Page 28 of The Runaway
“Antoine, please understand I take no pleasure in this,” Felix said, leaning forward. “It galls me to see omegas killed for no reason, but legally speaking, his masters have done nothing wrong. They’re entitled to do as they wish with their own property.
“I don’t want to send Connor back. Not least of all because I’ll get my ear chewed off by Gisele once she hears of it,” he added, with chagrin. “But one of my duties is to uphold the law, no matter how much I might dislike it. And the law states that Connor is owned by the Rivieres. They don’t even live in my district, so even if I wanted to intervene, there would be very little I could do.”
“Uh, I’m sorry,” Gabriel broke in. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but who is Gisele?” The name was a female one, meaning that whoever she was, she was either a beta or an omega. And for a baron and an alpha to be concerned about her opinion was therefore a very strange thing.
Felix’s face immediately smoothed out, his frown replaced with a fond smile. “My bonded omega.”
Gabriel’s jaw dropped. “You’re bonded?” First Antoine and now Felix? “I’m sorry,” he apologised a moment later. “I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“It’s all right,” Felix said. “Most people are quite shocked, the first time they hear of it. She was my personal omega for three years, until one morning we both apparently lost our minds and decided to bond with each other. Surprised the hell out of me, but she seemed rather smug about it. Spicy little wench.”
“How is Gisele?” Antoine asked, apparently grateful for a break in the discussion.
“Tempestuous, as always,” Felix said with a grin. “Much like her master. And while we’re quite thoroughly off topic, may I ask how young Niles is doing? Has he bonded with Adalene yet?”
Antoine shook his head. “He’s determined to see the idea through, but between you and me, I’m starting to have my doubts. It’s been over a year now, and… well, to be honest, I’m not sure they’re going about it the right way. I didn’t think you could just manufacture a bond by sheer force of will. I was under the impression things had to happen more spontaneously. What’s your opinion on that side of things?”
“Hmm. I couldn’t say for certain either way,” Felix said. “I’ve only witnessed three bondings in my entire life, and one of them was my own. To say that setting out to bond deliberately isn’t theusualway of it would imply that there is a usual way, and I don’t think it happens often enough for that to be the case.
“But back to the topic at hand. I admire what you’re trying to do for Connor. I truly do. But the law is very clear about the situation, and my duty is to inform Earl Castillon that the runaway is here. The one thing that might work in your favour is that the Rivieres live on the far side of his district. If you’re lucky, they’ll decide it’s too far to come to fetch him home again and declare him abandoned. If that happens, you’ll be free to claim him – for a nominal fee, of course. But if his masters come looking for him, he will have to be sent home. I’m sorry, Antoine. There’s nothing more I can do for you.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The following week passed slowly, the entire estate on edge as they waited to see what Connor’s fate would be. Out of courtesy, Antoine told Connor about Baron Bardet’s visit, trying to break the news as gently as possible.
“Should I leave?” Connor asked immediately. His mouth was downturned, though he was trying to be brave.
“I don’t think so,” Antoine said. “Ultimately, it’s up to you, but I think it’s fairly unlikely they’ll come for you. Do you mind if I ask how much they paid for you?”
“Fifty francs,” Connor said. Gabriel winced. It was a pitifully low sum, the amount usually paid for omegas who were physically injured and unable to perform hard work as a result.
“I don’t mean to be insulting, but in your case, that should work in your favour,” Antoine said. “It’s a long way to come, and it would cost them twice that much just to travel here, not to mention the time involved. It’s more likely they’ll declare you abandoned, and then we can claim you. Then you’ll be able to stay here permanently.” It would cost them thirty francs in administration fees, but the estate could afford it, and if for any reason Antoine wasn’t willing to spend the money, Gabriel would pay it himself. “I know it’s a risk, but if all goes well, staying here will be your better option.”
Connor nodded, not quite able to find the words to reply. Sitting beside him, Nicole reached out to take his hand. She was as gentle an omega as Gabriel had ever met, and she’d taken an instant liking to Connor. On his other side, Dante was sitting quietly, his presence soothing. He’d been on Connor’s side right from the start, and it was gratifying to see Connor slowly learning to trust them.
“What if they do come?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Antoine said, still as calm as ever, but the words caused Gabriel’s heart to kick up a notch. The evasive reply meant that Antoine didn’t have any real answers. He could only pray that it didn’t come to that.
After that, they’d all tried to get on with life as normally as possible, but every unexpected noise had people jumping at shadows. Antoine instructed Connor to work in the stables and not to go outside unaccompanied, lest any sly intruders try to steal him away. Connor accepted the restrictions without question, and both the betas and the omegas made an effort to keep an eye on him.
Gabriel, for his part, stopped sleeping. Every sound outside his window had him bolting awake, listening for the telltale sounds of clandestine footsteps or low voices. There was no guarantee Connor’s masters would just walk up to the front door and ask for him back, not if they believed the Calvets had stolen him. If that was the case, they might try to slip in after dark and snatch him away unseen.
Even when Gabriel did manage to sleep, his nightmares, blissfully absent for the last few weeks, returned with a vengeance. He dreamed of blood and pain, of being lost in a dark, endless corridor, of fighting faceless men with glowing eyes and whips in their hands that they used to lash his body until he woke screaming. Then he would immediately smother his cries with his pillow, lest he wake the rest of the house, and go out to the omegas’ bunkhouse to check that Connor was still tucked safely in his bed.
It was a Monday night, seven days since Baron Bardet had visited, when Gabriel slipped into the omegas’ room for the third time in a week. He opened the door as quietly as possible, grateful that the hinges were kept well oiled.
The row of beds where the omegas slept was barely visible in the darkness. Connor’s was the bed furthest to the left, and Gabriel took a few silent steps in that direction. A body-shaped lump lay beneath the blankets, and a dark head of hair was visible against the pale cream of the pillow. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was still here. He was still safe.
Connor stirred, and Gabriel held his breath. He didn’t want to wake anyone, nor to be caught sneaking around like a thief and then have to explain what he was doing. But Connor was no doubt primed to wake at the slightest hint of danger, and he suddenly tensed, his head popping up above the blankets. Gabriel heard a gasp as Connor saw him. “What are you doing?” Connor asked, fear thick in his voice.
“Sorry,” Gabriel apologised immediately. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Gabriel?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I’ll go…”
“What are you doing here?” Connor asked again, then he looked around at the rest of the beds. Most of the omegas were asleep, but in the bed beside his, Henry was stirring. Connor slipped out of bed and put on his trousers, then pulled a blanket off the bed to wrap around his shoulders. “Come in here,” he whispered, leading Gabriel back into the kitchen. Gabriel closed the door behind him so as not to disturb the others any further.