Page 26 of Omega Sanctuary

Some of the happiness faded. "I've been plotting what things I could bake on the road."

He looked at my face and then sighed.

I went back to work on my dough, while Nova hovered. "Mmm, bread. I would offer to help but I turn anything I try to bake into charred black rocks."

"It's fine," I said. "I'm a baker."

Valens pulled out a small pot and added water, potatoes, herbs, and dried meat.

The air filled with savory scents. I put the lump of dough in a small cast iron skillet, and set it near the fire.

We ate a good dinner that night, and afterward exhaustion hit me. I hadn't done more than sit all day, but I struggled to keep my eyes open. We crawled into our bedrolls, and dropped off to sleep.

Right before I fell asleep, I tried to see if I could sense Kivai, or any other spirits, but it was like a blank space.

The next few days followed the same pattern. Nova and I spoke about pleasantries, books we had read and things we like to do, but she was quiet most of the time.

I tried not to stare at Valens out of the corner of my eye. Nova's energy was pure sadness, rolling off her in waves. He was more inert, like a solid wall of granite. Restful to be around.

We reached a crossroads, but instead of heading south to the next town over, Valens took the northern route.

"We're not passing through Whitefalls?"

Valens shook his head. "We don't need a town yet."

"We're not going the more direct route?"

"Not if it passes through a town." Nova cocked her head. "Don't you remember your first trip out?"

I cleared my throat. "This is my first trip."

"Did you train somewhere close to home?"

For a moment, I debated what to say. In the end, I figured a partial truth was needed. "I'm new."

For a moment Nova just looked at me. "You just switched?"

"No. Apparently it was so subtle they only picked up on it a month ago." I'd gotten used to the quiet company of the two of them, but it still felt like I was admitting dirty secrets.

Nova's face went even more still. "Did you have your first heat?"

Now my face was on fire, and I wanted to make a quip about my blush counting. "Not exactly."

"And no bonded alpha?"

"We tried but...it didn't work out so well."

Nova looked over at Valens. "Please, for the love of Aramis, tell me that Sabina shared these details with you."

"Most of it," Valens muttered. "It doesn't change the plan."

"Which is?" I looked between them.

"Neither of us have alphas," Nova said, her voice falling. "So we're avoiding towns. We attract as little attention as possible and travel to the Sanctuary."

She made it sound like there was a hidden "or else". I tried to think about the worst-case scenario of us getting caught without an alpha but came up blank.

"Are you meeting your alpha somewhere?"

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