Page 14 of The Ruby Dragon Prince (Omega Fairy Tales #1)

King Freslik stormed the halls of his castle, livid at the information that had just been delivered to him.

“What do you mean there are only five of them in there?” he demanded of Rottum, the head of his guards.

“I mean just that, Your Majesty,” Rottum said. “When the servant was sent to feed the omegas earlier, only five of them were in their bedchamber.”

“Impossible,” King Freslik said. “There is only one door and it was locked and guarded. Did your guards shirk their duty and fall asleep?”

“No, Your Majesty, I swear, they did not,” Rottum insisted.

They reached the bedchamber. The door was already open. King Freslik stormed inside.

Five of his omega sons were lined up in the center of the room with fully eight guards standing around them. The blasted omegas had been locked in their room for three days without any food or water, but they looked pink and healthy, well-rested, and, damn them, happy.

“Where is the sixth?” he demanded of his ungrateful offspring. He glanced over the ones who were there, then repeated, “Where is Tovey?”

“Tovey?” the one with glasses asked, blinking.

“You mean the brother that you threw into the dungeon?” the eldest of the omegas asked with a look of false innocence.

“I did not throw any of you in the dungeon,” King Freslik snapped.

“You didn’t?” the shy one asked.

“Perhaps you left him outside the castle at the festival,” the one who thought he was brave said.

King Freslik growled. “Did you let the sixth one escape when I ordered you to escort them back from the festival?” he demanded of the guards.

“No, Your Majesty, no,” the guards all insisted, fearful and stammering, even though only two of them had actually escorted the omegas back.

“All six of them were brought back to the castle, I swear,” Rottum said. “I saw all six of them return with my own eyes.”

“And yet, there are five now!” King Freslik shouted. He turned on his sons and demanded, “Where is Tovey?”

The wicked omegas hemmed and hawed, shrugged and looked at each other as if none of them had a clue.

“Find him!” King Freslik shouted at last. “He must have escaped somehow. That man who was with him at the festival must have helped. Scour the entire kingdom if you have to. Find Prince Tovey, and when you do, kill him.”

The guards were shocked. Rottum grinned slightly and nodded. Strangely, the omegas didn’t look at all worried or alarmed.

“The remaining five of you will stay here in your room until you rot,” King Freslik said before turning to go.

Something strange was afoot, and until he discovered what it was, he would keep his sons locked away to teach them a lesson.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the story of Prince Tovey and his Ruby Dragon Prince! I’ve wanted to write a series based on the fairy tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses for a long time, and at last, I’ve found the perfect way to do that! Of course, twelve is a lot of omega princes, so six is good enough for me!

I was fascinated by the illustrations in a children’s book my grandmother had of the magical forest world of The Twelve Dancing Princesses when I was a kid. The illustrations of trees made out of jewels and dancers in elaborate costumes with fantastical masks were just the best! Throw in some worldbuilding, which anyone who has read my Peter and the Wolves books knows I love, and ta da! I’ve got a ton of ideas for this magical world now!

What happens next when bookworm omega Prince Selle comes face to face with his clever, teasing gold dragon fated mate, Prince Gildur? Gildur underestimates Selle at first, but soon the two of them have to team up to defeat the wicked sorceress, Saoirse…who just might have designs on the cruel world as well. But how can Selle decide between his fated mate and his father’s people? Find out next in The Gold Dragon Prince !