Page 110 of Shrine of Fire

“No,” Stefan shook his head, and took another sip of tea. “It looked as though you and the King were thorough in the terms.”

“I don’t want you in the pack,” I said, frowning through my headache. “I am giving you the honor of being direct with you.”

The Admiral gave me another one of his patronizing smiles. “It’s not really your choice, is it?”

“It is,” Stefan said, anger flashing through the bond. “She is the omega, this is her pack.”

“But you are the alpha. You will take your omega in hand and tell her that what’s good for your nation doesn’t get decided on the fickleness of an omega’s nature.”

At he said that, more than a small hint of scorn came through in his voice. I took another sip of tea to steady myself and let out a small breath. It was just a headache. I needed to focus. This was important.

“I am the alpha of this pack, and I will decide what is best.” Stefan’s face was a perfect courtly mask, all pleasant blankness. I would have never guessed at the seething rage he felt at the Admiral, and I was glad again for my bond. “Not my omega, and certainly not a beta I barely know.”

Admiral Xilas stared at Stefan, and the silence became charged. The weight of everything they weren’t saying made the air in the room oppressive.

I held myself still, barely daring to breathe.

Another minute more, and I would have to break the silence with something, anything.

Finally, when I couldn’t take it any longer, Admiral Xilas chuckled. “Of course, Your Highness. You are the leader of your pack.”

Stefan’s possessiveness made me feel warm and fuzzy. I squeezed his hand. “Stefan knows best.”

“I am merely showing both of you how we can prosper.”

“And I am saying…” Stefan’s face flushed, and he swallowed. “We need different terms.”

Admiral sighed. “What did you have in mind?”

Stefan took another sip of his tea, and I hoped I was the only one who noticed the slight tremor in his hand. Some of the anger dissipated through the bond, and I tried to parse through my muddled feelings.

My head pounded, and my hands tingled. I wanted to tell the Admiral he was too smug by half, but instead of forming words, my tongue was heavy in my mouth. My throat was dry, and I thought about drinking more tea, but it was like my hands were distant countries no longer on speaking terms with the rest of my body. I took a breath in again, my ears ringing. I managed to pick up my cup, and take a sip, but it didn’t wash away the fuzziness in my mouth.

It was hard to concentrate. I was about to say something, but I wasn’t sure what.

I glanced at Stefan, and he looked confused too. A glance at the Admiral told me that his expression hadn’t changed.

My head swam. “Apologies…” I started.

Admiral Xilas cocked his head, his expression hawkish. “Do not feel bad for your bluntness. I quite admire that in a woman.”

I shook my head. It made the dizziness worse, so I gripped the table. That wasn’t what I had wanted to say. I’d wanted to excuse us from the table so I could lay down. My head was so heavy, my shoulders and neck could barely stand the weight of it.

Picking up two ornate feather pens, Admiral Xilas handed one to Stefan and the other to me. “Why not sign the contracts, hmm?” He gave us a dazzling smile, finally looking pleased.

Stefan looked down at the pen in his hand. He looked at me, and then frowned.

The Admiral wanted us to sign a contract. I tried to hold on to why I didn’t want to, but my thoughts swam away from me, like slippery fish sliding through my fingers.

“Then you’ll be able to go back to your bed and sleep the rest of the day. That sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

It did sound nice. A cool, soft pillow for my aching head. A comfortable mattress, Stefan lying next to me. Hashir at my back.

Hashir. Aki and Cuan. Kalahar. My men. They needed me.

“No.” I looked at the Admiral.

“Remarkably resistant.” He chuckled again, and the sound grated against my nerves.

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