Page 49 of The Omega Slave

“Yes,” Gabar murmured, not even glancing at Kamir.

“And why is that?” Elainore asked very gently.

“Because my sons aren’t ready to rule,” he admitted.

“But that’s not all my dearest, is it?” Elainore continued her touch down his throat.

“No,” he agreed, swaying nearer to her. “I deserve to rule in their stead before I train them.”

“But why wouldn’t the imperial guard and the people accept you?”

“Because I’m of the previous generation,” Gabar answered in an almost dreamy voice.

“Very good,” Elainore murmured. “It has been such a long day and you are tired. You need to sleep.”

“Yes,” Gabar muttered and sank onto one of the daybeds, closing his eyes. He took one breath and stilled.

Kamir turned to Elainore in complete astonishment, but wary in case it was a trick. “Highness,” she started. “My people have gifts, as you have just seen. I care not for political machinations only to find my people a home. I told your uncle I could bring forth your beast. I already brought forward Ibrahim’s wolf and used it to kill him.”

Kamir jerked backwards.Ibrahim’s wolf?

“He was a toad of a man, and I feel no guilt over ending one that was responsible for many slaves’ suffering. His latest victim was the kitchen maid’s nine-year-old daughter. He deserved to die for that alone.”

She sighed, then took a determined breath. “Your uncle is convinced I can bring forward your dragon, but unlike wolves I cannot. Only those of dragon blood can do that, but I can create an image that would satisfy the people to give you enough time to work with your consort to bring your dragon forth for real. A delay, if you like.”

A delay.

Which was exactly what Veda needed. Suspicion coiled in him. Things that seemed to be too good to be true were often exactly that. “And in return?’

She swallowed. “My people starve, Highness. The desert is an unwelcoming place, save for a few creatures.” She gestured to Gabar. “We are not welcome among you because of what we can do.”

“What makes you think you are welcome now?” Kamir held back the cringe, knowing he had to be deliberately cruel. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“We have nothing to lose. Our birth-rate is practically non-existent. I am one of only four born to my parents’ generation, and the only one with the gift of commanding beasts.”

Kamir was torn. But what had he to lose? “What do you mean by commanding beasts?” he asked. She smiled. It was such a joyful, infectious thing that his heart warmed. He had only seen such a smile on the innocent. Children that had never been taught that the world was often a cruel and unforgiving place. He relaxed a little. Perhaps Elainore was the answer he so desperately needed.

Elainore kept the smile on her face, even though the skin on her cheek cracked and blood wept from the split on her dried lips. She idly wondered what Kamir would say if he knew everything she had done today was an illusion, including her appearance. Gabar had been a simple one. A beautiful woman pandering to a lonely man. Not that Gabar thought he was lonely, but the death of his first omega many summers ago had twisted him into something that would work well for her use. A simple illusion reminding him of his first omega without him even realizing, then a powder added to his wine before they had seen Kamir had taken care of the rest.

Ibrahim had been much harder. It was true that she could recognize the beast inside another, but only if it had evil intent. All beasts were born pure, but those born to evil humans would be corrupted over the summers, even if the human didn’t realize the beast within was slowly going as insane as they were.

Only then would the animal be able to be controlled.

As Elainore’s people knew.

She turned her thoughts inward as she felt the nudge in her mind and shuddered in delight as the forked tongue seemed to lick at the inside of her throat, and smiled again.

It was true she was considered a beast-master, but only for those that were as demonic as the human they housed. There was no way she could bring forth a dragon, but if she was clever and could manipulate Gabar and his sons, who in their greed and selfishness were almost there, it wouldn’t matter.

And the power of the kingdom would be hers.

Chapter twenty-one

It took Tsaria a few moments to work out that he was in a cart because of the movement. He was lying down and despite feeling incredibly weak and wishing he could fall back asleep, he knew his fever was gone.

Which made him focus a little better.Fever?He remembered Moxie right away, and her boys, although he thought he’d seen a girl as well. Not that it mattered, and he shook his head—or tried—impatiently.

Kamir…where…then he remembered, and focus hit him like a staff straight to his gut. He knew instantly what Kamir had done. Moisture made his vision blur more than the drugs and, with a cry, he tried to sit up. A firm hand steadied him, and Tam’s face swam into his vision. Tsaria swallowed sickly. “Why?” he whispered, knowing he’d been drugged.

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