AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After a moment, and while she was looking at Jezalyn like she was the only other person in the world, Hycanthe added, "And because they weren't you."
I glanced away, uncomfortable at witnessing a tender moment between them. I felt as though I was intruding.
"But we got through." Jezalyn looked back at me. "You really think we'll be safer in the Winter Court? They haven't mistreated us here. Although, we're not allowed to leave."
"We've gone from one gilded cage to another," Hycanthe said bitterly. "But I need to learn to use my magic. If I did anything to hurt Jezalyn—"
"You wouldn't," Jezalyn assured her. "I wouldn't let you." She sighed softly. "We'll have to think about it. For all we know, your information might be wrong, and if it's not, we might be able to do something from here. There's a lot to consider."
"Consider quickly," I signed. "We won't have long."
In case Hycanthe decided to be difficult, I added, "I will go into heat again at some point. It would be better for everyone if that didn't happen here."
It certainly wasn't going to happen with Jezalyn. I was quite sure Cavan had alphas at his disposal and mine, but it wouldn’t hurt to push the other omega a little.
"Don't make me set you on fire," Hycanthe growled.
"Don't make me freeze your brain," I retorted. I hadn't tried doing that to anyone yet, but it was better if she didn't tempt me. Just in case.
Not to mention the fact she wasn't my enemy. The sooner she realised it, the better.
2
Khala
The atrium door swung open on silent hinges. Dalyth strode inside like she was High Lady of the Summer Court.
"I see you've found each other," she said smoothly.
Her citrus and honey scent tickled my nostrils uncomfortably. If I was going to freeze anyone's brain, it would be hers. She gave me the creeps. What she did to Zared, clearly gave her pleasure. Fucking with humans as though somehow they were lesser than Fae, was ugly. And misinformed.
"I don't think we so much as found each other as were directed here." I rose and looked at her steadily. I had a ton of questions I wanted to ask, but I doubted she'd be forthcoming.
"I'm sure you're wondering why." She walked over to a tree full of apricots and pulled off one of the fruit.
She was an omega too. I smelled it on her. I hadn't realised the scent was so distinct until now. It was like a cake baking in the oven, and soft lavender. Smells which should be warm, sweet and comforting. On her, they competed with her natural scent.
Judging by the way Jezalyn raised her nose and inhaled, it was a pleasing scent to an alpha.
What would a beta make of it?
"The thought crossed my mind." I stood my ground, even when she looked at me like she could see through me. Her eyes seemed to bore into my soul.
"You would know by now the Summer Court has been working for some time to make people like us," she said smoothly. She bit into the apricot and chewed.
Us? She was a transformed omega too?
"I see I took you by surprise," she said after she swallowed. "You didn't realise I know exactly what you went through. I absolutely do. The pain of the change. Feeling like your whole body is being ripped apart. Torn to shreds before being put back together."
She took another fierce bite, shredding the fruit in the same way she was shredded.
"What difference does it make?" I asked. "You still took my sisters from the caravan and brought them here. You changed Zared's memories. Sent him to a place he didn't want to be." A place that was best for him, but that he didn't want. He made it more than clear that, wherever I was, he belonged there too. She'd taken that choice from him. From us. Stripped it away like it was nothing.
"You truly think he'd want to be here?" She swept her hand around the atrium. "Amongst Fae. Amongst alphas and omegas. Knowing he would never be any of those things. You claim to care about him. If you do, then you will realise I did him a favour. The same way I did your sisters a favour. Her heat—" she nodded toward Hycanthe "—was as inevitable as yours. As inevitable as mine. If she'd undergone that in Havenmoor, if you had, what do you think would have happened? With no alpha for you, you wouldn't have survived. If by some miracle you had, do you think the humans there would have let any of you live?"
"You don't know that there are no alphas there," I stated.
"Don't I?" She raised an eyebrow at me. She finished her apricot and tossed the stone into the base of a pot.
