Page 25 of Resisting the Alien Commander

“I’ll do some strategizing when I return to the barracks and meet you back here in the morning to go over ideas.” Sleep always eludes me at times like these.

Alik dips his head and I stride out of his rooms to make my way to my own. That’s just one more reason a bride isn’t for me. What kind of male would I be to ask a female to live in the small suite where I dwell within the barracks? A bride deserves her own home with a garden and several rooms for a growing family. That life isn’t for me. I just have to keep reminding myself.

I go out of my way to patrol past the females’ building myself. IamCommander of the prince’s guards, and it’s my duty to ensure their safety. My gaze lingers on the windows I’m unable to see through as I pass. Have Quinn and her friends returned to their rooms? Or are they even now gathered in the common area discussing the evening and the males they met and may have danced with before the night turned to shit?

I shake off this feeling and increase my pace to the barracks. All’s quiet inside. Which is as it should be. The guards under my command should either be sleeping or at their posts. I lay my palm on the bioscanner outside my door, and it slides open with a near-silentswoosh.

The interior lights automatically turn on, and I step inside the place I’ve made my home since I was promoted to Commander. The living space is bare of no more than a sofa and table. To the left is a spotless kitchen area that doesn’t get used. I move into my sleeping room and have my shirt pulled over my head before I cross the threshold.

This room is nearly as barren as the seating area. What sense is there in having an overabundance of things when I spend so little time here? A bed and a place to sit are the only things I truly need. I can’t help but compare my suite to the ones where the females reside. They are about the same size, but I’m curious what sort of personal touches the humans might put in theirs.

I’d been more than ready to leave my mother’s home when I reached adulthood. Everything about it is ostentatious. She is, after all, sister of a queen and daughter of one of the high lords of the Bohnari council. My mother didn’t want any of our people to forget who she was and where she came from. I was never comfortable in her home. It had been worse when my father was alive.

I discard my shirt into the cleanser and add my pants to it before stepping into the hygiene room. Once inside the cleansing stall, water already set at the perfect temperature sprays from above. I quickly wash up and wrap a warmed towel around my hips. Today has been long, and I expect the night to be even longer.

Scattered across my desk are various books on battle strategy, weaponry, and the history of the Bohnari people. Nearly every piece of information I would ever need access to is available in digital form. With a few key strokes, I could have it all at my fingertips. Except I enjoy the tangible feel of the parchment beneath my fingers. It’s why I’m one of the few people who keeps a small library in my suite.

I sit and pick up one of the strategy books to flip through. Every single one of these has been read more than once. A few of them more than a handful of times. My mentor stressed how important knowledge is. Because knowledge is power. With it, a person can do almost anything.

Time stretches and I reach for the next book and the next. My comm goes off and I startle. Faint signs of dawn appear through the single window. I stifle a yawn and quickly put on a clean pair of loose trousers. Alik won’t be up for some time which means I can get some training in before we meet.

The training building is empty, although a few of the doors to the simulation rooms show they’re occupied. I find a vacant one and scroll through the list of simulations. Frustration has been building all night and I have a lot of excess rage to get out. I pick a level five difficulty, grab several weapons from their racks, and walk into the room.

Chapter13

Quinn

I’m glad for a room with no windows, because this headache is killing me. My eyes remain closed and I stay perfectly still in my bed hoping it will go away, but knowing it won’t. Do the Bohnari even have something I can take to get rid of it? I guess that’s a question I should have been asking earlier.

A soft knock on my door makes me groan, which only exacerbates my aching head. I slowly roll off the mattress and grab my robe. I walk out into the seating area—tying the belt as I go—and press the release button. I’m not at all surprised the door slides open to reveal Olivia.

In each of her hands is a steaming mug, no doubt filled with the special morning brew the Bohnari’s drink. It’s not quite coffee, but it’s also not quite tea. We didn’t ask what it was exactly—or at least, I didn’t. It’s good and I don’t want to ruin that by discovering what it might actually be made from.

“For you.” Olivia passes me one of them.

I take a small sip and ignore the pain of my burning tongue. “Thanks.”

“How’d you sleep?” She holds up a hand. “Never mind. I already know. A better question is…how are you holding up?”

“As good as I’m going to get for the day, I think. My head hurts. There’s a throbbing pulse beating right behind my eye.”

Olivia winces. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

I wave off her apology. “Don’t be. Hazards of a night filled with nightmares.”

She plops down on the sofa with a leg tucked underneath and pats the cushion next to her. I sit at her side and rest my head on her shoulder. She leans hers against mine and we sit quietly for a few minutes. Finally, I breathe out and sit upright with my drink.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Olivia asks.

“Not really, no.”

She bobs her head gently. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“I do, thanks, babe.” That’s just one of the many reasons Liv is my best friend. She’s there when I need someone and doesn’t push me to talk about something when I’ve said I’m not ready. She knows exactly when I do and don’t need to be prodded to let things out.

“Of course.”

We take a few more drinks before she sets hers down on the table and turns to me. “Do you want to go get some breakfast?”

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