Omega’s Gamble by Claire Cullen

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Raine spentthe morning brainstorming with Darien. He thought he’d be irritated by Darien’s presence or his questions, but he found it useful to have the insight of a warrior. What he was creating were, for all intents and purposes, weapons. And if there was one thing Darien seemed to know, it was weaponry.

“Couldn’t you cover the whole weapon in a layer of silver?” the alpha asked while they were in the middle of a discussion about the best form a weapon might take. “I mean, the active part of the weapon doesn’t have to be the size of a coin, does it? Having every part of the weapon effective against spelled materials would be far more practical than just one tiny piece of it.”

“Sure,” Raine agreed readily, picking up the fist-sized piece of celestial silver. “But then you have to decide. Do you want one, maybe two, really good weapons that work no matter what way you swing them? Or two dozen that work if you wield them correctly?”

“You’re saying you can make a weapon like that?”

“I could make a weapon formed entirely of celestial silver if I had enough of it. But sure, with this amount, I could make one fully coated hammer and maybe one of the smaller axes. But it seems wasteful to use it like that when I could make a dozen hammers and a dozen axes.”

He assumed that Darien would agree, preferring quantity over quality, but the alpha was already shaking his head. “Okay, new plan. Make the best weapon you can using as much of the silver as you need to.”

“But Darien…”

“Trust me. You’ve shown us you can create something that can destroy a spelled object. In theory, you should be able to extrapolate that to a workable weapon. What we need to do now is prove it. Show me, Raine. Show me just how good an alchemist you can be.”

No one had ever challenged Raine to be anything more than an omega prince. Seen but not heard, polite, placid, and obedient. Any idea he’d ever had, any thoughts he’d ever entertained about pursuing a different life, had been ruthlessly shut down if he’d ever dared voice them. Here and now, the unthinkable was happening. Someone was actually encouraging him to take up the mantle he’d always wanted to. No hiding, no disapproval, no limits.

He stared at the lump of celestial silver in his hand.

“The best weapon I can make with this?”

“Exactly.”

“Even if it uses all the silver?”

To Raine, who’d been so careful with every fragment of silver in his possession, it seemed wrong.

“Even if.”

Darien sounded so definite, so confident, that he couldn’t argue. More than that, he didn’t want to argue. What had he dreamed of, if not enough celestial silver to invent and create to his heart’s content? With explicit permission from Darien… well, who was he to let that opportunity go to waste?

“The hammer or the axe?”

“Definitely the hammer.”

“I don’t know much about forging weapons,” Raine admitted.

He’d never had a reason or the freedom to explore those ideas. If he’d so much as tried to step into the armory or the forge in their palace at home… well, the king would have heard about it, and life would have been unbearable for the next few months.

Darien wasn’t fazed or disappointed by his admission. Instead, he jumped to his feet, brimming with enthusiasm. “Then let’s go talk to an expert.”

Before they could go anywhere, Raine’s stomach rumbled loudly, surprising them both. Darien pulled a watch from his pocket to check the time.

“No wonder you’re hungry—we’ve missed lunch. I’ll go rustle us up some food. Any preferences?”

Raine shook his head, still a little disbelieving that everything was going his way. He went back to work, looking up expectantly when he heard the alpha return. It wasn’t Darien who appeared in the workshop doorway, but his father.

Raine stumbled to his feet.

“King Tiberius.”

“I’m not interrupting, am I?” He stepped inside, looking around the room with fascination as if he hadn’t perused it just the day before. “I met Darien outside. He said the two of you had cleared the air.”

“We… we talked.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I know his behavior hasn’t been the best since your wedding. That’s my fault, of course. Marrying wasn’t his idea. But he did say it was yours.”

Raine suddenly realized, given how long Darien had been gone, that he and his father must have had a long conversation. About him.

“He told you why I wanted to be married?”

“I can’t say I blame you. The priory is no place for a mind as keen as yours. It would have broken your spirit.”

“That’s what my father was going for,” he muttered.

“You’re not the first child to be in conflict with their father.” The king sat down, his gaze curious. “But I’m struggling to understand the root of your father’s difficulties with you.”

“Didn’t Darien tell you, about my omega father?”

“He did,” the king said heavily. “I was very sorry to hear it. Sylvan, my beloved, bore me two strong sons with ease. His third time was different. I watched as he struggled, growing weaker day by day. Sylvan was so determined that our child would see this world. He gave everything to it, even his life. And so Rex was born, and my beloved did not see out the night.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

He could hear the love in the king’s voice, could see how keenly he still felt the loss all these years later. His father had always expressed anger at what Raine had done as a child, but never love for the husband he’d lost. Maybe the love had been burned out by the anger, leaving nothing but hatred to take its place.

“Thank you, Raine.”

“I suppose you must know how my father feels.”

If there was anyone who would understand his father’s hatred, it would be him,

“On the contrary—I cannot begin to fathom how a father could put the blame for such a tragedy on an innocent child.”

Raine glanced up, startled by the words. He was even more surprised by the compassion in the king’s eyes.

“I will tell you what I have always told Rex. It was not your fault. You carry no blame for the death of your father. Blame comes from actions, choices, and their consequences. You did not choose to be conceived. You had no say in the circumstances of your birth. A child surviving the death of their life-giver is a blessing, Raine. Not a curse.”

They were the words Raine had longed to hear since he was old enough to understand the reason for his father’s hatred. But they were words that were never going to pass his father’s lips, nor any other family member’s. His uncle had made a ham-fisted attempt once, but even he hadn’t quite managed it, the pain of his brother’s loss too great to give absolution.

Tears rolled freely down his cheeks, and then there were arms around him, a warm hug that enveloped him. He tried to swallow a sob, but the king spoke. “Let it out, Raine. Let it all out. You’ve carried this burden for far too long.”

He sobbed harder than he had in years, exhausted and scared.

“What if I’m not good enough?”

“Hmm?”

“As a husband. As an alchemist. What if I can’t be what you need me to be?”

He had a chance here, and he was terrified of disappointing them. Or worse, being sent away. Sent home.

The king took a step back, his eyes sad but warm. Over his shoulder, Raine spotted Darien hovering in the doorway.

“Oh, Raine. I think it’s safe to say that you exceeded any expectations we may have had the moment you stepped off that airship,” King Tiberius said, patting his shoulder gently. “You are my son now, Raine. The bond of marriage makes it so. Let the troubles of your past go. Your future is here, with us. This is your home now. We are your family, and you are a blessing bestowed on us.”

Raine jolted at the familiar words. He’d heard them before, thrown at him in anger, spit at him in fury. His voice failed him, and all he could do was stare.

“I’ll leave you two to your lunch.”

* * *

Jebb,the head blacksmith, had been bemused by his first meeting with Raine when he’d been pretending an interest in jewelry making. When Raine returned with Darien by his side and confessed to his real interest in alchemy, he found Jebb a kindred spirit. He quickly realized there was nothing the man didn’t know about weapons forging, with one exception. For him, celestial silver was an unknown component—but not so for Raine.

The three of them worked together, sharing ideas and trying them out. The days passed in a blur, Raine and Darien only breaking to eat and sleep. Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, they were ready to show the world what they’d made.

Raine was practically vibrating with nerves as he stood in the training yard next to Darien. They were waiting for King Tiberius and Darien’s brothers to arrive. It was time to put his weapon to the test.

Darien had lined up three pieces of spelled wood—one pinned to a post, one swinging on a piece of rope, and one flat on the ground. While the alpha checked them over, Raine gave the hammer a last once-over, making sure everything was as it should be. He could feel the power contained within, the layer of silver poised and ready.

He glanced up as he heard footsteps, and his heart skipped a beat. This was it; this was where he’d prove his mettle. King Tiberius swept into the yard, followed by Rex and Thorne. Raine pushed to his feet, throwing a nervous glance Darien’s way. The alpha gave him a nod of encouragement.

“Are we doing this or what?” Rex asked.

“Patience, Rex. There’s no need to rush anyone,” the king said. He turned to Raine. “Whenever you’re ready, please proceed. Take your time.”

Raine nodded, taking a deep breath. “Thank you, Your Majesty. We have three pieces of spelled wood taken from a damaged pirate ship. Their magic is intact, as Darien is going to demonstrate with this ordinary steel hammer.” He nodded to the alpha, who grabbed the old hammer with a decisive nod. “Darien.”

Darien adjusted his grip on the hammer and swung. He smashed it into the wood on the post first, then the piece on the rope, and finally, the piece on the ground. The sound of the hammer was loud, ringing in Raine’s ears, but that was the extent of it. The wood remained completely intact, as if an alpha hadn’t just attacked it with a weapon.

“As you can see, the wood remains magically protected.”

Darien set down the first hammer and picked up the second.

“Now Darien is going to demonstrate the silver-coated hammer. Its core is steel, and the celestial silver is bound to the steel with a solanium alloy, which acts as an activator and transducer.”

“Transducer?” Thorne questioned.

“It converts energy. The energy acts as the magic trigger.”

“You made that?” Rex’s arms were crossed, his eyes narrowed.

“Yes. With help from Jebb and Darien. I’ve never made a hammer before.”

“Does it work?”

“That’s what we’re here to find out, Rex,” Darien said sharply.

The king held up a hand. “Well, then. Let’s not delay any longer. Raine and Darien have been working hard on this. I, for one, am keen to see the results.”

This was it. Raine nodded to Darien and held his breath as the alpha picked up the hammer. The test would be over in a matter of seconds. He’d either prove his worth as an alchemist or suffer his first failure.

Darien moved on quick feet and swung. His movements were beautifully fluid, clearly well-practiced. The wood on the ground was first, and it smashed into pieces. Next was the wood on the post, which was obliterated in one swing. Finally, he tackled the wood on the rope, knocking it clean off as it cracked apart.

Darien straightened, the hammer held by his side. Raine moved to stand next to him, meeting the alpha’s grin with one of his own. They turned their attention to the others. King Tiberius looked triumphant, and there were matching looks of astonishment on Darien’s brothers’ faces.

“I take it all back,” Rex said, wide-eyed. “Can you make me one of those?”

Raine laughed, basking in the success, elation surging through him.

Darien’s hand caught his. “I knew you could do it.”

The king joined them and placed a hand on Raine’s shoulder.

“Well done, Raine. You have done us proud. This will make a real difference in our fight against the pirates. But now there is something else about our kingdom that we need to make you aware of. Something important.”

Raine met the king’s gaze, surprised and curious. “More important than this?”

“Yes. Darien will show you. I’m sure you’ll have questions. Come find me later, and I’ll do my best to answer them.” He clapped Darien on the shoulder. “Well done, Darien. An excellent and very effective demonstration. We’ll repeat it for the guards when we have enough to go around.”

Raine’s heart sank. Enough to go around? He’d used up almost all the silver he had just to make that one.

“King Tiberius…”

“You can call me Father if you like. Whichever you prefer. You’re family now. No need to stand on ceremony.”

“Yes, thank you, but…”

“Can I get a look at that hammer?” Thorne interrupted, trying to take it from Darien.

Darien gave him a long look. “Don’t lose it.”

“I never lose weapons.”

“That dagger you got for your birthday two years ago?” Rex said.

“What about the axe that time we were chopping wood?” Darien added.

“Okay, okay. I won’t lose this weapon.”

Raine stared worriedly at the hammer as Darien handed it over, but the three brothers laughed at what he guessed was a shared joke.

“Don’t worry, Raine,” Thorne promised. “I’ll take good care of your creation. If you’re as talented as you seem, you might just be the saving grace of this kingdom.”

That was a lot of hope on his shoulders. He wasn’t sure that creating a few weapons qualified him for that kind of responsibility. But the four alphas were looking at him like he was something far more than a third prince, and an omega prince at that.

“Come on, Raine. We have a lot to see and talk about.”

Darien held out a hand to him. There was something more in his eyes when he looked at Raine. A heat that spoke of deeper feelings, of wants and desires that Raine had long dismissed as unimportant. But when he looked at Darien, they suddenly seemed more important than anything else. Which was a dangerous idea when balanced with the protection of the kingdom itself.

He took the alpha’s hand and let himself be led back to the castle. “Where are we going?”

“My father’s study.”

“What’s there?”

“The start of our journey.”

Raine had tons of questions, but Darien pressed a finger to his lips as they entered the castle. The alpha’s touch sent lightning zinging through him, heat pooling low in his belly. When Darien walked on, he kept pace with him, more certain now than he had ever been that he would follow the alpha anywhere.

They reached the study, and Darien unlocked the door and showed him in. He locked it behind them, turning and putting his back to the door.

“There are things I haven’t told you yet. Things I kept back. There was a good reason for it, but I want you to know that I’m sorry.”

Darien hadn’t exactly been quiet about the fact that he hadn’t told Raine everything. But it reminded Raine of something else.

“Is this about why you thought I might have been a spy sent by my father?”

“In a way, yes.”

“Why would the royal alliance send a spy here?”

“Well, they didn’t, did they?”

“Why did you believe they might?”

“For the same reason the pirates won’t leave us alone.”

So this was it. The missing piece that Darien had been skirting around since Raine got here.

“Tell me.”

“I think it would be better if you saw it with your own eyes.”

Darien stepped away from the door and walked toward an old map of the island. He waved Raine over to join him. Raine scoured the map eagerly.

“What am I looking at?”

“It’s not about what you can see. It’s about what you don’t see.”

And with that, Darien reached out and pressed against a section of the map. It lit up under his touch. He pressed another section and another, each one lighting up in turn. And then the whole map lit up, so bright it was dazzling, and Raine couldn’t see anything. The light faded in slow pulses, and the map was just… gone. In its place was an archway and a path into the dark.

“Darien? What…?”

“Like I said, the start of our journey.”

“But…” He hesitated, staring into the darkness.

“You’ll be safe, I promise. I’ll be right by your side the whole time. You’ll want to see this, Raine. Trust me.”

“I trust you.”

He took a step toward the archway, then another, Darien right there with him. As he stepped through, a torch lit up on the wall, illuminating the way ahead. This wasn’t so bad. Another few steps and a second torch came to life, showing the path leading downward. He walked a little more confidently, Darien brushing against him with each step. The narrow passageway opened out, and Raine slowed to a stop, staring around.

“What is this place?”

“The heart of Stormshield. The secret we guard with our lives.”

“And when you’re not speaking in riddles?”

“These are tunnels. They run all across the island, with lots of caves and larger chambers. They are older than anything else that we know of.”

Tunnels and caves sounded intriguing, but Raine didn’t understand why they’d be a secret.

“If they’re all over the island, then people must stumble across them all the time.”

“There are only a handful of entrances, all concealed like this one. Hard to find if you don’t know where to look.”

“And this is what the pirates are searching for?”

“This is it. Come on. There’s lots to see.”

Darien took his hand and led him down another tunnel, the torches bursting into life as they walked. There was something else, too, something in the tunnel wall…

“You’ll understand it all soon, Raine, I promise.”

“Or you could just explain it to me.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Seeing it with your own eyes will have more of an impact, I promise.”

“Seeing what…?”

The tunnel they were walking along opened up suddenly, a cavernous ceiling stretching up above them, the walls glinting in the torchlight. Glinting, because encrusted in the wall, everywhere the eye could see, was silver. Celestial silver.

“No. It can’t be.”

There was more celestial silver here than he suspected existed across the whole of the royal alliance. Maybe even the world.

“But it is. And this is only one of many. There are deposits like this across the whole island.”

Celestial silver, the rarest element on earth, and Stormshield was laden down with it.

“How is that even possible?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? But it is what it is.”

“That much silver? There’s enough here to…” Create anything he could imagine. Make Stormshield rich beyond its wildest dreams…

“Destroy the world.”

Raine’s imaginings were stopped in their tracks.

“What?”

“You’ve said it yourself, more than once. Celestial silver is the most powerful magical element that we know of. A small piece of it is enough to do stronger magic than most people will ever manage with any other element. All this, if it got out into the world, would bring it crashing down around our heads. We have to protect it, keep it from those who would use it unwisely.”

“The pirates… they know it’s here?”

“They know something. We don’t know how much they’ve been told.”

“Told by who?” He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the silver, drawn in by the prospect of his creations being limited only by his imagination.

Darien caught him by the shoulders and turned him gently, stealing his attention.

“We’ve long suspected that the pirates have wealthy backers. But we’ve never been able to prove it.”

“Wealthy… oh.” Of course. It all made a horrible sort of sense now. Their suspicion of him, why King Tiberius believed Darien’s marriage to him might provide leverage against the pirates. “You think the royal alliance is sending the pirates.”

“Who else has that much power? Who else could provide spelled ships? They know we have something they want. We’ve never admitted to it, but they’ve hinted in past trade negotiations that they believed we had something more valuable than fish and crops. They don’t want to lose face among the other kingdoms by attacking openly to steal from us. So they’ve sent the pirates to do their dirty work for them.”

Raine could believe that of his own kingdom, at least. His father would go to any lengths to get that much celestial silver—that much raw power. The other kingdoms in the alliance would feel the same, or at least they wouldn’t want to be left out when the bounty was shared. But that kind of force… Stormshield would not be able to protect themselves against it.

“Have you considered negotiating with them? They can’t know how much silver you have. You could dole it out over decades, centuries even, drip-feed it into the system…”

“It wouldn’t work, not now. They… they have inside information.”

Darien led him on, the tunnel narrowing again.

“How could they have inside information? Do many people know about this?”

“Many? No. Only the immediate royal family. But…” Darien hesitated, looking grim.

“But what?”

“In the past, by necessity, the knowledge was shared with others. The scribes and the alchemists of our kingdom. Our last royal scribe died many, many years ago. Shortly after that, relations with the royal alchemist turned… sour. Another kingdom lured him away with offers of power and position, and that was the last we heard of him. We believed, for the longest time, that he had kept our island’s secrets. But it appears he may have revealed some of what he knew to his son on his deathbed several years ago. His son had no such qualms about sharing what he’d learned. Petitions from that kingdom began shortly after, then other kingdoms made inquiries, and then the pirate attacks started.”

“So the royal alliance knows everything?”

“They know about the silver. We’re not sure about the rest.”

Raine stopped short. “The rest?”

“It’s a lot to explain. We’ll get to it, I promise. For now, all you need to know is that you have as much celestial silver at your disposal as you need to make as many weapons as you can. Jebb and I will do whatever we can to help.”

“With this much silver, I could do more than make hammers. I could create weapons you could outfit on your boats. Perhaps even some sort of coastal protections…”

His mind was full of ideas. It would take time to pick through them all and decide what was worth keeping and what should be discarded. No alchemist in the world had this much power at their fingertips, and Darien and his father had just handed it to him freely.