The Alpha's Temptation

Surprise trickled through Tania and, even in her state, her shoulders stiffened. The pain in her lips and her body seemed to fade away at the news. A message from Prince Rigel?

Menkar chuckled at seeing her expression. Whatever he saw in her face must have been satisfying, or he was satisfied with the message he had received. He turned his head back to the owl that had tilted its head to stare at Tania. The owl let out a screech and then stretched its wings and flew to perch on the table in front of him.

Menkar ran a gentle finger down its feathered back. “Prince Rigel needs a scribe who can translate an ancient book that bears his family history.” He relaxed back in his chair, adjusting the thick, round glass on his left eye. “This is your chance to redeem yourself.” He looked at her with a face devoid of expressions but Tania knew that behind that facade was a man full of machinations.

At first she was confused, but over the years of her service to her master, one thing that she had learned was to stay quiet. So, even after she had listened to the information that Prince Rigel had sent a message, with eyes wide, she stared at him as disbelief sprouted in her chest.

Menkar continued with an impassive expression, “However, the prince is not in his kingdom. He is currently residing at Draka Palace and is the guest of King Eltanin. He has asked me to send a scribe over to them. He will personally escort the translator to his kingdom when he heads back.”

Tania was so relieved that she sank to her knees. Her master had called her and was giving her a chance to rectify her mistake. She clasped her hands feeling lighter, already praying to him.

“Are you willing to take on the task again?” Menkar asked arrogantly, his eyes following her movement. He scoffed, as if she had the power to deny him.

“Yes, yes!” she said eagerly. “I will go!”

“It is your choice,” he shrugged. “If you don’t want to go, you can refuse, Tania, but once you choose to go, there is no turning back. I would need a full report on the prince.”

She gazed at her master as he took out the silver chain with the tangerine soul stone and threaded his finger through it. He played with the stone while gazing back at her as if tempting her. Even though he had given her a choice to refuse, could she actually refuse? She was extremely desperate. _{ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​}

Did she have the luxury to decline? So, even if she couldn’t refuse, she jumped at the opportunity. “I will go, Master,” she begged. At least she wouldn’t have to go back to the dungeons. She remembered how she had tried to run away for her freedom from Cetus Monastery when she was around thirteen. It was excruciatingly painful. It was as if someone had wrenched her soul, twisted it and thrashed it a million times. She couldn’t bear the pain and came back.

Menkar’s lips lifted into a half grin. “Good. I was expecting it from you. Don’t forget your original task. If you achieve this, I will set you free.” Then he motioned to his hunched spy who immediately came by his side. “See that she is ready in one hour. I will personally escort her to the king’s palace.”

There was a flicker of surprise in the spy’s eyes. He wondered why would the Head Priest personally take a slave to the Draka Kingdom. He could have sent a guard or two, or him. But then who was he to judge Menkar? He bowed immediately. “Yes, master.” Saying that, he came to where Tania was sitting. He grabbed her by her upper arm, lifted her up roughly and dragged her out of the library.

Menkar inserted the soul stone back inside his robe. He caressed the owl perched in front of him gently. “Go tell your master that I will come along with the scribe.” The owl screeched, flapped its wings,and the next moment, he dove outside the window, into the wide blue sky. Menkar got up to watch the owl fly.

He leaned over the ledge of the window, recalling how surprised he was when he received the message, he couldn’t believe his luck. It was as if everything was trying to weave its way into something bigger.

Menkar knew that it was time that he was exposed as the avatar of God. Menkar knew an abundance of dark arts. He’d been waiting for the moment to come. Perhaps that was why nature was conspiring against him or was doing things his way. He had grand plans, greater schemes and many hidden agendas. He smirked. The Elders knew everything? Then they didn’t know him. His knowledge was far greater than all the Elders together.

He scoffed at the look of surprise that had flickered on his spy’s face. As if he would allow the spy to go to the palace. How could he leave an opportunity such as this to meet Prince Rigel in person and who knew if he would meet King Eltanin? The king was too powerful. Any opportunity to get close to him couldn’t be thrown away, even if it was a one in a million chance.

“Surely, the ancient spirits want me and have set me on this path,” he murmured and rubbed his hand over the tangerine soul stone. As soon as he did, he felt a jolt of energy seep into his body. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, as he felt the electric energy. It refreshed and energized him.

—

As the spy dragged her outside the main sanctum, he shoved her to the ground. “Get ready in an hour and return here,” he barked at her, baring his yellow teeth. “Don’t let the Master wait for you.”

“I will,” she replied as she scrambled away. She made her way to her quarters as quickly as her bruised knees and fragile body would allow. A smile spread across her split lips. She was going to get her freedom. The gods gave her another chance and this time she was going to succeed. At this moment she wasn’t bothered about the nature of her job. Let him be the avatar of God for all she cared. Prince Rigel needed a scribe for translating an ancient family book. She would do that in seven days and come back. And then her master would give her the soul stone and she would be free! Her soul would be free.