The Omega's Fate

55

Styx took his position in the usual center while the others sat around the long mahogany table in the breakfast room. Azrael and Korba sat together by his right-hand side; George, Georgina, and Reb took their seats together on the other side; Olivia and Charles took their place at the end of the table.

The table was filled with bread, ribs, avocado, salad, and different fruits spread on it. They all laughed and chattered while the sun was up.

"I can't believe my first daughter is getting married." Styx began as he fixed a fork of avocado into his mouth, chewing slowly.

Korba smiled softly and Azrael kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"You've gotta believe it, Your Highness. Korba is now a full-grown woman ready to be a support for me." Azrael chipped in, his face full of smiles and beautifying his handsome bearded face.

"I still remembered when she would come up to me now and then asking me to take her for hunting. All those years, when she would cry herself to sleep because I refused." He laughed heartily and the others giggled except Charles who slowly chopped tiny pieces of meat into his mouth and watched them all from under his eyes.

Korba chuckled nervously and it was obvious those moments in her life were dark. When she thought several times that her father didn't believe in her.
"But everything has changed now, Father. Azrael is here now and I've promised to always be with him come rain and storm or sunshine and rainbows. We'll be at the war front together."

"I hope you don't get a spear through your chest too, Korba." Charles' voice boomed and everywhere went silent awkwardly.

"What do you mean?" Reb asked.

"Trust me, hearing from the horse's mouth hits better."
He rubbed the white napkin over his mouth and leaned against the chair, his gaze fixed on his father's face who had now turned to him.

"Tara's death wasn't my fault." Styx's voice quavered a bit. "I tried to stop her."

"Can we not talk about this?" Korba tried to tell them, her voice firm but not enough to stop Charles.

"Maybe, Just maybe if you hadn't taken advantage of her memory loss, she would have accepted how useless she was and sat her ass back at home catering for her newborn baby. Just maybe."

"You know nothing about what happened, Charles. Stop guessing." Styx was trying hard to comport himself.

"He made that one mistake and he has realized it but this isn't a mistake, Charles." Azrael butted in, his eyes fixed on Charles too. "Korba is different."

"Exactly what my father used to say, Azrael. I didn't even expect you to be different. You are, after all, his right-hand man." He grabbed a glass of wine and sipped it, an evil smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"We should be talking about my wedding right now." Korba tried again, this time with a shaky and pleading voice.

"Korba is my sister and I'll do anything to protect her so don't think I'm being evil by stating facts here. But will my father do the same for her? I mean, he gave away my sister to the Vampires for his selfish desires. I wonder what he'll do to Reb, Georgina, and Olivia when they grow too."

"No. I don't want to be married off." Olivia looked up at his brother, her face terrified.

"Then, let your father know that."

"I wouldn't marry her off to the vampires if I didn't trust them enough to secure her."

"So secure they came here to beg for an army. How hilarious!" Charles laughed. "The Vampires at this moment are on fire. They are vulnerable to attack and they won't care about your daughter."

"I trust my men to finish the work." Styx snapped. "That was why I agreed to let him go with my men. I trust my men."

Charles swallowed as he thought of his meeting with Shelbrooke. He wondered if his conspiracy with him won't backfire. Maybe it would take away his step-sister whom he cared little about, but earning his father's throne was worth it. He looked at the older man before him and twitched his lips. No matter what, he won't back down. Relenting or retreating won't be on his agenda. It's now or never.

"Maybe, Lyne would agree to go to war with him just like her mother." Everywhere was dead silent and Charles was sure he could hear his father's heart beat faster, his blood rushing through his veins and he placed his arms on the table, leaning in.
"Remember how she inherited her mother's defiance?"

Styx gripped his cutleries tighter as his eyes turned wolf gray.

"Calm down, your Highness," Azrael said to him, trying to grab the fork and knife out of his hands. "It's okay. Charles is just a child who is hurt by the fact that his sister has gone to live with another man. She has gone to live with people he barely knows their roots."

"I am not pained, Azrael. In fact, I'm glad she's gone. At least, we all know how limited his love for her is. Always Lyne. It has always been about her. But now, she is in the hands of a man who may be gambling with her life by making her Queen and putting her at the war front. He never let her train. But she'll be there with her sword and maybe a dumb ass shield," he picked his words monotonously and gently. "Standing there, confused and not knowing what to do because her father refused to let her learn. And then poof, a spear goes right into her—"

"I SAID STOP IT!" Korba yelled, banging her hands on the table. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Can't we have a normal meal without Lyne's name popping up now and then?" She shook her head and walked out, Azrael following her immediately.

Charles swirled the small knife between his fingers, smiling evilly at Styx.