, Tsaria took him to bed in the small room in the suite Attiker and Raz had given them.

“Candy says I’m always going to be with you.” He said it challengingly like he dared Tsaria to say any different.

Tsaria smoothed his palm down Jael’s cheek. He hated doing this but he couldn’t make promises. “I want nothing more, and every day I know Kamir is trying to make that happen.” He sat back in shock at his own words, but he knew them to be true. Kamir was trying. Jael seemed content at that and closed his eyes. After dawdling and hoping Kamir would have gone to bed when he left Jael, he walked back into the main room.

When he returned to the day room, planning to cross to their bedroom, he saw that Kamir had poured them each a glass of wine.

“I think we need to talk about today,” Kamir said.

“Highness,” Tsaria acknowledged as if he’d been given an order and then sat down, pressing his hands together to keep them still.

“Do you distance yourself for protection or out of habit? I wouldn’t blame you for either reason.”

Tsaria widened his eyes, not expecting to be called out on his continued use of Kamir’s title and scrambled for an excuse. “I worry I will call you the wrong thing when it matters.” It was a lie, but it sounded better than admitting he still didn’t trust Kamir’s motives.

“And I told you it will never matter,” Kamir said. “It was you that insisted on using my title.” Tsaria kept his head down, not knowing what to say. He was silent too long.

“When are we going to acknowledge what Gerry said about us being mates?”

He couldn’t breathe.Never.He stood. “I’m not what they said.”

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