Page 58 of The Omega Slave

Tsaria opened his mouth, but then paused. “He didn’t know me. Of course, he didn’t trust me.”

“He didn’t know you the first time, though, and he changed then,” Tomas pointed out. “What was different?”

Love.Tsaria nearly spoke the word aloud. It had been instant, before all the politics and who they were had gotten in the way. He’d felt such utter peace the first time they had touched, and then every other time it had been veiled in either suspicion or distrust on his part. Every time, he thought Kamir had an ulterior motive. The times they had touched, Tsaria had been protecting himself or unconscious, so he assumed that didn’t count.

“You really think Kamir’s dragon can sense my moods?”

“I don’t know,” Tomas admitted. “I’m just saying horses definitely can, and that’s the animal I have experience with. Hush,” Tomas bent down over Tsaria as they rode past an ale house that had many customers hanging around outside. Tsaria recognized where they were. They weren’t far from the pleasure house. He’d been so caught up in Tomas’s words, he hadn’t noticed.

“What’s the plan?” Tsaria whispered.

“I can get in with my credentials. I have a good track record with the army’s horses. Many generals send for me. I’m going to tell them I was summoned in case the dragon comes forth.”

“Really?” Tsaria squeaked out in an embarrassingly high-pitched voice.

“It’s the only way I can get in,” Tomas said. “Desperate measures, but they’re used to me and won’t question whether I’ve been summoned.” He paused. “My skill isn’t with dragons, obviously, but I’m the closest they have. None of the Rakar beast-masters from the mountains can get here in time.”

It made sense. The Rakars were huge mammals. A cross between a mountain bear and a water-horse, they could travel for days carrying huge weights, with little water to drink, but were hard to manage.

“But I don’t understand how you will get me into the assembly?”

Tomas huffed. “Either tell ‘em you’re my little brother, or well, it will depend on if I recognize the sergeant or not.”

They rode up to the gatehouse. The sergeant examined Tomas’s papers, but it was clear he knew him. Tomas leaned forward conspiratorially. “’Course, I’m hoping it was a bad batch of flanx berries in the wine, but orders is orders.”

The sergeant chuckled, then glanced around to make sure he wasn’t overheard. “Strange going-on though. I saw some of the bodies.”

Tomas sighed and nodded sagely. “I heard there was a sighting of a wild yakish near the base of the pass.”

The sergeant’s eyes widened. “It’d explain it scaling the walls, but strange one would come this close.” He looked around as if expecting the wild lizard-type creature to slither under his desk. “Don’t envy your job.”

“Between you and me?” Tomas whispered. “I was hoping at least one of the Rakar beast-masters could get here.”

The sergeant glanced at Tsaria, who was trying his best to be invisible. “A bit small, isn’t he for managing one of them?”

Tomas took a step away from Tsaria and the sergeant followed him. Tomas mouthed the word “bait” and tapped his nose.

The sergeant nodded sagely and handed Tomas his papers back. “Good hunting.” And they both were let into the throne room.

Kamir stood as his wrists were shackled by the guards. It wasn’t done to restrain him, as there were fifteen guards accompanying him, but to shame him, to enforce he was a prisoner. That, along with his collar, marked him as such.

Not that Kamir cared about status. In fact, he wished to get the whole thing over and done with. He knew he was going to die. He looked up as they entered the throne room and noted the nine remaining ruling assembly members sitting on the dais, and remembered they had been the ones that had looked at him with contempt before. It saddened him, because he knew that meant the ones who had viewed him with an open mind had all been killed in the attack. Elainore and Gabar had been very specific in their kills.

The room was packed with guards, unsurprisingly. Damatrious was standing in the middle of the room, in full uniform, looking every inch the emir he hoped to be. His gaze roamed over the witnesses. Gabar stood alongside Elainore, unsurprisingly, but Gabar seemedlesssomehow. Not the powerhouse his uncle had always been. Elainore just looked frustrated. She clearly hadn’t managed to gain access to Damatrious, but she would probably try later.

For a moment Kamir felt even more shame. Not for himself, but for the people he had failed to protect. Even if he saved a hundred children today, how many more would die from poverty?

Barely hearing the clerk repeat the list of his sins, his eyes roamed over the crowd of people here to witness his death. In his imagination, Tsaria was standing there, light-brown skin almost luminescent in the light from the multitude of sconces. His beautiful hair flowing down his back and rippled like water. The sun-burnt copper undertones when the light caught it, and those tear-laden silver-gray eyes stunning in their intensity.

Kamir blinked in shock.

“What say you?” Damatrious snapped.

Kamir glanced at his cousin, then back again, as if searching for the same image, even if it was an illusion. The image had been so real, but all he could see now was a sea of guards. Which was good. He might wish in his heart for one last chance to see his beloved, but he knew that wasn’t possible. He would never want Tsaria to be in that much danger, and he knew he was safely back in Cadmeera.

“Are you so craven you don’t even have a defense?” Damatrious thundered, clearly abhorring Kamir’s lack of focus.

Kamir sighed and gave his cousin and the assembly his full attention. “Your minds are already set, and nothing I could say would sway them. All I will add is that I love the people of Rajpur with my whole heart and wish for a better future for them.”

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