“You’re still a thorn in my side, old man,” Er’it said, leaning back against the cart to turn his gaze up to the bright sky. Nothing like home, but the same sky still. “The only one that knew anything of her was a maid, and she knew nothing of importance.”
“Those villagers knew enough.”
“Of her, yes. Not how she came to be there, where she came from.” Dropping his voice to a low murmur so their conversation remained between them, Er’it took the satchel Tor’en fussed with to tie it up onto the cart’s side himself. “How can I return her to a place no one knows?”
“Forgive me, Majesty, but have you bothered to ask her?” The wooden case of precious ceramic bowls met the ground with a bony rattle, all movement around them ceasing as the boys and other onlookers stopped to stare.
Spine snapping to attention, Er’it rounded on his oldest friend. Eyes narrowing at the rumbling tone, and the dark gaze shimmering with more anger than seemed necessary, Er’it stamped down on his immediate reaction. Slamming his fist into Tor’en’s mouth wouldn’t get him anywhere, and it wasn’t him Er’it was angry with.
“So you know how I’ve been using her?” Movements easy, casual, he leaned against the cart once more. Dispensing the curious gathering with a single glance.
“Whole damned train knows. Everyone hears her screaming, saw the state of her.” Shaking his head, Tor’en faced Er’it with his jaw firmed. Dark skin mottled with wine rich stains, he dared to bare his teeth as he bit out, “She’s a child, Er’it. I don’t know nor care what she was doing with the Black Mage, but I know an innocent girl when I see one. She’s a whipped pup, and you’re just going to keep on kicking her, aren’t you?”
“What I do with her is no one’s business but mine, old man.” Er’it loosened his fists, flexing his fingers against his thighs.
“I can only hope the Hat’or know what they’re doing with the poor girl.” Tor’en lost some of his bite, seeming to wilt before Er’it as he let out a gusty breath tainted with anger and sorrow. “I wish many things, my boy. That I had steered you away from this path, that I had fought harder for your humanity and heart before you lost it to the bloody path you chose. Most of all, I wish I had never found those damned books.”
“Yet you did. She will have this heat they speak of, I will take her power, and I will go on in victory as I always have. As the Hat’or you so love have shown me time and again.”
“Is it victory over land or this evil growing inside of you they show you, Er’it?”
“Evil? Pah! I am a man, the same as any other, Tor’en. Make no mistake, give any of these men a chance at her slick cunt and they’d do the same as I have.”
“Perhaps they would, but would they destroy her so completely in the process?”
“Something as weak as that is meant to be broken.”
Without waiting for a response, Er’it strode away, careful to keep his steps unhurried. Not letting these glimpses of his anger raging out of control seep past the façade his people trusted. Tor’en was right, and Er’it shouldn’t be surprised that he was. Soldiers and cooks, whores and children, they all scurried from his path with the same fear hiding in their averted eyes. Heads bowed, mumbled greetings and obeisance tossed into his path, they wanted nothing to do with him.
He’d been careful not to allow them the sight of his power, just how far he’d gone. They didn’t see the sacrifices, the blood. It didn’t matter why the Omega screamed. All they saw were her many cuts and bruises, her straggling hair and exhausted eyes. How he’d dragged her behind Kal until the fool beast decided he liked the sniveling female.
He needed to be more cautious and now he’d lost his chance to speak with Tor’en about the way the Omega affected him. Perhaps only the day, but knowing the grizzled old mage, it would be several more before Er’it could pry more than monosyllabic answers from him.
With a growling sigh, Er’it shoved the tent flap aside, ready to offer a small peace. He could do that and not give ground to the slip of a woman who seemed to be ruling him by his cock.
She wasn’t there. Every trace of her gone, from the ruined gown to the remaining food.
His growl became a roar as he shoved back through the opening, scanning the milling groups for the sight of tawny gold skin and the most perfect shade of gleaming russet.
A scream sent his feet pounding against the dry dirt, racing through the crowd. Mindless of who he pushed and shoved, he had to find the source before…
Er’it refused to think of what might be happening. Made his legs pump faster as another scream shattered the valley.
Chapter 10
Aida
She knewit was foolish to leave the relative safety of the small structure, but the boy had told her they had to take down the tents. Sharpish. Whatever that had meant. Despite being so exhausted, sore in ways she never thought possible, and clothed in only Er’it’s long shirt from the day before, she’d scurried away. So many bustling youths, each of them grunting under the strain of their burdens, she hadn’t wanted to get in their way or call attention to herself, so she’d wandered along the bent and twisted tree line to where several horses stood caged by thick ropes. There she’d found Kal.
Kept far away from the other animals, Kal nibbled at the brittle leaves of the tree someone had tied him to before his head swung around so fast it scared her. More so at the thought she’d started him. She’d heard Otaso’s dogs fighting before, and on one occasion saw one sneak up on another to steal a well gnawed bone. The attack had been twice as vicious as usual, both the defeated and victor well marked and bloody by the end.
“I-I’m sorry,” Aida whispered, hating that her voice trembled so.
Kal snorted at her, ambling to the end of his tether. When Aida remained frozen, he stretched his neck as far as he could, thick lips smacking at her.
“I have nothing!” Aida gasped, covering her mouth with her fingers as she jumped from one horrible conclusion to the next.
Kal’s head ducked low, and he snorted again, pawing at the crumbling dirt. As if in a shrug, his hide twitched, and he strained further, making the thick rope creak and groan. Dark eyes lazy, soft, he made little nods at her.
