Page 31 of Omega Sanctuary

Valens paused. "We can delay—"

"No," she said, grumpy. "It won't help."

I gave her some medicine and some cold bread leftover from the night before. We ate the porridge while traveling and made good time by the afternoon. We stopped long enough for the midday meal to rest the horses, but Nova didn't even want to get out of the cart.

Valens warded the cart and left to scan the trees again.

I looked at Nova. "What's wrong? How can I help?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "My body hurts."

I handed her the last roll. I'd have to make extra tonight. The medicine was strong and it would upset her stomach without solid food.

“An omega thing?" The grief had subsided, and in its place was deep, bone-weary pain.

"I guess." She pushed down into the pillows. "Most omegas die when their bonded alphas die, so no one can really tell me what my body is going to do."

"Oh." Losing that many bonds couldn't feel good, even without the emotional component. "Let me know if I can help."

Nova nodded, but her expression was far away.

Valens came back and we started forward. I wanted to touch him again, but he was so tense it didn't seem like a good idea.

I spent the afternoon telling Nova about funny customers in the bakery. She broke out into a sweat. Valens slowed our pace, but I wasn't sure it made much of a difference.

That night I made extra bread. Valens and I forced Nova to lay in her bedroll early. While prepping dinner, I pulled Valens aside. "Is there anything else we can do?"

Valens shook his head.

I could try some different medicines, but...I don't think Old Lady Feagins joint medicine will do much."

Valens grunted. He was warm, and I leaned closer to feel more of that heat. It might have been my imagination, but I thought he leaned a little closer. "It won't hurt."

"True." I gathered the bits of herbs that I would need, and set to work. It would take a little while to brew. Valens was still restless and paused to pace our campsite several times.

Whatever worried him, I wished I could lighten the burden.

Problem was, he had every reason to be worried.

Never in all of my years with the Order of the Silver Lion had an omega tempted me.

Not during the rigorous training, when omegas full in heat and tempting to a teenager danced around me.

Not as a young man with everything to prove and nothing to lose.

Until now.

The persistent need to circle our campsite wouldn't leave me. On the edges of my sensory awareness, much further than an alpha or beta, were people.

It was like seeing something out of the corner of my eye.

I circled the campsite again, keeping Zara in my vision.

Priestess Sabine worried about Nova, who had three bonds with no one left alive on the other end, but I sensed the remains of the bonds there, like a fraying net.

We should be able to reach the Sanctuary and get Nova under the wards before those bonds finished fading.

But Zara's energy was soft. Too soft. She didn't scent like an omega, something that should have made my job easier.

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