She nods, a small smile touching her lips. “He has always been one of the good ones.”
The new is surprising, but welcome. It hadn’t occurred to me that any of Logan’s brothers might be on our side. “That’s really good news.”
Saffron nods, settling onto a chair across from me with perfect Omega grace. “Don’t get too excited. I doubt any of the other princes will break with the king.”
Cillian finally sits, though he chooses a position that allows him to watch both Saffron and the door. “How are things at court?”
Saffron rearranges the skirt of her elegant dress, smoothing non-existent wrinkles as she settles into her chair. The distant sound of Cillian moving around upstairs is the only noise in the otherwise silent house.
“The court has changed,” she says, her voice low as if sharing a secret. “It’s become something unrecognizable in just a few months.”
I lean forward, curiosity piqued. “What do you mean?”
She looks toward the window, a shadow crossing her delicate features. “The king hosts revels almost every night now. Not the formal state dinners of the past – these are... different. More primal.”
My stomach tightens at her expression. I’ve seen enough at the Enclave to recognize the signs of something deeply wrong.
“The king addresses his courtiers during these events,” Saffron continues, folding her hands in her lap. “Long speeches about a ‘new age for Melilla’ that he claims to be shepherding. He promises prosperity and power – specifically, an Omega for every Alpha. Only the gods above know how he plans to accomplish that.”
I exchange a glance with Cillian, the silent communication we’ve developed over the past weeks passing between us. It’s time to tell her what we know.
“Saffron,” I say carefully, “there’s something you should know about these clinics.”
She tilts her head, curiosity replacing her earlier wariness. “What about them?”
“They’re not just fertility clinics,” Cillian says, his voice soft but steady despite his injuries. “They’re laboratories. Places where they experiment on Omegas.”
Saffron’s face drains of color, leaving her looking ghostly against her vibrant hair. “That’s... That’s not possible,” she whispers, but there’s no conviction in her voice.
“It is possible,” I insist. “I’ve seen it. They were injecting me with hormones, running tests, doing things you can’t even imagine. If the king gets his way, I won’t be the only one.”
Cillian softly adds, “That’s why we can’t run. That’s why we have to stop him. What he’s doing—it’s beyond cruelty. It’s monstrous.”
She shakes her head slowly, horror dawning in her eyes. “Then the rumors are true. The king really has gone mad with power.”
“Not mad,” Cillian corrects. “Calculated. This is a deliberate strategy to consolidate control. What better way to ensure loyalty than to promise every Alpha noble their own personal Omega?”
“We’re going to stop him,” I say firmly. “We’re gathering allies, planning our next move. Logan and the others are working on a strategy that?—“
“No,” Saffron interrupts, her voice suddenly sharp with alarm. “Maya, you can’t go anywhere near the king.”
The urgency in her tone makes me pause. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes dart nervously to the window before she leans closer. “The king has mentioned you at court,” she says, lowering her voice to barely above a whisper. “By name. He speaks of you often, always with this... strange gleam in his eye.”
My stomach tightens. “What does he say?”
“That you’re special. Different from other Omegas.” She swallows hard. “He’s offered a substantial reward for your return to the palace. Alive and unharmed. He was very specific about that part.”
Cillian shifts beside me, his body tensing despite his injuries. “Why would the king take personal interest in Maya?”
Saffron shakes her head. “I don’t know. But something changed after your escape from the doctor’s compound. The king became... fixated. It’s as if he believes you hold some key to his plans.”
A chill runs down my spine. The tests the doctor ran on me, the samples he took—what did he find? What makes me “special” in the eyes of a king with plans to transform people’s very nature?
“All the more reason why we need to stop him,” I say, fighting to keep my voice steady. “If he’s willing to experiment on innocent people, to alter their very designations against their will, we can’t just run and hide. We have to end this.”
Saffron looks at me with a mixture of admiration and fear. “You don’t understand. The king is... He’s not what he appears to be. There’s a reason he’s ruled unchallenged for so long. Those who oppose him directly don’t just lose—they disappear.”
