Page 21 of Own to Obtain

Kardos exhaled long and harsh. As much as the man was clever with words, Kardos could not deny he had good reason to refuse on this occasion. And he at least seemed sincere. “Fine,” he bit out. “Then I want to know exactly how you will help me.”

Malloron nodded. “Your Omega used to live in one of the countries here called DarFara with her sister. I will give you the best Talent-crafters I have who can take you there and help you search for her.”

“She is no longer there.” Kardos spun on his heel to pace as his agitation wound tighter. “She traveling across the fucking Lands practically on her own!”

“My Talent-crafters will be able to track wherever she has been and wherever she goes,” Malloron said calmly. “I don’t doubt that you will be able to secure her by the end of the day.”

“Good,” Kardos muttered, the idea calming his anger a little. “I was unable to bring enough warriors with me. The Talent-crafters we have in the Southern Lands are not as talented as the ones you have here. They were unable to create a portal that could accommodate the number of warriors I need if I were to go into battle.”

Malloron frowned. “Why would you need to go into battle?”

“I have no idea where she is,” Kardos said sharply. “She could be anywhere, and if she has fallen into the wrong hands, they may not wish to give her up.”

“I doubt there is anyone who would be able to defeat you in combat,” Malloron pointed out. “Even if you only have a small number of warriors, you will prevail.”

“I know,” Kardos said irritably. “But there is an entire army in the Eastern Lands. That will require some planning.”

Malloron was silent for a moment, his entire body stilling. “You intend to fight the Lox?”

“I will fight and defeat anyone who has her.”

“That is not wise,” Malloron said carefully. “It is better to negotiate with Emperor Drocco than to attack.”

“Negotiation is your skill,” Kardos said bluntly. “Battle is mine. Give me these Talent-crafters so I can be on my way.”

Malloron turned from him slowly. “Get my brother,” he called to his servant. Turning to Kardos, he said, “It might help to speak to her sister’s fiancé to see if he has any information,” he said to Kardos, as the servant hurried from the room.

“You will let me interrogate him?”

Malloron hesitated and Kardos let out a low humorless laugh. “You still cower from the hard tasks, I see.”

“It wouldn’t matter to me if you interrogated him,” Malloron muttered. “But the queen wants to have him around for the children. I have promised her that no harm will come to him. Besides, he hasn’t actually done anything wrong.”

Kardos couldn’t help but growl at such an answer. This man would never survive in the Southern Lands.

The door opened and a man who looked similar the king strode in, his eyes darting between Malloron and Kardos.

“I’m not sure you remember, but this is my brother, Elion,” Malloron said. “He is the fiancé of your Omega’s sister.”

Kardos drew his sword as he stalked toward the man. “I’m only going to ask you once,” he grunted, pressing the tip of his blade the man’s neck. “Where is Shaya?”

The man barely flinched, holding Kardos’ gaze as he answered. “I have no idea where she is,” he said smoothly. “The last I heard, she was with you.”

Kardos’ jaw clenched as he pressed the tip harder into the man’s neck. He didn’t believe him for one moment. An unskilled man who was not afraid of the blade was a man who was not to be trusted. “Your Omega came to my Land and took her,” Kardos growled. “She will be killed if she tries to prevent me from taking her back, so it is in your best interest to tell me all that you know.”

At that, the man swallowed, glancing at King Malloron. “My fiancé has barely spoken to me since you took her sister,” he said carefully. “She was extremely angry that I allowed it to happen and we have barely spoken these past months. I rarely even visit the house anymore.”

Kardos snarled in disgust. “You don’t keep your Omega close? You allow her to dictate to you where you live? Where you speak?” He glared at the man, hardly able to believe that he was even an Alpha. He remembered now why he returned to the Southern Lands so sure that his people were superior to these fake Alphas in the other Lands. No Isle man would stand for this shit, especially not an Alpha. However, his words hit a nerve.

“Of course I keep a close eye on her,” the man snapped back at him. “But I let her feel as though she has the freedom she needs so that she can come back to me with no lingering hate. Nothing that has been reported to me suggests she was planning anything that you said. She has been attending all of her appointments in the Western Lands, and has kept and maintained the lifestyle she always had. I had no reason to believe she was planning to come for her sister. I don’t even know how she would be able to find out how to make the journey.”

“Take him to the house,” King Malloron said. “It’s likely they returned there.”

Elion nodded. “I can also check with the men watching my Omega and find out where she is. They’ve informed me she’s done nothing but keep to her routine.”

“Fine,” Kardos barked. “Do it quickly. I want to be at that house within the hour.”

Elion stepped away from the blade so he could dip his head, before stalking out of the room.

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