Reign To Rule (Myth of Omega Book 6)

by Zoey Ellis

If the children were safely taken by the Mothers, the source of contention between her and Malloron would be removed. The children had been at the heart of everything. They were the reason why she was even in the Western Lands in the first place, and why she’d made her first and second agreements with him. If they were removed, surely things would be easier? Of course, she would have to address the fact that she didn't bite him back, and that he was an arrogant, and sometimes insufferable, Alpha. But she could no longer deny there was part of her that liked that. He knew who he was, and he knew what he wanted. Anything he wanted to happen, he made happen, and he wanted her to be his queen.

  Aware the dark coldness was beginning to make her shiver uncontrollably, Amara increased the speed of her steps and hugged herself tighter as she thought, hoping to warm up.

  If the children were taken by the Mothers, and they were safe, what would be her purpose in the Western Lands? She didn’t really have an answer. Her mission would be complete, and then it wouldn’t matter what Brecc did to her—it didn’t matter if she died or if she suffered. She had always been prepared to do so for both her team and the children. The only reason to continue was Malloron. It was unlikely he would stop pursuing her until he got her back, even if he died trying, but did she want to be back with him?

  Amara stopped pacing again and focused inward, truly examining how she felt about Malloron, pushing away all the distaste about the children, all anger about his attitude, and the disgust with the way in which he saw the world. She just let herself feel.

  A deep agony lurched through her that she had left him in such a vulnerable position. He would never have done that to her, she just knew it. No matter what he did to her, there were always some things that were consistent; he wanted her alive and with him, her gaze on him all the time. Tears stung her eyes, but she forced herself to be honest. That raw part of her, deep down in her core—the one that constantly annoyed her—craved to be back with him. She wanted him. That’s why she’d been so upset about the children, that’s why she’d even been defensive to Mother Orlee. There was something that felt right about being with him, and if the children were no longer on her conscience, could she truly allow herself to be? Something told her she could, and she held onto a trickle of hope that it was right. Because if Malloron came to get her, she saw no reason not to return the bite if the Mothers helped the children. And then she could see if it were possible to build what she hoped was possible between them—a true Alpha/Omega connection.

  She went back to the wall and lowered to the floor, her head pounding from the thoughts revolving in her mind. She wasn't sure how long she'd been captive and she hadn't eaten or slept properly since she arrived. It was possible that Brecc was trying to ensure she had no energy to fight him the next time he came in. She could only hope that her team or Malloron intervened before that happened.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  MALLORON

  "I see nothing wrong with you," shinno Kardos said irritably. He stood in the center of Elion’s living area facing Malloron, who sat on the table. "Where am I? Why have you summoned me?" The shinno leveled Malloron with a grim glare. "I dislike being summoned."

  Malloron did not respond to him straight away. He clasped his hands together and met Kardos' gaze, serious and firm. No smile, no charm, no attempt to appease like he normally would. "You were not summoned. You were asked to come and I'm grateful that you did. Thank you."

  Kardos' face twisted in surprise but his shoulders relaxed a little. He moved to stand opposite Malloron who was sitting on the table, leaving the two warriors he’d arrived with standing where the portal had opened.

  On one side of the room, Emric stood calm and confident, but Malloron could tell he was nervous by the way his weight slightly shifted from one foot to another as he glanced between Kardos and Malloron.

  "Now I am intrigued," Kardos said, keeping his eyes on Malloron. "Why have you asked me here?"

  "I need your help," Malloron said bluntly. "I need the warriors you promised me. Now."

  "I am happy to give them to you," the shinno responded. "You know what the price is. Three hundred restrained and an Omega as payment for the slight to my tribe."

  "You will have that," Malloron said. "But I cannot wait to do the exchange, I need the army immediately."

  "You expect me to give you the warriors now and simply take you at your word that you will keep to our arrangement?” shinno Kardos said, somewhat incredulously. "The man who does not believe in honor? The man who twists agreements to suit himself?" His chuckle was low. "Your reputation precedes you, King Malloron. I've been warned by almost everybody not to give you anything until I have what I am owed."

  "I have no time for this shit," Malloron snapped as a wave of pain ricocheted at the back of his head. "You will get what you are owed, shinno, I give you my word. In fact, I stake my entire kingdom on this agreement. If I fail to provide you with the three hundred restrained and an Omega, you will be the new ruler of Eiros."

  Kardos stiffened and blinked. Emric’s calm exterior fell away and he stared at Malloron, horror etched into his face, his mouth dropped open.

  "Time is of the essence. I need to use that army now," Malloron demanded.

  Kardos shook his head. "They cannot just be sent into battle immediately. They know nothing of this Land and even less of you as a commander or leader. It takes planning and strategy and training. Do you have a plan?"

  "No," Malloron said stiffly. "I need your help with that also."

  The shinno's head lifted slowly as he viewed Malloron through narrow eyes. “You are at war?”

  "You could say that."

  The shinno barked out harsh words in his language and turned away. "You sent word that your territory had regained peace," he shot at Malloron as he spun back around. "I never would have come if I had known that was not the case."

  “The unrest you were referring to at that time did end. This is a different one.”

  The shinno pointed at him, snarling. “And that is what I have been warned of. Twisted truths and lies.”

  "You’re already here," Malloron said sharply. "There is no point in arguing about that now. The fact is, the other rulers in this land have taken my Omega."

  The shinno stilled and his jaw hardened. "That is indeed a grave offense," he said, his voice lowering to a growl. "But perhaps this is Vekrulei.”

  When Malloron looked at him blankly, he shrugged. “I do not know the word in the common tongue, but it is when you receive a gift of the same kind for an action you have taken.” He gave Malloron a pointed look. “You took an Omega once, did you not?”

  Anger burst through Malloron’s entire body. “That is of no consequence!”

  “Clearly it Is,” the shinno said nonchalantly. “Vekrulei cannot be prevented by any man. You should have taken better steps to protect her."

  "I had just bitten her when they took her," Malloron snarled. “And she had not yet bitten me back.”

  It took a moment for the implication to register on the shinno's face. "You have a distorted one-way bond?" he asked, his eyes widening in shock. "What possessed you to take such a risk?"

  "I did it to protect her," Malloron boomed. "I don’t regret it but I need her back, immediately. And I need my enemies to know not to fuck with me ever again. I will destroy them all, whether I go insane or not. They have committed treason of the highest order multiple times and they will not escape paying for this one."

  The shinno nodded. "Of course," he muttered grimly. He lowered his head as he thought.

  Malloron watched him closely, trying as hard as he could to maintain his calm exterior. It had been Emric's idea to involve the shinno—Malloron hadn't been sure it was a good idea. Not only did the shinno prefer not to involve himself in disputes, but it required him to solidify his allegiance with Malloron much sooner than either of them expected. Still, it wasn't as though they weren’t going to eventually come to some kind of arrangement. All Malloron was doing was escalating the
time frame so he could deal with the threat to his territory once and for all. The other rulers would regret turning against him, and his Omega would learn the price of her betrayal.

  "I cannot see any other way to do this unless I lead the men," the shinno said finally.

  Malloron held his eyes. He had already come to that conclusion, but he hadn’t wanted to ask for it. It was bad enough he was forced into this unfitting position. The shinno could very well demand further payment, and Malloron had nothing left he was willing to give. He was already obliged to find an Omega to give to the shinno, which shouldn't be that hard considering he’d allowed a group of Omegas to escape into the Lands, but he wasn't prepared to offer him anything else. It wasn’t as though the shinno was truly risking his life—the man obviously had more skill in combat and battle than any of the rulers combined.

  The shinno straightened from his contemplation and strode toward him until he was only a foot away. Keeping his eyes on him, the Alpha slightly turned his head. "Hallan!"

  The warriors behind him turned and left the room, heading out the front door.

  "You need to go as well, Emric," Malloron said, his eyes not leaving the shinno's.

  Emric hesitated for a moment before leaving the room, but headed to the kitchen rather than following the warriors outside.

  "What do you have to say?" Malloron asked the shinno once they were alone.

  "I'm surprised that you have the disposition and common sense to ask for help," the shinno said, his strange turquoise eyes searching Malloron’s. "I admit you have surprised me—not all of the rumors I heard about you have proved true."

  Malloron remained silent. He wasn't sure if he was pleased by that or not.

  "But I do not put my life at risk for anyone other than my tribe. For you to succeed in your endeavor, it will require me to put much at risk. I have no idea how skilled or competent your enemies are in battle, and I am at a disadvantage because I do not know this land. However, from the moment I have arrived here, you have shown a true dedication to your Omega. I respect that."

  Malloron inclined his head in thanks, but the shinno was not finished.

  "If I fight for you, you will need to become a member of my tribe."

  Malloron frowned. "How is that going to be possible? I am King of Eiros."

  "Being a member of the tribe is not about location," the shinno said solemnly. "It is partly about tradition, but most importantly about manner and attitude and the respect of the relationship between one man and another. It is about being brothers."

  Malloron stiffened. "You want me to be your brother?" He could hear the horror in his own incredulous tone and cursed himself inwardly, wondering if the shinno would take offense. He thought he had been able to rid himself of disappointing brothers, with Elion being the very last to go. If that was what the shinno wanted, Malloron would have to think of another way to get his army.

  "You can call it what you wish," the shinno said. "But it means that you will trust me with everything and I will trust you. Fully. No exceptions, not even once. If you want me to be there for you at your time of greatest need, you must be willing to do the same, and that requires the deepest kind of trust."

  Malloron broke the gaze between them and looked over the room as he silently cursed this circumstance. It was fucking typical that the shinno would be asking for the one thing he wasn’t willing to give. He couldn’t. Every time he trusted someone, the decision left him at a disadvantage, even most recently with Amara. He had trusted that she would understand that he could not be without her, that he needed to ensure that she was not at risk, and she instead became so distracted and concerned by the idea of the tenebris and the children, that she hadn’t done what she was supposed to.

  He returned his gaze to the shinno and tried to weigh up how far he could deceive the man with this promise of trust. Malloron had no problem breaking his word. It wasn’t an ideal thing to do—he preferred to find ways to sidestep the undesirable part of the agreements he made—but if he had to, to get what he wanted, he would outright lie. And he had to wonder if it was even a realistic agreement to get into. The Alpha standing before him was from such a different culture, it was likely that Malloron wouldn’t even understand the kind of trust he was talking about, let alone be able to uphold it. But right now, he would do anything to get his Omega back, and once the shinno left the Western Lands, how would he be able to hold Malloron to this promise anyway? "And what is the procedure to join your tribe?"

  "There is a ceremony but we can do that once you have your Omega back and your enemies are defeated."

  Malloron nodded and made a pretense of being in deep thought.

  "This is considered a sacred act," the shinno warned, his eyes trained on Malloron. "There are Alphas who have been trying to join my tribe for years who have not been worthy. It is an honor to be selected to be part of a shinno's tribe, especially mine. If you disrespect that, the penalty is death, and my entire tribe will ensure you pay that penalty. Choose wisely, King Malloron. There are other ways to get your Omega back than to expect me to put my life, and the lives of my warriors, at risk."

  There weren't, but Malloron was not going to say that to him. Still, his words resonated deeply within Malloron, and a strange feeling twisted in his gut. Malloron ignored it. "I understand, shinno Kardos," he said. "And I am honored."

  The shinno nodded sharply. "I will speak to my warriors."

  As he stalked away, Malloron wondered what he’d gotten himself into. His contemplation was interrupted by Emric, whose shocked expression told Malloron he had been listening to the conversation.

  "Your Majesty," Emric breathed. "You promised him your trust."

  Malloron said nothing. He didn't yet know if he would be able to stand by what he had just agreed with the shinno, and there was no need for him to either confirm or deny it to Emric.

  "Are you sure that's wise?" Emric said. "Their culture is extremely strict on this kind of thing. I fear you will not be able to escape the penalty, Your Majesty."

  "That is something I'll have to deal with when the time comes, Emric," Malloron said.

  Emric nodded but the worried expression did not leave his face. He wrung his hands as he glanced over to the door where the shinno was speaking to his warriors.

  "Speak your mind," Malloron said to him.

  Emric dropped his hands. "It's just… I never thought you would give your trust to anyone. It has surprised me, that's all."

  "I will do anything to get her back," Malloron said, but even as he said it he knew that this was different. Trust wasn't something he would have even pretended to make available in a negotiation, and the shinno was certainly not the kind of Alpha to deceive with something like that. Still, his need for Amara went beyond just being bitten back. He had never wanted to be apart from her, and that need was now clawing at him—wild and desperate with each moment that passed. Nothing had changed. He wanted her, and he would get her. Malloron squinted at Emric. "Where is Banon?"

  Emric smiled nervously. "He is still in my nest."

  Malloron nodded slowly. He was somewhat surprised to find himself pleased for them. "So you have chosen to trust him, then?”

  Emric’s shoulders lifted a little. “I understand him more than I did,” he admitted. “And being with him feels…” He hesitated and then smiled. “I suppose I am willing to consider it.”

  “It is not so different from me trusting the shinno, surely."

  Emric's brows drew down into a slight frown. "It is quite different, Your Majesty. As you said before, it is special when the other person is your true mate. If it was Queen Amara you were talking about then, no, it is not much different from that. And I know you trust her, even if you’re… upset with her right now."

  Malloron said nothing. He would never trust Amara again.

  “With the shinno, it is a risk. You have no idea what he may expect from you.”

  “Well then we shall clarify that before I undertake his ceremony
,” Malloron decided. “But that will be discussed after I have Amara back, not before.”

  Emric’s stance relaxed, and he smiled. “Of course, Your Majesty. That is very wise.”

  "Explain the situation to me," the shinno boomed as he strode back into the room, his warriors following behind. "I need the full picture, including a map of these Lands."

  Emric pulled out a map of the Western Lands and spread it on the table. "Based on what I know of their actions over the last month," he began, "my guess is that they are in DarRojan. Ever since Brecc's manor was destroyed, he has been spending more time in the other territories, being hosted by the other rulers he has tight allegiances with, but DarRojan is the only one that has a significant prison that could hold a powerful Talent-crafter without too much extra fortification."

  Malloron growled under his breath. "So Duke Valinor is involved in this too?"

  "It seems so," Emric said. "He would have to know that he is imprisoning someone who is powerful. I’m not sure what steps he would have taken to ensure the safety of his country and people."

  “What is the difference between territory and country?” the shinno asked. “You say them both as though they are the same, are they?”

  “No,” Emric clarified. “A country is each of the distinct named land masses on this map. A territory is when two or more of the countries have aligned to strengthen their political or economic interests. Usually, it will be a smaller country attaching itself to a larger one. For example, Cleyanti and El Yareth are a territory.”

  “But that doesn’t make a difference in this case,” Malloron said. “In matters of Western Land business, they cannot represent themselves as a territory.”

  “This is not business,” the shinno said sharply. “This is war. And each of these countries will have some kind of army or aggressive force. If they have allegiances, it needs to be taken into account.”

  “Then it’s worth noting that both DarFara and DarRojan are joined as one territory,” Emric pointed out. “And about a week ago, I heard that both Glansrech and Rucevale were considering joining them.”