Page 64 of Omega Sanctuary

Deja walked right in. A large sitting area with comfortable-looking couches sat to the left with a long table to the right. A girl wearing a blue tunic who couldn't have been older than sixteen sat behind a long table. The scent of sage, rosemary, and other herbs filled the room, making me think of being in a kitchen.

"Priestess Deja." The girl stood up. "Sister Aalina is expecting you."

We walked through another set of double doors.

An older woman sat at a desk. Her dark blue tunic made her blue eyes look more severe, and the blue wimple wrapped around her head made me rub my throat in sympathy.

I couldn't stand a large cloth wrapped around my head.

She looked up and then waved at a chair. "Sit down, sit down."

We sat. A minute passed while Sister Aalina scribbled some notes. She looked up at me and then back down her papers. "They don't tell you about the paperwork when you decide to become a healer."

"Nor about being the leader of a temple." Deja looked amused.

"True enough." Sister Aalina laughed, a short bark. She was older, her face creased with wrinkles, but her energy was strong enough to fill the entire room.

She turned her piercing blue eyes on me, and I squirmed. This woman could see through everything. "So, you're our windfall omega."

I fidgeted with my hands. She reminded me of Nan, and I didn't expect to find someone so no-nonsense here.

A wave of longing washed over me.

"Go ahead, stand up."

I sighed but stood up.

"No heat yet." It wasn't a question, but I shook my head anyway.

"Buck up girl, you look like you're going to a funeral. Being in heat is the best sex of your life." Sister Aalina cackled.

I swallowed hard. "It feels like I'm a bomb about to explode."

She tutted. "You're here now."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Your energy is subtle." She circled around me. "A blessing and a curse."

"We ran into some soldiers on the road."

She eyed me. "They didn't know you were an omega, did they?"

"No."

Aalina cackled again. "Idiots."

I grinned. "They nearly gave Valens a heart attack. He worried they would send us into heat."

"Eh. It will come when it comes." Aalina kept eying me.

I cut a glance at Deja. She seemed happy to let me run the interaction, so I pressed on with my case. "I have spirit magic, and apparently, I need your sign-off before they confirm it."

Sister Aalina raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?"

I huffed and explained my history.

"If its spirit magic, we better get you sorted right away." Aalina gestured at a doorway. "Lay down on the bed. We'll be in shortly."