Page 42 of Dreikx

When I didn’t move, Dreikx commanded the zoom. The image cleared and showed a deserted town, boarded-up homes, frozen dead domestic animals on the sidewalks.

“Audio,” Dreikx commanded.

It turned on, and the winds howled along with wolves. The live surveillance moved down the street and reached a…a castle.

“It’s abandoned,” I said, hoping he’d grow disinterested.

“Indeed. But beautiful, no?”

I nodded.

“Fit for a princess, no?”

“What?”

“Is it fit for a princess?”

“It probably once was.”

He pursed his lips and patted me on the shoulder. “Call me when you have something on Arkin’s Omega.” He left.

I picked up my cup of inder and sipped. “Certainly, sir.”

* * *

“Idiot!” I shout. My eyes snap open, and I lift my head, shaking it from a dream. The family room is bursting with people. Arkin and Sotay with their Omegas sit across from me and stare. Raven’s fork is paused halfway to his mouth.

At the door, before Anna’s room, Sidone leans against the doorjamb, wiping white powder from her cheek. I look down at the table. It’s full of rolled baked pastry. Reaching for a bite, I wince and lean back. “I’m an idiot, and I have a headache.”

“Well, that’s a first,” Sidone says as she sits next to me.

She grabs a glass of water and a thin film, our Telean medicine. She hands me the meds. “Tamey left those for you. Said you’ll need them.”

I don’t ask how Tamey knew I would have a headache. I take the medicine. Sidone asks nothing but observes me under her watchful eye. “Congratulations,” she says. “I’m happy for you.”

“You’re the only one,” Raven says.

I ignore him.

Sidone gets a napkin and puts a pastry on it. “This is a minicroissant with ham and cheese.”

I open my mouth to refuse the fatty baked thing when Sidone settles me with a look of warning.

“Ah,” I say, “Kade baked this, so it must be excellent.”

“Mm-hm. You will eat it.”

“Of course.” I’m a polite idiot. The pastry crunches under my teeth, melts on my tongue, while the tang of sharp cheese and fatty ham coats my senses. “Fuck,” I say around a mouthful. “Amazing.”

Sidone nods in approval, and I notice she’s gained some weight. Her cheeks are full, her eyes are no longer hollow, and even her chest looks much fuller than before. I don’t believe she traps her breasts anymore. She used to wrap them. I witnessed this in captivity. I have witnessed many things about her, including her courage.

“What?” she asks.

“You look more beautiful than ever, Sidone.”

She slaps my shoulder. “Shut up.” But she smiles and lowers her gaze to a pastry. “I’m going home,” she says after a while. “Thanks to you.”

“Sotay,” I correct. “He fixed the gate.” Somehow I know that’s not what she means. She’s not thanking me for the gate.

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