“Take a seat,” she said quietly.
They did.
A beat passed before she began. Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of tension woven through each word.
“Heiko. Have you met River’s family?”
Heiko nodded cautiously. “Yes. Both her parents are hard-working omegas. The mother works the fields; the father in the mines. She has an older sister as well.”
Alia’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“And all are omegas?”
River, still shaken, answered in a faint voice, “Yes. That’s what I’ve always known.”
Alia tapped a finger against the desk.
“What about your grandparents? Extended family?”
River blinked, taken aback. “My parents don’t talk much about them… just that they passed away. That’s all I’ve ever been told.”
The Queen’s frown deepened. She leaned back slightly, letting out a long,
