Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 63709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“I didn’t think there were many O—” I omit the word Omegas at the last second, “of them left.”
“In my great-grandmother's generation, there were plenty. And everyone knew that Matron Dia, the healer who taught your Ma, was the one who provided the potion to suppress their heat cycles. To allow them to hide.”
I blink. “Why did they want to hide?”
“Because once they go into heat, any Alpha who scents them will go into rut. And once an Alpha is in rut, almost nothing can stop him from giving in to it.”
Ah. No wonder Ma is so cautious around Alphas.
“That potion you mentioned, those ingredients?” Leelah continues. “They’re illegal. Don’t let them—” she risks another glance towards the king’s guards, “—catch you asking around for them.”
“Understood. Thank you.” When I get home, Ma is going to have some explaining to do.
“Attention! Attention, everyone!” A pink-haired older Beta in a fancy blue and gold embroidered robe is standing on a stage in the center of the square, surrounded by soldiers. He holds up a large scroll that looks like a bigger version of the tiny one Ma read from this morning.
“An announcement!” The Beta’s voice rings out across the square. “By order of the king.”
The soldiers glare at the crowd of villagers until all excited chatter subsides.
“The king has announced a new Queen Covenant. He will visit each village in turn to choose a mate. All eligible females of childbearing age will receive formal invitations.” The Beta holds up a second square of gilded paper. “If you receive an invitation, you are to make ready and present yourself in the town square… tonight at dusk.” He clears his throat and steps down. The villagers break into loud speculation.
Leelah turns shining eyes to me. “Isn’t it wonderful? The king is visiting us. Tonight!”
I lick my dry lips. “What’s a Queen Covenant?”
“An old Medii custom. The king travels to each village to meet all eligible potential mates. Traditionally, he would choose an Omega to become his queen. Like now, don’t you see? He’s searching for his Omega!”
“Great,” I say weakly. “I’d better get going.” I back away from Leelah’s booth, my gaze fixed on the robed Beta and soldiers surrounding him. “Get ready to run,” I murmur to Rogue.
It puffs around my ears, whistling down my front to tug me forward by my hem. I get the warning too late. My back hits a solid wall.
Not a wall. An Alpha. I look up into the soldier’s familiar face. It’s Byrol. He grips my arm, his nostrils flaring—just like last time.
Oh fuck. Not this again.
The wind puffs out my skirts in panic.
“Byrol!” another Alpha calls, and Byrol dips his head close to mine.
“Go home and make ready,” he growls in my ear. “We will fetch you just before dusk.” He releases me and I hurry away like my boots are on fire. Rogue races with me, making my cloak stream out behind me.
I don’t stop until I’m back at the cottage. I burst through the front door, remembering too late that Ma might be napping.
She isn’t napping. She’s camped out in her chair with a gilded square of parchment lying on her lap and a supremely worried expression on her face.
“Oh, Rose,” she says in a broken voice, holding up the king’s formal invitation. “What did you do?”
SIX
Rose
Even though I’m twenty-seven, Ma can make me feel like a guilty five-year-old who pinched a cookie. I resist the urge to drag the toe of my boot across the floor. “I went to see the king.”
“You what?”
When I’m brave enough to meet her gaze, I see her eyes are huge pools of astonishment. Thank god. She’s not mad. “At the market yesterday, Leelah was saying this mysterious sickness was like the Red Death all over again. She told me that it happened before, and that the king found the cure. When I saw the rash on your face, I couldn’t think of anything else to do.”
“Oh, Rose,” Ma says again.
I wait for her to continue, to scold me, to ask questions, anything, but instead she just looks at me. I can’t read her expression. “Ma?”
“I’ve done you ill,” she whispers.
“What? No—”
“It’s time I told you the truth. I’ve hidden it for too long. A lifetime.”
I sink into the chair opposite her. Ma’s long, slender fingers are clenched in the quilt covering her lap. I want to reach out and take her hand but she’s gazing into the fire as if reading her future there.
“I’m an Omega,” she says. It sounds like a sigh.
I blink. “What?”
“It’s true. I’ve been in hiding for decades.”
“But… I thought Omegas were rare to non-existent. They basically died out or something.”
“Oh, we exist. Yes, birth rates have plummeted but there are other Omegas here on Ulfaria.” She attempts a wry smile. “You could say we’re as rare as we are fertile.”