Page 63 of The Omega Slave

Damatrious ground his jaw. “I had the same thought before we even knew about this latest development. He’s not in his rooms. I have servants and palace guards searching.”

There was a commotion at the door and a youth accompanied by three guards scurried in. Head down, it was hard to tell his age, but by height alone Kamir guessed no more than seven or eight summers, so in some circles he would be considered a man. Something else Kamir hoped to change if he got the chance.

The guards bowed but addressed Damatrious as their commander. “My lord, we have witness testimony.”

Kamir watched as the boy shuffled nervously, and Kamir walked over, bending down and extending his hand. “You are not in any trouble.” The boy looked up and Kamir gasped. “Jael?Jael?By all that’s holy, where on earth did you come from?”

Jael must have answered but Kamir’s heart was beating so loudly he barely heard what Tam repeated, but then Jael coughed and Kamir quickly poured some fruit juice from thetables and handed it to the boy, who downed it gratefully. Kamir desperately tried to rein in his impatience.

“The Eastside have visitors,” he said, like Kamir was supposed to understand what that meant. He looked helplessly at Tam, but Tam was concentrating on the boy. “Moxie’s scouts saw them a bell ago. Paying for protection overnight,” Jael added.

“Moxie,” Kamir repeated, struggling to understand how a boy they’d left in Cadmeera managed to get here on his own.

“Highness,” Tam interrupted and focused on Jael. “Do you know how many visitors?”

“Moxie thinks at least twenty, but the female leading them is wrapped.”

“Wrapped?” Kamir blurted out. Jael nodded.

“In chains.”

Kamir blinked in confusion, but Tam answered. “Gold, Highness.” And Kamir’s breath caught, remembering the gold Elainore wore.

“Moxie doesn’t know how long they’ll be there for, but if you send guards, they’ll know instantly and vanish down the tunnels. Safe to say Eastside wouldn’t risk outsiders knowing where they were unless it was for a lot of coin. She wants to know what to do and sent me because she knew you’d believe me.”

Kamir nodded, pretending everything Jael said was reasonable.

“She also said don’t come because they see anyone they don’t recognize, and they might hurt him.” Jael swallowed heavily and at that moment Kamir knew Jael understood exactly who they thought was trapped down there.

“Are you on your own?” Kamir asked, terrified for a moment that Flynn and Candy were here. “Andhoware you here?”

“I was in the passageways when Tsaria got out. Followed him to the kitchen as I thought the surprise would be funny, but then he got into the cart. I was gonna follow but Cookie came back.”

“But I saw you before I left,” Kamir protested. “And you never said a word.”

Jael shrugged. “I knew you’d be leaving.”

Kamir stared at him in shocked understanding. “You hid in my carriage? But that’s impossible.”

Jael shrugged. “Underneath. But I jumped off when it slowed for the inn, in case you were mad and might send me back if you saw me.”

“Blessed goddess,” Kamir choked out and wrapped his arms around Jael and pulled him in tight. “We’re gonna find him. I promise.”

“How did you find Moxie?” Tam asked.

Jael sighed. “I waited around the inn to see if I could see Tsaria, but the inn-keep thought I was trying to thieve so he chased me off. I went to the palace eventually when one of the chambermaids told me you’d left, but the guards just laughed at me. Said I would be hung as an example if I didn’t skedaddle. I lived rough for a few days, but I was starving. I tried to go for a purse, and someone called Pip saw me. Told me I had talent, but needed help, so they took me underground, fed me, and that’s when I met Moxie. The other rats were still talking about the body slave, and I quickly worked out it was Tsaria. I was just tellin’ Moxie when Catnip came and told her about the eastside gang and their visitors. I said I would try again with the guards.”

“Sergeant heard him mention the dragon,” the guard put in. “Thought he should be brought here.”

“But wouldn’t you have been told he was missing?” Damatrious asked.

Tam cleared his throat apologetically. “I received a missive from Ash, and I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled, but they’re searching for him in Cadmeera.”

“You didn’t think it was important to tell me?” Kamir asked incredulously. Tam remained silent and while Kamirunderstood, he was sick of other people making decisions for him.

Damatrious thanked and dismissed the guards, leaving everyone staring at Jael. “I can take a message,” Jael said hopefully, “but Moxie says we can’t hang about ‘cos if they get to the catacombs we’ve no chance.” Jael looked ready to bolt, and Kamir didn’t blame him. He wanted to bolt as well.

“Tam?” Kamir prompted.

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