Page 48 of The Omega Slave

Kamir smiled blandly. “She’s visiting the poorer areas of the kingdom in my stead. I’m sure she’ll be here for the presentation.” It was a lie, but one Gabar couldn’t refute. There was no way Gabar was getting his hands on Veda.

Kamir hadn’t realized how exhausted he was until he was shown to his rooms and all but collapsed on one of the daybeds. When eventually all the servants left except Mansala, he tried again to spare his friend. “You need to leave before I meet the ruling assembly tomorrow.”

Mansala met his gaze with his usual solemn look. “Highness,” Mansala said and then did something he hadn’t ever done in Kamir’s presence. He sat. Kamir was so startled he managed to stay quiet. “When I was four, I had no understanding of what it meant to be considered for the position of your life sentinel. My father just told me I had the opportunity to save my mother and sisters from poverty.” He hesitated. “Mine was not a deliberate birth, but an accident. My family couldn’t afford the children they already had, never mind an extra mouth to feed.”

Kamir stared at his solemn face. Dark brown eyes, deep brown skin, the small scar on his left cheek he had gotten when Kamir’s father had decided Kamir should be proficient with birds-of-prey and Mansala had undertaken to find a hawk and train it himself in an attempt to help. He’d been seven summers of age and hadn’t understood that the birds needed to bond as chicks, not as fully grown adults.

“It was the luckiest day of my life, and not because of what my father said, because I got the chance to serve one of the most honorable people I know, and you made sure my family had allthe fortune they would ever need,” Mansala said. “But I cannot go to my grave with such a regret as leaving you without your sentinel. You owe me that.” He flashed his white teeth. “I took an oath. Please don’t ask me to break it.”

“But Tam—”

“Would never respect me if I broke it. Highness,” he took both Kamir’s hands in his, which again, he never did. “Please don’t ask something of me I cannot do. Breaking my vow would kill me faster than anything Gabar might order.”

Kamir swallowed heavily. Relief that he wouldn’t be alone was wrapped up in so much guilt that he couldn’t even save one who, from childhood, had vowed to give his life to save Kamir’s.

“How about you bathe and rest if you can?”

Kamir knew his inability to change into a dragon hung over them both. “Is it hopeless, Mansala?

“Nothing is ever hopeless when you have justice on your side,” he said gravely.

Kamir didn’t sleep. How could he? At dawn he bathed and was dressed by the slaves under Mansala’s watchful gaze. The meeting with the ruling assembly was still four bells away, but he saw little point delaying anything. He knew he had to be sequestered in his private prayer room for a full bell to ask the goddess for guidance, but to be completely honest, he wasn’t interested in any celestial being that would allow innocents to die in their name.

Mansala waited outside as Kamir let himself into his prayer room, and the door closed behind him. He was alone. He wasn’t sure what he expected as he didn’t want Veda anywhere close, so eschewing the pews and the cushions, he walked to the corner and sat on the floor.

His head hit the wall, and he wondered how he had gotten to this place. He ached for Tsaria. Not that he wanted himanywhere near the palace, but if he closed his eyes, he could imagine him. The night they had come together, he’d sucked Tsaria’s length. The first time in his life he’d ever done that. Tears pricked at his eyes and his throat grew tight. He loved that man. He’d never loved anyone except Mansala and Veda, and that was a different type of love. No less of one, but very different.

And he didn’t understand how it happened. Any of it. He wasn’t a warrior. Someone else needed to be a dragon. Someone worthy. It just showed how unfit he was because he hadn’t changed again. If he could wish one thing, it would be to see Tsaria and Jael happy. He hoped Tsaria would find love. Find peace.

Which made him think of his own life. He might as well compile his own wish list of dreams. They were never going to happen, but he could dream. They would be incredible together. He and Tsaria. Mansala would be life-mated to Tam. Hunger and poverty would be a thing of the past in Rajpur. All slaves would be free.

They would have at least three children as well as Jael because he had been desperate for a brother or another sister growing up.

Almost as if he had been expecting it, he heard the tap on the window grille and prayed that Veda wasn’t there, and that for once in his life, he would get an answer to them. Terror that she would come here almost kept him frozen, but the climb outside on the ledges was dangerous so he moved quickly to the window and opened it.

He didn’t recognize the lad that entered and stared at him in bewilderment. “Sire,” the lad’s head bobbed as he dropped silently into the room. “I have a message.”

Kamir pressed his lips together to stop the cry that he knew would escape them.

“The boss has many in the villages. We’re ‘oping to secure the full hundred, but we need a delay. As much time as yer can give us.” Kamir had no idea how to delay anything, but he would try.

The lad turned back to the window. “Oh, and she says to tell yer that she’d be ‘ere ‘cept every sword is needed for the village kids.”

Kamir smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever. He knew who “she” was. “Tell her I love her.” He nearly laughed as the lad rolled his eyes, then disappeared the same way he had come.

Kamir locked the catch on the grille and tried to think what to do. They needed a delay. The next bell sounded, and he knew he had to leave his prayer room, so he went to the door. Mansala was waiting and accompanied him back to his rooms. He didn’t expect Gabar to be waiting for him, nor the woman who was with him, but he sat on the daybed, knowing he had to create a delay.

Gabar waited until the servants bringing refreshments had gone. He glanced at Mansala. “I could have your life sentinel arrested and detained by the guards if I wish, but if you grant us a private audience for half a bell, I will refrain.”

Kamir knew his uncle wasn’t joking, that he had such power, and glanced at Mansala. “Perhaps you could wait outside the door?”

Mansala searched his face as if trying to work out whether Kamir had another reason other than Gabar’s dictates, but then bowed and left.

“You haven’t introduced us,” Kamir said, pointedly glancing at the woman. He studied her for a moment. Draped in expensive silks and gold chains, she clearly wasn’t without resources. She bowed when she realized she had his attention. “Highness, I am Elainore, Daughter of the Sand. My people come from the endless desert, and I believe we may be able to help each other.”

He didn’t scoff out loud, but she must have sensed his skepticism because she turned to Gabar and her voice dropped low. Her hand reached for his cheek, and she trailed her fingers down to his throat. “My dearest, I need you to be honest with me. Do you think you can do that?”

Kamir watched in astonishment as Gabar swallowed heavily and stared at her, seeming utterly enraptured. His pupils grew so large there seemed to be no white in his eyes and he stared at her, completely enthralled. “Tell me,” she whispered, a thread of sound that seemed ridiculously loud. “You wish to use me to ensnare Kamir and his dragon so you have a puppet you can control with the people.”

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