The Omega Bond (Book Five in the Omega Game series)

Chapter 9

Fair

The North Islands

Present day…

“Your new name will be Zenny,” started explaining Didoka in the Yellow Island dialect. It was a hard language to understand but as Didoka had pointed out, the sooner I grew familiar with it, the faster I would speak it better. It was impossible to hide my accent though. The dialect had a low intonation that it was hard to replicate if you weren’t a native. The low undertones made the speech sound strangely slow and even a simple word could take a long pronunciation to be produced. Just the name Zenny seemed to sound impossible, since they make the Z vibrate forever before going to the next sound in the name. I presumed a full conversation about the weather would probably take them about an hour to finish. I made a point to pay attention to Didoka’s intonation and memorized all the pauses and changes of her breathing, “Kotani had created a good cover for you. If anyone asks about your past you are an orphan from Ty Island. Your parents were foreigner merchants that were killed during one of the internal altercates of Ty Island. You don’t remember where your parents are from but you learned the dialect when you were a toddler and that’s why your accent is different.”

“What…” I paused, taking a deep breath to maintain a lower tone. The Yellow Island dialect was indeed hard to get used to. It was really hard to not speak without changes in pitch. It made the whole conversation strangely flat and unemotional, “What...internal...altercates?”

Didoka frowned a little at my accent but answered me right away, “Ty Island is the furthest northern Island from our nation. They honestly believe they are autonomous from the rest of the Yellow Islands and have been trying to be independent for years now. We wouldn’t have a problem letting them be autonomous. Problem is, the clan in power of the island does a terrible job managing their internal affairs. Kotani has maintained a non confrontational strategy for the longest time but I’m afraid it will not be long before he takes a more reactionary position against them.”

“They live in chaos,” said Nira in the dialect. She knew a little of the language but like me, she has added some intonation to the words. Didoka and Katala nodded while Nira played with her hair, lost in her thoughts before adding, “That is why nobody will find it weird if an orphan moved to the capital trying to run away from Ty Island.”

“Exactly,” nodded Didoka, passing me a scroll that contained all the official information I needed to remember. My new name. The names of my supposed dead parents. A false birth certificate and the form that confirmed I was a human that didn’t belong to any dynamic, “There’s a recent vacancy for a messenger position inside the royal grounds. Your job will be to be an errand girl, passing messages between the royal members and the noble houses and clans. It’s a very delicate job. You need to contact Baobao. He is the only messenger I will ever trust. Give him this letter from me and he will teach you the ropes of the job.”

I accepted the sealed letter and looked at the others feeling a little bit anxious.

“I don’t like the idea of being a messenger,” Nira nodded, looking back at Didoka.

“Yeah, messengers always die,” said Nira, making me feel a little bit sick. She noticed my paleness and palmed my shoulder, “Oh relax, would you? You are a weapon that can kill gods. You are not going to die.”

“Why is there a recent vacancy on that job position?” asked Katala in the common tongue, turning to Didoka, who seemed to grow suddenly very preoccupied with arranging some books over her desk.

“What? A vacancy?...” she scratched the back of her neck and shrugged, “Oh well, there’s a vacancy and that’s all that matters. Anyway, Zenny will be leaving with the delegation of diplomats that is going back to the Yellow Islands in two days from now. Kotani has made it look as if Zenny was a part of the delegation and is returning with an important letter from his sister. This is the letter you need to give him to keep appearances.”

I accepted the other letter Didoka gave me. This one looked more official, made of rich papyrus and sealed with the royal red stamp of the Yellow Islands. I touched the red wax with a finger and studied the symbol of the nine islands that made up Didoka’s country. I knew very little about their culture. I knew they hated foreigners and that the king was the most important figure among the noble houses and clans. I knew there were nine islands in total and that the capital’s name was Didoka in honor of the pink flowers that bloomed during spring time. Apart from that I knew nothing about the place I will be traveling to.

Katala’s voice managed to shake me out of my incessant thinking, “In two days from now my sisters will be leaving to the Hidden Library to receive their education. We will send a maid dressed like Fair with their delegation and nobody will ever think of checking for them in Naccanash. Mourna will never know that the real Fair is on the Yellow Islands. And if he does, Fair will be impossible to find, considering she will not smell like an Omega and will have a different name.”

“This plan will work,” said Nira nodding, before looking at me, “The only way to stay hidden is to become invisible, Fair. Don’t do anything to blow your cover. If you are feeling as if you will enter your Heat then look for Kotani and make him lock you inside of Didoka’s chambers.”

“What are Heat symptoms to be aware of?” asked me Didoka and I answered quickly, trained as I’ve been by them on recognizing the right symptoms and how to pass the unbearable Heat periods alone.

“Fever, low abdominal pain, headaches and a burning sensation in my eyes.”

“Good. What do you need to do if you feel you are entering your Heat?” asked Nira.

“Cover my arousal scent first, use many clothes and stay hidden for as long as it takes. My priorities are securing water and fruits high on sugar to not grow sick.”

“If you need help to lock you in, who you should contact?” I swallowed, staring at them a little bit nervous.

“Kotani...but, I mean, no offense Didoka, but he is kind of...well he is…”

“An Alpha, I know,” nodded Didoka and then smiled slowly at me, “I promise you, my twin is not like other Alphas. He will protect you and will never try to take advantage of you during that time.”

“Are you completely sure about him?” asked Nira, her eyes reflecting the light as if the dragon and her were starting to grow anxious. Didoka rolled her eyes at her.

“Kotani controls his Alpha impulses better than all the other Alphas I’ve known. She will be safe with him, I know this,” Nira’s frown only deepened.

“For his own good, I hope she is,” she added and Didoka narrowed her golden eyes, ready to protect her twin from the she-dragon. Knowing it was for the best to move on with the conversation, Katala intervened, stepping between the Omegas and taking us all back to our discussion.

“How do we get Fair inside the Yellow Islands ship?”

“We wait until it is dark and then we stow her inside the ship. The diplomats will ask you who you are and what you are doing in the ship, but you will only need to show the royal letter and explain you are a messenger from the royal princess for them to leave you alone,” assured me Didoka, “The trip from the Dark Desert to the Yellow Islands will probably take around two weeks. Lay low, don’t speak with anybody and keep to yourself.”

“You make everything sound so easy,” I whispered, not feeling reassured at all. The other Omegas rounded me and they all placed a hand over me, letting me feel their presence and nearness in a familiar way.

“We believe you can do this, Fair. You will grow up safe and learn to control your powers,” assured me Katala.

“Nobody will treat you like an Omega anymore, you will be free to do as you please and go anywhere you want. You will be free, Fair, use this opportunity to become who you really are and control your own destiny,” said Didoka with an encouraging smile.

“And if you need me I will be here,” said Nira, kneeling at my side and caressing my cheek, “I don’t care if I blow your cover or if we go to war tomorrow. If you need me remember I am here for you and I will never let anything happen to you.”

They all hugged me in silence and nobody said anything else. My heart was beating so loud that everyone could hear it. I was about to embark myself in the biggest adventure of my life and I could feel it. I could feel that a whole new world was waiting for me, away from everyone I knew and all the places I’ve grown familiar with.

I was so scared.

And then again...I couldn’t wait for it to start.