Chapter 62: On second thought
"I was wondering how long I would have to wait before you showed up."
Alistair froze, his hand moving instinctively toward the blade hidden at his waist.
"Show yourself." he snapped.
The shadow in the corner of the room shifted, walking into the light.
"You do not recognize the voice of your king?"
Alistair dropped to his knees immediately, pressing his forehead to the cold stone floor, his heart hammered against his ribs.
"My king. I did not expect you to..."
"You missed your deadline."
"I know, my king. I know." Alistair’s voice was muffled against the floor. "Things have been hectic in the pack. There have been attacks, investigations. The Alpha has tightened security everywhere. I could not risk moving too quickly. I was waiting for the right moment, and I..."
"Alistair, you have been sent here for two weeks and you have nothing to show for it."
"Forgive me, my king. Please. I have gained the trust of the prince, Cassian. He has agreed to take me to the archive room. It is only a matter of time before..."
"A matter of time." The rogue king repeated the words slowly, chuckling to himself. "Time is a luxury we do not have, Alistair. Every day I spend waiting is another day Kieran strengthens his defenses." He paused. "I wonder if my most trusted man has forgotten his purpose."
Alistair’s throat worked. "I have not forgotten, my king. I swear it."
The rogue king moved then, crossing the room in three silent strides. He stopped at the window, his back to Alistair.
"So you have nothing for me, Alistair?"
The words hung in the air.
Alistair’s mind raced. He had nothing from the archive room but he had something else.
Something the king did not know about yet.
"There is a girl," Alistair said. "Her name is Ayla.
The rogue king did not turn.
"Are you trying to get me a girl, Alistair?" The king’s voice was dry and edged with contempt. "Do you think I have time for such distractions?"
"No, my king. Of course not. "She is not just any girl. She is the Omega."
The rogue king turned slowly, his eyes narrowing.
"What do you mean, she is the Omega? The lowly women are all Omegas turned into breeders by their heartless Alpha, stripped of their dignity and their will. That is what this pack does to them, is it not?"
Alistair shook his head furiously. "You do not understand, my king. This one is different. I saw her kill two men with my own eyes." The words tumbled out of Alistair’s mouth.
The rogue king’s eyebrow rose. "So she is a warrior?" he muttered dryly.
"No, nothing of that sort. I saw light burst out of her body, my king. It threw the men off her like they weighed nothing and when I examined the bodies, there was not a single drop of blood left in them. It had drained out through their noses, their ears and every other part."
The rogue king went very still, his gray eyes fixed on Alistair with an intensity that made the healer’s skin prickle.
"What did you say?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"They were completely drained of blood." Alistair repeated.
"Raise your head, Alistair." The king’s voice was rough. "For goddess’ sake, stop sniveling in the dust."
Alistair straightened, meeting his king’s gaze directly for the first time since he had entered the room.
"Now." The rogue king stepped closer, his eyes boring into Alistair’s. "Tell me about this girl."
"She is mate to the three princes," Alistair said.
The rogue king’s eyebrows shot up. "Did you just say she has three mates?"
"Yes, my king."
The rogue king’s jaw tightened. He turned away, pacing the length of the room, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Three mates," he muttered. "An Omega chosen for three Alphas. And you say you saw light burst from her body?"
"Yes, my king."
"And her eyes. What color are they?"
Alistair blinked at the question. "Her eyes?"
"Answer me."
"Violet, my king. Like flowers."
The rogue king stopped pacing.
Alistair watched his king’s face, watching the emotions play across it. It was one of shock and disbelief.
"It cannot be possible," the rogue king whispered.
"I would not tell you a lie, my king. I saw it with my own eyes."
The rogue king turned to face him fully.
"Where is she now?"
Alistair’s heart leaped. "I have her under my control, my king. She trusts me, or at least she fears me enough to do what I say. I had plans to bring her to you alongside the information we need on Alpha Kieran."
He paused, his throat working.
"But..."
"But?" The rogue king’s eyebrow shot up.
"You need to return to the border, my king." The words came out in a rush. "They know you are here. The prince, Ares. He infiltrated our camp somehow and returned with news that you are no longer at the borders. Our people will be defenseless if the Alpha chooses to attack while you are gone. And they are putting up defenses tonight...by tomorrow, you will not be able to move around in the shadows freely."
A slow smile spread across his rogue king’s face.
"On the contrary, Alistair." His voice was soft, almost amused. "I am planning to stay."
"My king..."
"I want to see the girl for myself and if what you say is true, if she truly has the power you describe, then she is worth more to me than all the information in that archive room combined."
"But my king, the danger..."
"Danger is nothing new to me, Alistair. Now rise, we have work to do."
...
Brenna stalked to the healing chambers, her mind racing.
She knocked softly and without waiting for an invitation walked right into the room.
She saw Alistair sitting by the window and he turned to regard her with one raised eyebrow.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
"Do not play games with me." Brenna stepped closer, her eyes never leaving his face. "I know who you are. I know you work for the rogue king."
"Do you now?"
He seemed amused by her and it made Brenna angry.
"Soren may think he has you under control, but I know better." she spat at him. "I know you are responsible for hiding the bodies of those men. What do you want with her? What does the rogue king want with my daughter?"