Page 63 of Omega Sanctuary

Great. She didn't believe me. I grit my teeth together. "I asked her to."

"Why?" More pleasant interest.

I forced myself to unclench my jaw. Maybe I should skip the details, let her believe whatever she wanted.

But I could hear Kivai now. This was the Priestess of the Omega Sanctuary. I was here to learn how to control my magic.

Pretending I had this all under control wouldn't end well for me.

"Normally, when an omega switches so late in life, it indicates other more subtle magics."

"I didn't switch late in life. I've seen spirits my entire life."

"Oh? What form do they take?"

More polite interest.

Helpless anger spiked through me. I forced my thoughts into some sort of order. "I've seen flashes of light at the edge of my vision as long as I can remember. Sometimes it looks like fireflies. When I was a teenager I started getting these weird...episodes."

I tried not to blush. I stopped talking to healers after the sixth or seventh couldn't explain my strange illness.

"What happened?"

"I couldn't get out of bed my body hurt so bad. Sometimes I slept for fifteen hours at a time." I kept talking through my embarrassment. I'd been called lazy as a teenager, and worse.

Deja nodded thoughtfully. "It does sound like the early stages of being an omega. It's odd that the ceremonies didn't pick up on it. Spirit magic is especially pronounced."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Three months before Priestess Sabine realized I was an omega, I was seeing spirit creatures regularly."

"Let's get you over to Sister Aalina." Deja stood up. "She's an expert reader. She can get to the bottom of this mystery."

Oh good, someone else to express polite interest in the hell I'd lived through as a teenager. I got dressed while Deja waited in the living room, and followed her into the Sanctuary.

"Once Sister Aalina determines your magical specialties, we'll put you into class rotation."

I wrinkled my nose and followed Deja through the winding hallway of the temple. It was a bright, beautiful day, but the unfamiliar surroundings grated my nerves. "Classes?"

"Etiquette, a basic primer on the surrounding kingdoms, rituals sacred to omegas."

"Can't I just learn how to control my magic and bake?"

Deja laughed. "Certainly, if that's how you want to spend your life. First, we make sure you're trained properly. Omegas can act as advisers to generals, princes, and priests."

I tried to make my face look more pleasant but kept picturing sitting in boardrooms while my mystery alpha talked about peace treaties or something.

Deja shook her head with a smile. "Think of it as life skills. You might not need them, but you will be grateful to have them."

It didn't sound appealing, but I didn't want to go into heat while I was in the middle of a baking rush either.

And there were missing omegas. I wanted to ask Deja, but I didn't know her well enough. Valens would have talked to her if he thought it would have helped.

I would learn how to control my magic. Valens would find the men responsible, and then we could travel the kingdoms.

We took an exit out of the Sanctuary and headed to the east side, taking a small, well-worn path down the side of the hill. A gentle sea breeze blew the curls around my face, and I smiled up into the sun.

Hurrying to catch up, I spotted several buildings clustered together. They were white stone like the Sanctuary, with the same terra cotta roof. Sprawling around the buildings was an overgrown garden, and six or seven cats milling around.

"This is the Healer's House. Most omegas have some sort of healing ability, so you'll have class here occasionally."

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