Page 18 of Impaled By His Omega Prince
Without Lumic, food was the only small part he could look forward to when he turned his head toward the ceiling and lamented the lack of a window. “Mother Goddess, moon above. Can you hear me?”
He’d seen other cells with windows, so his placement in that recessed corner was intentional. “Please.”
She didn’t answer, as she’d not answered in the days prior. The goddess didn’t speak to those who didn’t look upon her face. The sun did, though, and each morning, he sent a missive and received a single word:patience.
“Shaddup in there!” A wisened old fae a few cells down shouted at him and Askara silenced, pulling his knees to his chest. He didn’t bother responding to the old ass.
“Why don’t you shut your mouth!” Someone farther down that Askara didn’t know clanged his cell door.
“Why don’t you tell everyone what you’re in here for!” Yet another person shouted, and many people went silent at once. Askara had heard that a few were in there for heinous and unrepeatable incidences with agricultural beasts.
“I have no idea why I’m in he—” Askara started, but it only started the screaming again.
“Nobody cares!”
Askara sighed and leaned onto his side, the straw bed beneath him rich with the fresh scent of it. Still, better than the cells back at his home.Sleep it is.
Before he could steady his breath, a jangling of keys and footsteps silenced them all. And passing by his cell was the alpha Askara had seen before—Stamel. Lumic’s brother shot him a filthy sneer on his way by.
Bringing up the rear was a looming hulk of an alpha, his posture a little stooped and hair just as brilliant of a red as Lumic and Stamel. His eyes, though, were a sweet sort of blue, from what Askara could gather in the low light. “Who do we have here?”
“Rabble from Alluin’s castle.” One of the guards tried to urge the alpha away.
“He’s some dusk blood bastard of Alluin’s,” Stamel said, grunting as a guard shoved him.
Askara met the male’s gaze, studying his face that twisted in confusion and recognition. The alpha huffed in amusement and waved Stamel and the others on. “Not dusk blood.”
Askara shrugged, finding no need to comment.
“Moonborne.” The alpha crossed his arms and waved for a guard to unlock the cell.
The door slid open, and the alpha sauntered in, pulling up the lone stool in the room by the writing desk. Who he’d write a letter to was beyond him, but it was convenient for his visitor. “I’m Kershai. Who are you?”
“Queen slayer, the bastard son of Lyrica of Liaberos.” Askara leaned against the wall aside his bed and took a deep breath. He’d been questioned and shouted at by guards, mocked by Stamel.
“Askara.” Kershai bent forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “You’re the one that saved my boy.”
“It was the right thing to do. Nothing more.”
“You’d be surprised by how often people don’t do the right thing. Thank you.” Kershai stared Askara down. “You bring the goddesses with you, you know?”
A long sigh petered out over Askara’s lips. “I can’t speak to them. I cannot see them in this cell.”
Kershai grunted in acknowledgement. “We could probably do better by you, but if you’re here, it’s for a reason. Is there anything we can get you?”
Part of Askara wanted to ask for Lumic. The omega had slept in his bed for days after his heat, his warm body curled up against him so nicely. Sleeping alone would never be the same again. No matter how much he wanted to ask, he couldn’t though. “Maybe a book to read?”
Kershai tilted his head and frowned. “Want a guard to come by and play cards with you?”
“I’m fine. A book would be plenty. It’ll pass the time until I’m allowed to go free or you try to kill me again.”
“Again?” Kershai’s brow furrowed.
“One of your soldiers killed me when they raided the castle, and an alpha guard came in the other day and slit my throat.” Askara gestured to a stain on his shirt. “I tried to wash the blood out but—”
“But you’re alive.” Kershai scooted closer, brow furrowed. Those red brows of his stood out, a stark contrast against his milk-pale skin.
“And Iwasdead. The afterlife won’t take me, so Mothers sun and moon keep sending me back. I heal anew. It’s part of the moon’s blessing for me.” Askara tucked his knees a little tighter.
