Page 23 of Own to Obey

“I agree. The problem I have is that the Omega onboard this ship is blocked by magic. It is supposed to wear off after three months from when we left the Western Lands. But I need it to be interrupted.”

“Interrupted?”

“I need for her blocks removed for a period of time and then returned.”

“May I ask why?” The woman frowned. “Wouldn't it be better to just wait until the magic wears off?”

Kardos began to pace, agitation working through his limbs. “No. I need to know all possible eventualities of what may happen when she arrives at the Southern Lands. She has been difficult to understand even with the blocks in place.”

“How so?”

“She seems to feel she shouldn’t be punished when she doesn’t do what she is told.”

“But you said she has yet to learn our language. Maybe she doesn’t understand.”

“She understands well enough,” Kardos growled. “She simply has no stamina. She cannot push through and find strength when necessary. Even as an Omega, with the things she may go through when she gets to our home, she must be disciplined enough to do that.”

Rozalia hummed in agreement as she thought for a moment. “But without the blocks, she will be the same as she is now except she will have her scent and may, of course, enter her Haze, which has its own typical behaviors. There is no guesswork there.”

“If she enters her Haze that is good. I want her to know what it is like. I suspect she has never had one before. She was protected by her family.”

“Ah,” Rozalia said nodding in understanding. “You want her to go through all experiences now so that it's not a surprise when she gets to the Southern Isles and the high chief assigns her a mate.”

Kardos growled, turning to her fiercely. “You do not need to make guesses on what will or will not happen when we get to the Southern Isles,” he said harshly.

The woman stilled again, looking at him closely. “You must come to terms with that, my shinno,” she said slowly. “She is not your Omega to keep.”

“Did I say that I wanted to keep her?” Kardos bellowed, and anger rising quickly within him.

Rozalia pursed her lips and gave him a look that said, he didn’t need to say it.

Kardos turned from her gaze. “I am trying to prepare her so that our entire Lands can benefit from her arrival and perhaps return, once more, to what it was.”

“Is that really important?” Rozalia asked slowly. “Why not just let her experience it for the first time herself? Do you not think that maybe the high chief would be more enamored with her if he got to know her as she is now, instead of you trying to prepare her in a way that may give her an… opinion of us?”

“What do you mean,” Kardos asked guardedly.

Rozalia sighed. “Are you aware you are punishing someone who should be aguest?” She held her palm up to stop Kardos from interrupting. “I know punishment is normal for us, it is how we train our children and how we teach new tribesmen, but she is learning about everything for the first time, including our language. She probably doesn’t even understand why she has been punished. She is going to assume the worst of us if we do not treat her well. And you know this,” she said, glancing at him disapprovingly. “Before you even decided to go to the Western Lands, we discussed this when we talked about partnerships and trading in foreign lands. What if we arrive at the Southern Isles and she doesn't want anything to do with our culture?”

“That is more preferable to her behaving badly,” Kardos said firmly. “If she knows what's expected of her, she will eventually do it, and she may even do it well. But if she is thrown into a situation that surprises or shocks her, there is no telling how she may react.”

“But that is a short-term thing. She may still act badly, but it may happen a few seasons down the line when she realizes what her life is.”

“By then, it won't matter.”

Rozalia shifted in her chair, frowning at Kardos. “So it only matters to you now for our arrival? Why? Why is this important to you?”

“Do not act like you don't know,” he warned. “The fact I have an Omega, and I’m bringing her to Southern Isles… You know what that will mean.”

The woman nodded. “I do, but just her existence is enough for that. Why do you also want to control her behavior?”

“Because everything is at risk,” Kardos stressed. “Bringing an Omega back to the Southern Isles would be enough for one of the other shinnos—no one would blink, and they would praise him and declare that he is granted what he is owed. But not me. Her presence alone will not be enough for me, she needs to also behave correctly, and do everything that she’s supposed to do as an Omega. Everything depends on it, and I want no chances for mishaps or mistakes.”

Rozalia’s face tightened, and then she lowered her head. Kardos knew she could not deny what he said was true. Although he was superior to the other shinnos, he was also slightly different, and everything he did would be examined and inspected because of it. He couldn't expect the same treatment as if somebody else had bought an Omega home. With him, everything had to be perfect and the Omegawasperfect. He just needed to ensure that she remained so in the eyes of his people.

“I hate that this is the situation,” Rozalia said, her voice low. “I cannot deny that you are correct. Her behavior will fall upon you.”

Kardos nodded. The idea did not give him comfort, but at least he knew he could do something about it. “So you will create a potion that will interfere with her blocks.”

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