And he wants to make meQueenof this kingdom…?
I steel myself.
I can do this.
I need to find out if there is more to the monster who took out an entire army. More to the King who assassinated Tarquin.
I’ll spy, but not for Maximinus or the Council.
I’ll spy formyselfto find out if this Shadow Vampire King is someone who deserves me risking everything to save them…who truly has a place in my pack.
I nudge Daire. “How do you know that?”
I can feel Daire smile against the top of my head. “I’m a fae encyclopedia. Also, a god.”
I huff. “Okay, god, who are those Betas in the silver robes with glowing pyramid hieroglyphs on the front?”
I point to one side of the pyramid, where Betas with shaved heads stand calmly like they’re meditating. Their eyes are bright and calculating, however, in a way that makes my skin crawl. At the front of them, slouches a portly Blood with a leathery face, which is etched with wrinkles.
His eyes are silver and cold.
When he catches my eye, he gives me a creepy smile, revealing his fangs.
I force myself to smile back.
“Making friends, love?” Daire increases his pheromones in possessive warning against my newfriend. “I’d choose more carefully. That’s Ruin, leader of the Void Cult. Ehm, I’m not sure entirely what the cult do. I may have exaggerated my god-like knowledge.”
“Shocking,” I tease.
“The Void Cult’s activities are shrouded in mystery even within their own kingdom. Maximinus had me study everything that I could about Blood Kingdom with only an hour or two’s sleep all week. The bloody parchments that Maximinus forcedme to read, however, barely said more about Ruin’s cult than that they worship order, balance, and the Void.”
“What’s the Void?”
“Damned if I know. Those villagers were calling SinVoid Vampire, aye? Chanting it likehewas some kind of god or…?”
“Sacrifice.” I furrow my brow. “Shall we put the mysterious cult in the avoid column?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“So, who are those freaky Omegas who are dressed all in red?” I point to one side of the pyramid, which has been hung with long crimson ribbons like strands of flesh.
To be fair, it’s surprising to find so many Omegas in the court.
The only Alphas are the King himself and Daire.
Do Omegas and Betas truly hold equal power within Blood Kingdom to Alphas?
In Fang Kingdom, Omegas weren’t even allowed to hold weapons, let alone positions of authority. King Ulf deliberately oppressed us. In Draca Kingdom, Omegas could gain some respect by becoming dragon riders, but even noble Omegas still didn’t have equality.
Have I finally found a kingdom where I can hold the same status as anyone else?
Where I won’t be judged as just a rejected, orphan Omega?
It doesn’t matter that I was born to be a queen. I have seen what that duty has done to both Aurelius and Daire. It has torn them apart.
What matters is the chance to live my life free…and equal.
Excitedly, I study these Omegas, whose magic crackles across my skin.
