Page 68 of The Omega Slave

“Because we need him,” Elainore hissed. “Thanks to your incompetent son who has ideas he could be the emir.”

“My incompetent son?” Gabar hissed. “Might I remind you that I had Iskar killed—”

Kamir gasped and struggled to his feet. “You murdered yourson?”

Gabar frowned. “Because he was a blithering idiot, and if Damatrious didn’t assume he was in charge I would have gotten them both.” Gabar waved a dismissive hand at Kamir. “Why isn’t he tied?”

Kamir almost wanted to laugh, and pitied Damatrious being born to Gabar, but then his own father hadn’t been much better. For the first time in his entire life, he might enjoy killing another being. Or his dragon would.

“So,your Highness,” Elainore drawled, ignoring Gabar, “Shall we discuss your amazing rescue by your loyal subjects from the endless desert?”

Kamir frowned, trying to shake the sluggishness from his brain. “Rescue?”

As if from a distance, they all heard a silent twang. Kamir barely had time to register the sound as Gabar turned to look in that direction and took a slight step in front of Elainore.

Kamir didn’t think for one moment it was to save her life.

But the fact of the matter was his uncle froze for a heartbeat, his eyes shocked as if he couldn’t believe that he had an arrow sticking out from his forehead. Kamir watched in sickened awe as Gabar’s eyes glazed over and his knees buckled.

Chapter twenty-nine

Kamir held his breath, and then the cavern was filled with warriors, Veda at the lead, and Tam following her. Tam quickly tied Elainore before she had a chance to move past them or create an illusion, and then stuffed a gag in her mouth to stop her screeching. Veda threw her arms around Kamir before he’d even registered what had happened. “I hate that you’re here, but you made the right decision.”

Had he? “Tsaria?” Everything else mattered not.

“We haven’t found him yet, but Moxie’s lot are scouring the tunnels. Eastside have given up. Penance aren’t involved and don’t want to be.”

What was penance?Not that it mattered right this second. “What about Jael?”

Tam shook his head. “We’ve him to thank for rousing Moxie. I wouldn’t have gotten this far. We don’t know if they’re together, but they’ll try to get Tsaria out, then take him to the desert catacombs unless they wait for Elainore to join them.” How fast could his heart beat before it stopped? Had he messedeverything up? Should he have just stayed in the palace? “Jael promised me he would go back as soon as he talked to Moxie.”

Then he heard a laugh as a woman stepped around the corner and shoved a scrawny boy in front of them. “This ‘ere’s one of Eastside’s lads, but he’s not talking.” She eyed Kamir. “Thought you might singe his fingers.”

Tam nodded to her. “Moxie.”

Kamir looked at the child on the floor. He looked half-starved and Kamir’s heart went out to him. He bent down. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

The boy looked up and scoffed. “Sure. Just like you never did when I was a guest in your fancy palace.”

Kamir glanced up at Moxie for some sort of explanation.

“He means the dungeons,” Veda said.

Kamir sighed and dropped his head. When would it end? And there was no point in apologizing. He wouldn’t be believed.

Tam spoke up. “We’re doing our best, but we still don’t know where they are, and she’s not going to say.” He gestured to Elainore. Tam turned to the child. “Like Moxie says, he will.”

Kamir glanced down and drew in a breath. “I know you won’t believe me, but I swear as soon as I am crowned, the first thing I’ll do is close the dungeons. There will still have to be some way to secure prisoners, but I have a friend called Draul Eryken who will advise me. He’s the leader of the human rebels, in case you haven’t heard of him.” He didn’t dare look at Veda. “I need to find Tsaria. He is innocent in all this and has been taken because he is important to me.”

The boy scoffed a second time, and Kamir reined in his frustration. Of course, the child wouldn’t believe him. Kamir was the very embodiment of a regime that made everyone suffer unimaginably. “Elainore has fooled everyone,” Kamir tried again.

“She just wants water for her people,” the boy practically shouted, pointing to her. “Clean water.”

“I don’t doubt she does,” Kamir agreed. “But she also wants to be the queen of Rajpur.”

He shook his head. “No, she just wants what’s right.”

It was impossible. He had no proof.

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