The walk back to Eira's room blurred into a haze of twisting hallways and indistinct turns. He couldn't even recall how he'd arrived—his body moved on autopilot, every step weighed down by shock. Lilia and Able followed him, quietly insistent on staying by his side, but Eira refused. He needed to be alone, to breathe without the suffocating pressure of watchful eyes and heavy expectations. Though he knew their concern was genuine, Eira simply couldn't speak—not yet. He needed a moment to let the enormity of everything sink in.
Time seemed to warp, slowing to a crawl before racing forward again. Finally, panic took hold, surging through his body and sending his heart pounding. He paced in front of his bed, head down and hands trembling uncontrollably. He wasn't sure how long he stood like that before finally collapsing onto the mattress, burying his face in his hands. Tears threatened to spill, but he refused to let them fall. He couldn't give in—not yet.
This can't be happening. I have to run. The thought stopped Eira cold. Quickly, he crouched down and dragged a bag from beneath his bed—a bag he'd been packing and repacking for months, ever since he decided that he'd leave before his eighteenth birthday. He rifled through its contents over and over, making sure everything he needed was there.
I have to find Lilia and Able. With resolve overtaking panic, Eira moved quickly to the door. He cracked it open, hoping his friends hadn't gone far—and to his relief, there they were, whispering together just outside. As soon as they heard the door, both turned toward him.
Lilia's gaze immediately caught the bag slung over his shoulder. "You must be out of your ever-loving mind," she hissed, eyes wide with disbelief.
Eira shook his head urgently. "I'm not. We have to go, now. I can't lose my freedom when I haven't even gotten it back." His words tumbled out quickly, his mind echoing a single thought: run, run, run. I have to go now.
Able didn't speak, but her tense expression revealed her anxiety. She glanced at Lilia, waiting for her response. Both had sworn to protect Eira—Able had even taken an oath before the gods, a vow she wouldn't forsake. Lilia and Able might have been commoners, but Eira's status as an omega meant his position wasn't much higher. They had been by his side since childhood, witnessing firsthand the cruelty he endured from his father and the ridicule from his family. Together, they had taught him about the world, what they knew of it themselves, nurturing whatever hope for freedom he managed to hold onto. They couldn't let that hope flicker out, not now.
Lilia let out a long breath, shaking her head as if to gather her resolve. Her decision was immediate. She reached out, took Eira's hand, and squeezed it tightly. "Then let us go. But we have to be careful not to be seen," she whispered, worry shining in her eyes as she tucked a stray hair behind his ear. "Together. Always, little one." With that, she led him down the corridor, never letting go.
Eira moved quietly behind her, his steps soft and deliberate. Able took the lead, hand resting instinctively on the hilt of her sword—a habit born of skill and necessity. Few knew she was a sword master, capable of besting most of the estate's knights. Only Lilia and Eira shared this secret, knowing it was safer if the duke remained unaware; sword masters were rare, and their strength unmatched. Even so, they had to avoid detection: the estate was crawling with guards, and their only hope was to leave quietly.
They moved swiftly toward the servants' quarters, ducking behind doors whenever staff passed by, only reemerging when the coast was clear. Lilia slipped into her room to grab a small satchel with clothes and keepsakes, along with a second bag for Able. When Eira raised an eyebrow, silently questioning the extra bag, Lilia just grinned.
"What? You think you're the only one who thought we might have to leave early? If I don't pack for Able, we'd waste time. She's always on schedule, but she doesn't plan twenty steps ahead like she should." Despite the urgency, Lilia managed a small laugh and a teasing jab at Able.
"Hey…" was all Able could muster, knowing full well that Lilia was right.
"We just need to go through the back gates. The guards usually slack off there, especially around this time. They won't be back until well after lunch," Able said, a hint of pride in her voice at having thought this far ahead.
With their plan set, the trio slipped quietly through the halls toward the back entrance by the servants' quarters. Outside, the fresh air and the nearly abandoned garden offered the perfect cover, with tall hedges shielding them from view as they crept toward the gates.
Their steps were swift but cautious. Eira's heart pounded as the gate finally came into view, hope threatening to break into a smile—until a voice stopped them cold.
"And where do you think you're going, little omega?" The words might have sounded playful to anyone else, but the speaker was Aldrich. Eira closed his eyes for a brief moment and then turned around. "Just for a walk," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, unable to meet Aldrich's gaze. They'd come so close. If only he could scream his frustration to the gods—but he knew they wouldn't listen. They never did.
"And the bag?" Aldrich pressed, a wide smile spreading across his face as if this were the most entertaining thing he'd seen all day—aside from Eira's impending marriage, of course.
Able was quick to respond, her tone measured and respectful as she gave a slight bow. "For my family, my lord. I asked the young master to help me carry them to the gate." Her composure was unwavering, betraying nothing of the truth behind their actions. If not for the twenty guards standing behind Aldrich, she might have drawn her sword, but the overwhelming odds forced her restraint. The presence of so many guards near the back gate was unusual, and their reason for being there remained a mystery—at least for the moment. Able had scouted their rounds. She knew they shouldn't be here at this time.
Aldrich's reply was curt, his expression void of humor. "I asked the omega, not you, peasant. Even if he is an omega, don't you think it improper to ask him to carry your things?"
Able bowed a little lower but chose not to respond further. As Aldrich prepared to press the issue, Eira intervened, determined to protect Able from Aldrich's potential wrath. He had seen before what could happen when someone truly angered Aldrich—there were stories of people who had simply vanished. A guard of commoner status was easy to overlook if they didn't show up again. "Did you need me, brother?" Eira asked, finally meeting Aldrich's eyes. He tried to draw all attention to himself, consciously taking on the risk.
In that moment, Eira noticed a flicker in Aldrich's gaze—a subtle warning. After enduring years of Aldrich's cruelty along with his fathers, Eira had learned to read the unspoken language of eyes and body. He knew immediately that Aldrich was plotting something, and that whatever it was, he would not enjoy it.
"As a matter of fact, I do. I went to your room first, but you weren't there. I was scared you might run—" Aldrich paused, watching closely for a reaction. Eira held his gaze, doing his best to keep his expression neutral, unwilling to betray their intentions. He couldn't risk anything happening to Able and Lilia. "But anyway, since I found you, good. I figured you could use some training. You are about to be sold off to those bloodthirsty mutts. Maybe with my help, you might survive a couple of months. Follow us to the training grounds." Without waiting for a response, Aldrich turned and started walking.
Eira's face went pale. He realized he would not leave the training ground unscathed. Able's body tensed beside him; she understood as well what would happen there. "You mustn't go," Lilia whispered, her eyes wide as she reached for his arm. But before she could grasp him, Aldrich's voice rang out again. "Just you, omega. Your guard had things to take to her family, right? And your maidservant isn't needed in the training ground."
Eira saw no choice but to obey. Perhaps there would be another chance to escape, but for now, he had to endure—for the sake of them all. He turned to Able and Lilia, managing a gentle smile that his brother wouldn't see. "Go. Make sure my room is ready for dinner. Able, you don't have to come back until tomorrow. Enjoy time with your family." His voice was steady, revealing none of their true closeness. Not letting on how Abe didn't have family or what they had almost done. They had always been careful never to show how much they meant to one another in front of the family, knowing what it would cost if anyone noticed.
Eira handed Able his bag, trusting that she would discreetly deliver it to Lilia once the others had left. Without giving anyone a chance to protest and risk exposing their intentions, he turned away. As he followed behind the line of guards toward the training grounds, he tried to steel himself for what was about to unfold. Lost in thought, he barely noticed their presence until the guards suddenly stepped aside, revealing Aldrich standing at the center of the training ground, a wooden practice sword in hand.
Eira's steps faltered and he drew in a shaky breath. Aldrich turned toward him, a bright—almost gleeful—smile on his face. "Come, omega. Let's get you trained." To any outsider, Aldrich might have seemed genuinely eager to teach his brother swordplay, but everyone present knew that was far from the truth.
Eira moved forward slowly, casting anxious glances toward the guards stationed around the grounds. Secretly, he hoped—despite knowing better—that one of them might intervene. Instead, all he saw on their faces was a mix of disgust, amusement, boredom, and, from a few, a predatory hunger that made his skin crawl. He knew there would be no rescue here, only the threat of further harm if he were left alone with them.
Cold sweat broke out across Eira's back, despite the gentle spring breeze. When he finally reached Aldrich, he faced him directly. "Here's your sword. I'll swing and you defend," Aldrich said simply, handing him a second practice sword that had been waiting nearby. Eira took it, realizing it was the first time he had ever held a sword—even a wooden one. The weapon felt heavy in his hands, and he could already sense he would not last long. He wasn't even sure how to grip it properly.
"I know nothing of how to swing a sword," he admitted quietly.
Aldrich's response was dismissive. "That truly doesn't matter. It's strange how the body moves when it's in danger. That's truly the best way to learn." Before Eira could react, Aldrich's sword came crashing into his side.
The blow nearly knocked Eira off his feet. He barely managed to catch himself before collapsing and began coughing, pain radiating from his side. Training sword or not, it felt as if he'd been split open.
"Come on, try harder than that. Let's see how well you do. If you can't endure this, I'm scared you won't even survive the journey to Lavasea. We can't have that," Aldrich barked, annoyance creeping into his tone. This time, he waited for Eira to ready himself.
Slowly, Eira stood, placing both hands on the hilt of the sword and lifting it. He gave a small nod to show he was prepared. No words would change what was coming, so he simply tried his best.
As Aldrich's sword came down toward his head, Eira raised his own sword almost instinctively to block. The impact was jarring—he nearly lost his balance, but managed to stay on his feet.
He managed a few more blocks after that. Aldrich was holding back—if he had been serious, Eira wouldn't have withstood even a single strike. Still, Aldrich seemed irritated by Eira's persistence.
Aldrich's smile twisted into something cruel. As Eira prepared to block again, Aldrich released his pheromones, the overwhelming force slamming into Eira's senses and making his body freeze. Every instinct screamed at him to submit.
"Now, now, omega. Fights aren't fair, so you'd better endure this," Aldrich taunted, his words almost sing-song.
From that point, Eira could hardly register what was happening. He was knocked to the ground, unable to stand under the onslaught of strikes and the suffocating weight of Aldrich's pheromones. Ordered to get up, Eira could do nothing but curl in on himself and pray for it to end. Eventually, he lost consciousness, only awakening to find himself lying down somewhere else.
Panic seized Eira as he jolted awake, struggling to understand where he was. Pain crashed over him in waves, nearly overwhelming his senses.
"Easy now, little one," came a familiar, gentle voice. Lilia was at his side, her hands guiding him to lie back down.
"You're lucky the duke and your first brother came walking by when they did. They had you brought back to your room and the doctor treated you. Aldrich was apparently scolded in front of the guards—at least, that's what I heard from the others," Lilia explained softly.
Eira struggled to speak through the pain, breath coming in short gasps. "I'm not stupid. Sheltered and an omega, yes, but not stupid. The only reason he was stopped and I was treated is because broodmares shouldn't be harmed before being given to their new owners."
Lilia did not argue—she knew he was right and had no comforting words to offer. Instead, she soaked a cool cloth in a basin beside his bed and placed it gently on his forehead.
"Sleep. We can talk more when you wake up. You need your rest—the injuries this time will not heal quickly," she whispered softly.
Eira closed his eyes, though sleep did not come easily. His entire body felt on the verge of collapse, pain throbbing in his head. He could not remember the last time he had hurt this much. Though he tried to calm his thoughts, he was haunted by their failed escape, afraid of what might happen next, and angry at his own body for failing to protect him yet again.
If only he weren't an omega. If only he had been born into another family. If only— But he forced himself to stop wishing for things that could never be. He had to face reality; it seemed he was truly trapped.
Eventually, exhaustion and pain overtook his anxiety, and he drifted into a restless sleep. The problems would still be there in the morning. For now, he could rest and face them when he awoke.