Page 3

“Drink,” the leader said. “It will help with the pain and help your body heal.” The liquid was cool and surprisingly sweet, with undertones of herbs and honey. It slid down Naya’s throat, spreading a soothing warmth through her chest and limbs.

“Now rest,” the leader said, her tone gentler. “The nnol ttaehh mael has been broken, but your body needs time to recover.”

As the draught took effect, Naya’s mood lifted. An urgent brightness washed over her, soothing her mind and relaxing her body. The pain was gone and with nothing serious to worry about, why not be happy and in good spirits? She smiled at the leader, who watched her cautiously.

It wasn’t unusual for Omegas to be considered beautiful, like this one, but this leader had a different kind of beauty. She seemed strong and practical, like Mama. Tough and forceful like Mother Freya. “Why are you so tall?” Naya asked, her voice sounding strange to her own ears.

The woman leaned forward, her eyes searching Naya’s face. “What is your name?” she asked slowly.

“Naya.” Naya blinked then frowned. “No… I-I am Princess… Princess Nayara Andaus, first daughter of Drocco and Cailyn Andaus.” She took a breath, her voice becoming weaker, words coming slower. “Heir to the Lox Empire, Guardian of Omegas, Keeper of Peace.”

“That is a big title,” the leader said. She scrutinized Naya for a long moment. “What are you doing here?”

“To help. To… to help my people. To find something to stop the magic….” Her voice petered out but the leader continued to stare at her.

Naya gazed back her and noticed a very thin horizontal line across the leader’s neck, faded but a little darker than her skin.

The Omega in the light-colored robes moved to the leader’s side and spoke to her quietly.

She also had a thin mark across her neck.

Naya turned her gaze to the rest of the Omegas moving around the chamber and speaking in low voices.

From what she could tell, they all had a similar scar.

For some alarming reason, that made her giggle. Why did they have identical marks across their necks? Did all these Omegas swap heads at some point? Is that why the leader was tall? Had she stolen the body of a Beta?

She laughed heartily at the absurdity of her thoughts, the sound of her laughter echoed through the cave, her face feeling crinkly and tender. The Omegas ignored her.

Within moments, her hilarity fled as though it hadn’t ever existed.

Naya blinked, trying to organize her thoughts.

The draught they gave her was affecting her mood and her mind.

Her limbs grew heavy, her thoughts sluggish.

Through half- lidded eyes, she watched the Omegas.

The leader and the robed Omega finished speaking and both moved out of Naya’s line of sight.

Two Omegas positioned themselves near the entrance, weapons at the ready—guards, she realized, distantly. Was she their prisoner?

Nothing made sense. These women—these Omegas—treated her wound, yet were they now keeping her captive?

They spoke of Akoro with contempt when she’d arrived, accusing him of harming them, yet Akoro had told her the Omegas had been banished and that he had nothing to do with them. Who was telling the truth?

Her mood sobered into a strangely somber discontentment. She glanced down at herself, and dismay washed over her at the sight of her beautiful ceremonial gown. The sapphire blue fabric was stained dark with blood, the intricate gold embroidery ruined.

She touched her cheek gingerly. The skin felt tight and raw, and in the middle of her cheek, running the length of the wound, she felt a raised edge; the beginning of a fresh scar.

Somehow they had not only stopped the bleeding but closed the wound completely, removing Akoro’s attempt to keep her close.

A strange feeling kindled in her. She should be happy about that, and yet she would have preferred if he had removed it himself.

Her mind drifted to the ceremony this morning.

The reverence she felt from everyone in the Throne Court.

The enthusiastic faces of Akoro’s people.

His commanding presence on the throne. He seemed so different there, surrounded by his subjects—not the cruel captor who had taken her from her forest, but a ruler beloved by his people.

And now she was here, among the very Omegas his society had banished. Women who seemed both fierce and competent, yet looked at her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

Had he lied about them? Or were they deceiving her?

Dread settled in her stomach, cold and heavy. Just when she’d thought she was beginning to understand Akoro, to see beyond the harsh exterior to the man beneath, everything was now thrown into question once more.

The sweet draught finally pulled her deeper toward unconsciousness, her thoughts growing more disjointed. As darkness claimed her, one thing seemed certain—nothing in this land was as it seemed, and no one’s truth could be trusted completely.