Alphas of Pandora, page 19
And she hated them both for it.
Twenty-Three
Castor had taken to visiting her at night. He would bypass the locked door of the harem as if it did not exist, unbothered by the guards and move silently through the darkness until he reached her room. She couldn’t be sure if any of the women in the harem knew of the nighttime visits, but none of them had spoken so much as a word of it to her, not even Dharia.
During the day, Aura fought to remember that she had an intense desire to leave and someday return to her family. But the moment he crossed her threshold, and she caught the first hint of his scent, any thoughts that were not related to having him inside of her fled from her mind.
He was careful to speak no word of Sirena, but Aura understood that the princess was still somewhere in the palace, busy with preparations for the upcoming wedding. She tried her best not to think of it because the pain quickly overcame any other emotion.
And she hated that Castor could inspire any feelings in her at all. She could rationalize the desire as something outside of her control, a biological imperative that couldn’t be overcome. The Sotiri had done this terrible thing to her that made her crave her own degradation. But the emotions she felt that were greater than mere physical desire, she held herself responsible for that. With each night that passed, she grew closer to losing herself.
For his part, Castor seemed unbothered by the battle that waged within her. They barely spoke beyond the growled words he growled harshly in her ear as he climbed over her prostrate body — you are mine, no other man will ever touch you.
Open for me.
She heard his voice even when she was alone, those words whispering through the small room even after he had left her to return to his own bed. He made a point of never falling asleep beside her, for reasons he never explained. Perhaps he feared discovery but the more likely explanation, as far as Aura was concerned, was that once their mating was complete, he found no other point to being with her.
The force of his presence she used to feel through the bond had receded, as if a wall had been erected between them. Although it still caused her pain, she felt more removed from him even when he stood in the room with her.
But that didn’t stop her body from craving his touch. And the mark still burned. She felt as trapped by her desire for him as she did by the four walls surrounding her.
One night, when the knot kept them bound together in a way that neither could escape, she did finally speak those words aloud. “You have to let me out of here.”
“We’ve discussed this.” Castor twisted his hips so that his still swollen knot pressed against the sensitive spot inside of her until stars exploded across her vision. “I can’t let you leave the palace.”
Except she wasn’t trying to make the same tired argument he had consistently ignored. “But you can let me into the rest of the palace. Being trapped in the pavilion is driving me mad.”
“Is that the only thing driving you mad?”
His hand wormed between their bodies to play at the sensitive bud of her clit, sending another spasm clenching through her inner walls and drawing a moan from her lips. Despite the pleasure that rocketed through her, she understood that he only used it as a distraction. “Please. The boredom is more than I take.”
He seemed to consider her words for a moment, looking almost pensive, but then he gripped her hips hard enough to leave bruises on the skin. “Let’s see what else you can take.”
There would be no more talk between them for the night.
But the next day, a female guard entered the pavilion and announced that they would be allowed to explore the palace as an outing once a day, with a guard accompanying them. Dharia had turned to her with an expression of shock on her face and Aura had struggled to keep a neutral expression on her own.
To Aura’s surprise, most of the women in the harem seemed disinterested in venturing outside of the pavilion. Dharia was the only one who initially accompanied her, and the other woman quickly lost interest in exploring.
Aura eventually found herself alone and wandering the long halls with a silent guard following closely behind her. The silent presence was an easy thing to ignore and Aura understood that without the guard, she would never have been allowed out of the harem in the first place. Castor was willing to concede something, but not that much.
She was most interested in the library and it became a place she returned to, day after day. From what she’d come understand, books were also a rare and expensive commodity here, but they’d been practically unheard of on the Citadel. She found herself drawn there, both to read and to enjoy the enticing aroma of ink and ancient paper. Eventually, the silent guard started waiting in the hall outside, giving her brief but much-needed privacy.
And she was so enamored with exploring the volumes that, on one day, Aura did not notice the library was occupied until she turned a corner and ran straight into the Vigilian Princess.
“Apologies,” Sirena murmured as she caught her balance.
When Aura looked up from the shelf, she found herself face to face with Princess Sirena, the advisor Faseer only steps behind her. A heavy book fell from her hands, striking the carpeted floor with a muffled thud.
“No harm done.” Aura rubbed the sore spot on her forehead that had collided with the taller woman’s chest. “I should have been looking where I was going.”
The Princess gave a little start of surprise, but then replied easily. “I thought no one else ever came here. Aura, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’m surprised you remember, Princess Sirena.”
She found it strange to be facing Sirena, armed with the knowledge that the Princess’s soon-to-be-husband had been visiting her room night after night. Part of her felt ashamed, but the greater part urged her to silence. Every night that he spent with her, was one that Castor did not seek out his fiancée. For all she knew, their marriage was one of convenience. Sirena could be well aware of Castor’s nocturnal activities, but did not care about them.
And Aura wasn’t sure if that would make things better or worse, which helped convince her to maintain her silence. What did she owe this woman? Nothing.
She bent to pick up the fallen book, but Faseer stepped smoothly forward, close enough it was a slight invasion of her personal space.
“Please, allow me.”
When he handed the volume back to her, he held it so that his fingers brushed hers for the briefest of moments. At his touch, a deep sense of revulsion rolled over her. Aura forced herself to turn away before he could see it on her face.
“You have my thanks.”
“I’m sure someone as beautiful as you is often put in the position of giving thanks for gallant attention.” Faseer did not move away after releasing the book into her hands, forcing Aura to step back herself so she could breathe again. He noticed the small retreat and smiled in a way that was purely predatory. “But there is no need. It is an honor to simply be in your presence.”
“Faseer is a bit over-excited,” Sirena demurred. A slight smile revealed nothing, but she looped her arm through the advisor’s and shifted them towards a nearby shelf. It might have been a coincidence, but it seemed as if the Princess was attempting to ease the tension. “We have few Omegas in Vigil.”
“And it’s the largest crisis we face,” Faseer said as he took a book down and peered at it. “Our birthrates are the lowest that they’ve been in a century and projected to continue falling. Without restoring the balance of dynamics, I fear for the future of our sector.”
“You must tell me what it’s like to be a part of the King’s harem. My father speaks of it in almost mythic tones, proof of Pandora’s abundance. It’s part of the reason he arranged this union.” Sirena seemed genuinely curious, and not at all put off by the idea of a group of women kept in sexual slavery which made Aura wonder what things were like where she came from. “Such a thing is unheard of in Vigil. There simply aren’t enough Omegas to go around.”
Aura tried to demur, hoping that her discomfort wasn’t obvious. “There isn’t anything interesting to tell, really. I am simply in service to the Crown, like everyone else who lives in Pandora.”
“Well I find that particular notion of service very interesting.” Faseer did not try to hide the leer on his face. “We must discuss it further, at some point.”
She wanted to run and had to clench her hands into hard fists behind her back, the slight pain enough to steady her. Like any predator, fleeing would only compel him to chase her. And Sirena seemed oblivious to Faseer’s inappropriate comments, or perhaps the Princess had simply grown accustomed to it so wasn’t bothered.
Aura plastered as pleasant a smile as she could muster on her face. “I’m sure the King would be pleased to discuss it. You should ask him.”
But Faseer didn’t rise to the bait. “Perhaps I will.”
“Vigil has other things to offer, of course.” Sirena took a seat in a nearby armchair, opened a large volume in her lap and bent over the colorful illustration on the page. “We’re technologically sophisticated so there’s much our scientists could do to improve living conditions in your city.”
“Quite right.” While the Princess was distracted, Faseer sidled closer. “Vigilian scientists are responsible for many recent advancements. For example, we have recently rediscovered space travel.”
Aura’s head snapped up. “Space travel?”
“Only near-orbit missions at this point, but we expect to continue our explorations soon. Have you ever wondered what it might be like to leave the planet’s surface?”
The knowing look in his eyes should have been enough to encourage silence, but Aura could not stop herself from asking further questions. “I never thought it was possible. What are you hoping to find out there?”
“I’m afraid that information is currently classified.” Faseer smiled, but it did not reach his eyes, which were narrowed in contemplation as he held Aura’s gaze. She couldn’t shake the thought he was able to see right through her. “But I’m sure all will be revealed in due time. That is among the questions to be answered once our negotiations are completed. Vigil has much to offer, but we seek something of equal value in return.”
Sirena’s easy laugh broke the sudden tension. “Don’t speak as if our union is not a foregone conclusion, my dear Faseer. You focus too much on the details.”
“Alas, the devil is in the details, your majesty.”
“Oh, stop teasing, Faseer,” Sirena said from the chair, voice light. “You take everything so seriously.”
“I take my responsibilities seriously.”
Aura stared into eyes that resembled chips of ice. The advisor studied her as if she were a particularly interesting laboratory specimen. Aura had never felt such immediate revulsion for a man before, but she also recognized that it was important to tread carefully. This man was very dangerous. She shifted to the side and moved toward the exit. “Enjoy the library.”
“Before you go, I must ask you one more thing.” Faseer closed the already small distance that separated them, near enough that his breath washed over her cheek as he spoke. “However did you come to learn our language?”
And then Aura realized, with a sick sense of dread, that the translation unit could not discriminate. It translated any words that were spoken to her, regardless of whether she should understand them. The Princess must have innately apologized in her native tongue when they bumped into each other, which prompted the translator to craft a reply in the same language. Aura wouldn’t have known the difference. But it was an oversight that would be difficult to explain away.
It was more than unlikely that an orphan raised in the poorest part of the city would have studied the languages of another sector.
Aura stroked the hair she always wore down so that it cascaded over her shoulders and hid the small scar from where the translation unit had been implanted.
Forcing herself to ignore the rapid beat of her heart, Aura replied with an easy smile. “I’ve always had a head for languages and plenty of time on my hands, since coming to the palace. I appreciate the opportunity to practice with you.”
“You’re quite extraordinary, aren’t you? I’ll be sure to ask the King where he acquired someone so unique.”
“You flatter me. And I don’t mean to be rude, but I should return to the pavilion.”
“Of course.” Faseer backed up just far enough to allow her to pass and gave a bow that seemed mocking. “I’m sure we’ll have an opportunity to speak again soon.”
Aura hurried past him and out of the library, as fast as she could go without actually running. It was probably rude to leave without bidding farewell to Sirena, but she was entirely focused on keeping herself on shaking legs and getting as far away from Faseer as possible.
It had not escaped her notice that the Vigilians were the only civilization on the planet capable of space travel. Could they be the ones responsible for what had happened to her on the Citadel? If that was the case then Faseer was even more of a danger to her than she’d initially assumed.
Perhaps he had even been there himself.
She didn’t know what would happen if he ever discovered that she had come from the Citadel, but she knew that it would be nothing good.
And the only man capable of protecting her had also become her greatest torment.
Twenty-Four
But when Aura rushed back to her rooms, making it difficult for the confused guard to keep up with her, she was surprised to find that Ianthe was in her room waiting for her.
“What are you doing here?” Aura snapped, then immediately realized that was probably too harsh of a tone to take. “I mean, I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
Ianthe raised her eyebrows. “I told you it would take some time for me to get the information that you want. It’s a delicate thing.”
Aura slumped down onto the bed with a heavy sigh. “I assumed you’d changed your mind about helping me. You didn’t seem exactly eager the last time that we spoke.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to help you. In fact, of everyone here I’m the one who probably understands best what you’re going through even if my experience isn’t precisely the same. I just want you to be careful.”
“It doesn’t really matter, anyway.”
“What do you mean, it doesn’t matter? The last time that we spoke, you were desperate to escape the palace, no matter what it cost you.”
“And go where?” Her encounter with Sirena and Faseer had only confirmed for her that this world was a dangerous place. What would the advisor had done if she was not under the protection of the Crown, with a guard right outside the door? “I won’t be safe anywhere else but here.”
“I thought you were determined to return to your family?”
The reminder hit Aura like a stab to the heart. There wasn’t a day that went by in which she did not think about Auntie Nona and the twins, wondering if they were still safe or even alive. But the chance of seeing them again seemed so remote at this point that she forced herself not to think about it, if just as a form of self-protection. Because if she thought about the fact that she spent her days lounging and eating sumptuous food, the guilt would be enough to destroy her completely.
Better not to think of it all.
Aura looked up to find the other woman watching her with a considering gaze.
“This room is full of the scent of Alpha,” Ianthe noted. “Castor?”
A pink blush rose in Aura’s cheeks. “Yes. He comes every night.”
“Really?”
“Ever since the evening of the banquet. At first, I wanted to fight him. He just makes me so angry with his high-handedness and possession. But…”
“You can’t,” Ianthe finished, tone solemn. She seemed to consider her next words before speaking again. “Did I ever tell you that I ran from my mate, after he’d claimed me.”
Aura’s gaze flew up to meet hers. “You did?”
“I struggled with many of the same things that you do, my desire for freedom in a world that wanted to rob me of it. All of us have the right to choose.”
“But you returned to him, what changed your mind?”
“He claimed me,” Ianthe replied simply, as if that explained everything. At the confused look on Aura’s face, she continued. “He was in my head, always, even when miles separated us. Eventually he ended up in my heart, as well. I can’t say if it’s biology or fate, or something else entirely but whatever it is can’t be denied.”
“I don’t want to feel that way.”
Ianthe shrugged. “Sometimes it feels like I have no choice in it and at other times that I’ve made the only choice that has ever made sense. I’ve come to terms with it. Just be happy that he hasn’t marked you, that would only make your decision harder.”
Unable to name the emotion that drove her, Aura pulled at the collar of her gown so hard that it tore the fabric. The mangled flesh stood out in stark relief from the smooth skin surrounding it. Even though it had healed, the skin was still puckered and reddened.
“Castor did this?”
“It happened while we were trapped together in the Forbidden Zone. I don’t think he could control himself and now he regrets ever doing it.”
“It’s a little late for regrets now. That absolute hypocrite.” For the first time, Ianthe seemed genuinely upset although it was difficult to understand the reason for her sudden anger. “This is so much more than an Alpha claiming an Omega. No wonder he’s kept you hidden away.”
Aura gathered her legs underneath her as she sat up on the bed, cold apprehension sent a shiver down her spine. “What do you mean?”
“He’s gained political favor among the lower classes by advocating for the rights of Omegas. Too many Beta families have been forced to turn their Omega daughters over for forced unions to high-ranking Alphas. And the Alphas who rule Pandora keep everyone beneath them subjugated. Castor has promised to fix the broken system. But if people discovered that, despite all his talk of fairness, he has taken an Omega mate, the tide would turn against him. He’d risk being overthrown by the common people and he’ll have no support from the Alphas on the council that he’s spent a lifetime openly challenging.”
