The interviews continued throughout the afternoon, each guest bringing their own concerns, ambitions, and subtle machinations to Celestio’s desk. A countess from the western hills pleaded for increased funding to repair roads damaged by floods. A young knight representing his aging father sought recognition for his family’s generations of military service. A foreign emissary from a small kingdom hinted at a potential alliance, his words carefully chosen to avoid outright commitment.

  Through it all, Celestio remained calm and composed, his quill never faltering as he recorded each conversation. He sifted through their words, separating truth from embellishment and seeing through every attempt to curry favor for selfish purposes. By the time he was finished with a few dozen nobles, his ledger was filled with notes, each entry a carefully distilled summary of the day’s discussions. Edess was going to read every word without complaint, he told himself.

  His gaze fell on the stack of letters he had received from the nobles that he had set his schedule to. Among them was the one from Kamaria’s fourth son, likely one of the guests still waiting in the antechamber.

  Rising from his desk, Celestio stretched his legs. He looked up at the ceiling, his hands on his lower back as his bones cracked. He was getting too old to sit for hours at a time. Edess had already teased him a few times by picking through his hair like an animal, searching for early gray hairs. He had to admit that it was nice to still have such a close relationship to the prince. Even as he went through his rebellious teenage years and refused to listen to any commands, including from his own father, Edess had listened to Celestio. And now he was celebrating the end of his teenage years, still relying on his loyal advisor, and Celestio couldn’t help but selfishly relish the power.

  He sat back down and motioned for the guard to bring in the next guest. He had recovered his usual composure by the time the door creaked open and the fourth son of Lord Kamaria of Almwick stepped inside.

  Sabas was younger than Celestio had expected, perhaps only a few years older than Edess. His build was lean but strong, his dark hair slightly disheveled from travel and his red cloak lined with dark fur. He carried himself with an air of quiet determination, seeming unintimidated by his meeting with one of the most powerful people in the castle.

  “Sir Celestio,” Sabas said, bowing deeply. His voice was smooth with a warmth that belied the formality of his words. “Thank you for granting me an audience.”

  Celestio inclined his head, gesturing to the chair across from him. “Please.”

  Sabas crossed the room and lowered himself into the chair, his movements fluid and refined. As he sat, Celestio caught the faint scent in the air – something sweet and warm.

  This noble, like all the others, was an Alpha.

  What was surprising, however, was that Celestio could smell it so clearly. It was like the lingering aroma after a storm, and it made his fingers tighten around his quill.

  He was the only Omega in the castle who held a position of power, perhaps even in the kingdom’s entire history. Every person around him was an Alpha and most didn’t attempt to hide their pheromones around him. Seducing Prince Edess’s prized Omega would be a victory of the highest order, pulling him away from the royal family and taking him as their mate. Every noble that passed through the room that day had tried to silently distract him, to suggest that he treat them as though they were special and make Celestio want to be their mate. The only thing saving him was the suppressant tonic he drank every night that suppressed his own pheromones and dulled the scents of others.

  And yet, he could detect this Alpha’s scent quite clearly.

  The fourth son took his seat on the hard chair, his hands on his knees as he patiently waited for the advisor to speak.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  After decades in the castle, Celestio prided himself on his observation skills. However, he couldn’t sense any hint of deception or carnal desire from this noble.

  Celestio cleared his throat.

  “Your letter stated that you are here as your father’s envoy,” Celestio began, his voice steady.

  Sabas nodded, a brief shadow of discomfort crossing his face. “My father is unable to travel, of course, and my elder brothers are limited to our hometown as well. I’m sure you can imagine how dire things have become after years of plague. Seeing as I was away at university in Messina during this time, I am the only person available to represent our family and Almwick.”

  Celestio’s quill hovered over the ledger, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And you believe you can adequately represent your father’s concerns when you are unfamiliar with the current state of your region?”

  It was a pointed question, one meant to test the young man’s resolve. Sabas’s jaw tightened, but he did not flinch. Instead, he leaned forward slightly.

  “You are correct,” Sabas admitted. “I have not been home in years. But many letters are sent out from Almwick and I have remained in constant contact with my family. My father, Lord Kamaria, believes I can speak for him, and I intend to prove him right.”

  There was a raw sincerity in his voice that gave Celestio pause. The warm scent emanating from the Alpha lazily swirled around them. Even though it was an Alpha’s pheromones, he… didn’t mind it.

  Celestio studied the younger man carefully, his quill scratching faintly as he made a note in his ledger.

  “And what, precisely, does your father wish to convey to Prince Edess?” Celestio asked, unable to shift his gaze from Sabas’s face.

  Sabas hesitated for only a moment before answering. “Our region is suffering, Sir Celestio. The plague has spared no one. Crops are left to rot in the fields with no one strong enough to harvest, and food supplies are dwindling. My father hopes that His Highness will send aid – anything that might help us manage to survive, or to wipe out the illness, if only so the survivors may begin to reside in a safer place.”

  Celestio’s quill stilled, the weight of the words settling over him.

  “My father insisted I stay away until it was safe to return, but he also believed it was important for me to attend this celebration,” Sabas went on. “To show our family’s continued loyalty to the crown.”

  Celestio nodded, his expression unreadable as he made another note in his ledger. “And you believe the prince will accept you, a fourth son, as your father’s envoy?”

  “I believe he will if you advise him to,” Sabas said.

  Celestio looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing. There it was again – that subtle but unmistakable scent of Alpha pheromones, curling in the air between them. It was distracting in a way that Celestio was unaccustomed to, a warmth that seemed to linger at the edge of his senses. This Alpha had to know what he was doing, despite his expression and movements giving no hint of ulterior motives.

  He forced himself to focus, his voice cool and composed. “His Highness’s acceptance is not guaranteed. Your role at the celebration will be to demonstrate your family’s value to the crown. If you succeed, the prince may consider your father’s request.”

  “I understand,” Sabas said, inclining his head. “Thank you for your counsel, Sir Celestio.”

  Celestio nodded curtly, setting his quill aside. “That will be all. You may go.”

  Sabas rose from his chair, his movements graceful despite the weight of his words. He hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on Celestio as though he wanted to say something else. Finally, his gaze dropped to the desk and Celestio snapped his ledger shut before the noble could see his notes.

  “Those flowers, what kind are they?” Sabas asked.

  Celestio blinked and looked at the vase near his ledger. “They… I am not quite sure, to be honest. They grow in the courtyard among dozens of other types. Why do you ask?”

  “The scent is lovely. I have never smelled anything like it before.” Sabas closed his eyes for a moment as he inhaled. “I hope that those flowers will be present at His Highness’s banquet.”

  The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. The hair on the back of Celestio’s neck rose as his dulled instincts finally recognized the Alpha. His mind raced, a thousand thoughts colliding at once. No one – no one – was supposed to notice his pheromones. The suppressant ensured that fact. Even Edess couldn’t detect his scent. And yet, this young Alpha stood before him, casually speaking of the royal advisor’s pheromones like a compliment.

  “That will be all,” Celestio said sharply.

  Sabas blinked, clearly taken aback by the sudden shift in tone. But he nodded, offering a deep bow before turning and making his way to the door. As the guard followed behind him, Celestio sank back into his chair, his heart pounding in his chest.

  For the first time in years, he felt vulnerable. And he hated it.