Page 22 of Own to Obtain

“Do you believe him?” Kardos said to Malloron.

“I don’t believe anything he says,” Malloron said dryly. “But I do know he has been sleeping here for at least four or five months. She has not let him stay with her at their home, so he could be telling the truth.”

“He is a fool for allowing such a thing,” Kardos snarled. “Your Omegas make you weak in this part of the known Lands.”

Malloron shot him a strange look. “This from the Alpha whose Omega has escaped him.”

Kardos spun to him and roared. “Do not speak of what you don’t know about, King!”

“I know everything about it,” Malloron said calmly. “You forget we have spoken about this before. You once told me you did not see how one little woman could sate the needs of an Alpha completely, didn’t you? Did you find that to be untrue?”

Kardos’ roar dropped to a rumble in his throat. He had indeed forgotten that he once ridiculed the king for his obsession with his queen. He exhaled harshly and turned to the window, unwilling to answer. He hadn’t even thought of another woman since he secured Shaya, and he didn’t have to search too deeply to know he never would. Nothing could give him what she gave him. Even just her gaze on him thrilled him beyond compare.

Malloron appeared at his side, standing with him by the window. “We are not weak for accommodating our Omegas, Kardos,” he said gravely. “We are, in fact, weak without them.”

Kardos grunted in response but said nothing. He would not be without Shaya. Ever. And he didn’t see that as making him weak. She belonged with him and she couldn’t escape that no matter what she tried.

Taking Rozalia’s potion and visiting Shaya when she thought she was dreaming secured that commitment to her even further. Never before had she touched or kiss him so freely, and never had anyone told him he was “beautiful” before. She actually touched his rough and scruffy beard and said she loved it! It amazed him.

Claiming her in that state has been some of the sweetest times he had spent with her, especially since he could feel their bond.

But the entire experience had been soured by the idea that there was another man. Even if it was only in her thoughts, it enraged him beyond compare and unlocked something wild and primal within him that couldn’t be contained. The feeling was exacerbated by the fact he hadn’t even been able to properly claim her with his knot, and his need to do so intensified his drive to get to her.

“I will go and brief the Talent-crafters so you can leave as soon as my brother returns.” Malloron turned but then hesitated. “If you do end up going to the Eastern Lands, would you permit me to negotiate with the emperor on your behalf? It might make things smoother if we are all in agreement on this.”

“You may do what you feel is necessary,” Kardos said. “But I will not negotiate my goal. If she has gone to the Land of Emperor Drocco, I expect him to hand her over without any questions or stay out of the way.”

“I don’t see how he would disagree. He feels strongly about this kind of thing.”

“Good. Then it will be easy.”

***

Kardos stepped through the portal and found himself in a large house. He kept himself alert, watching for any surprises, inwardly cursing about having to use portals.

Although portals existed in the Southern Lands, he never had cause to use one other than when he was last in the Western Lands with Malloron, and although he had been stunned when he’d first realized the distance they could reach, he much preferred traveling on the ocean or by land. He preferred to feel the mood and texture of his environment as he journeyed. Plus, with portals it was impossible to know what he would find on the other side or what he would be stepping into.

Looking around, he recognized the house he was in. It was where he had first seen Shaya, where she treated Malloron, and a sour taste came to his tongue at the memory.

His warriors spread out silently around the house and began to assess each room while the three Talent-crafters that Malloron had given him surrounded Kardos and Malloron’s brother. The brother had been capable of delaying his arrival at this house but completely shit at giving him any useful information.

Kardos only managed to bring five warriors, because that was the maximum number of people the portals in the Southern Lands could bear. It was abysmal that he was chasing the most prized person in the Southern Lands with such a ridiculously small team; however, he had chosen the best. The best axeman, rockpulter, archer, and combat artsman. He was, of course, the best swordsman. Together they could cause enough damage, as long as they weren’t outnumbered by any who were more skilled than them, and Kardos couldn’t see how that would be possible.

He walked around the house, noting that it was obviously the home of someone rich by the standards of the Western Lands. It didn’t seem to fit Shaya, but this was likely her sister’s home. He didn’t doubt that her sister was someone of importance. How else was she able to find the Southern Lands in order to get Shaya? She must have had connections. At first, he suspected King Malloron of giving her information, but the man had been utterly shocked when he realized why Kardos was there.

“No one is here,” reported his warriors when they came back to him.

“Where is Shaya’s room?” Kardos asked Malloron’s brother.

“Upstairs. Second on the left.”

Kardos bounded up the stairs, entered her room, and finally felt that he was in the right place. Shaya’s room was simpler than the rest of the house; neat, bright, and filled with signs of potion-making. It looked like the room of a servant girl, but he wasn’t surprised. Shaya didn’t need any of the riches displayed in other parts of the house; she valued simpler things.

As soon as he entered the room, it was clear that she had been here. Her scent was stronger here than in his bedroom, and it almost made him wild with a mixture of fury and desire for her. The bed was unmade, which seemed unusual considering the rest of the room was so neat, and plates and bowls were piled up by the side of the bed. He walked to it, wondering if she had been ill and unable to eat downstairs, and was distracted by the potency of her scent on the sheets. He leaned over bracing his hands on the bed as he took a deep breath, then dragged up the sheets in his fists to press it to his nose, but it was fucking torture. He growled in frustration that she had been here while he had been fulfilling his duties as the new chief of the Southern Lands. He knew he should have gone after her immediately.

The announcements in the Southern Lands had gone as expected. He spoke with all the fire and passion he had for the Southern Lands, and the people had been uplifted by his words. But every single island he visited asked for Shaya—one man even said he wanted him to return with her to do the announcement “the way it was supposed to be done.” Kardos almost threw a fucking dagger at him.

As he threw the sheets down, he straightened to see the sight of a luscious, large garden outside the window. Turning, he headed out of the room and downstairs, searching for the door to the garden. When he found it and stepped out into it, he knew that this was Shaya’s work.

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