Page 20 of Taken By the Alien Siren King

We moved through more sealed sections, each hatch requiring the same practiced spin of heavy wheels. Lairos nodded to off-duty soldiers in the barracks, exchanged quick words with the medical staff about supply needs, checked in with the mess about rations.

Each place came with a story and a newly revealed piece of himself. Not the practiced charm of a king entertaining a diplomat, nor the regal persona required for ceremonial occasions. Just a man who loved his home and wanted to share it with the woman he claimed as his soulmate.

Soulmates. Soul song. I rolled the unfamiliar words over in my mind, tasting the phrases as he led me deeper into his world. They sounded foolish. Romantic. And yet… I could feel the truth of them in every interaction between us. Some fundamental, inevitable thread wound between us, tying us together through time and space.

Finally, we reached a circular chamber with glass walls that looked out into the swirling maelstrom. The water folded into itself, creating pockets of calm amid violent currents. Distant flashes of light revealed fish moving in schools through the abyss, shadows lurking just beyond sight.

“This is the highest point of Stillwater Hold,” Lairos said, his voice softening. “I spent hours here, watching the currents. Learning their patterns. Understanding how something so chaotic could still have an underlying order.”

I stepped closer to the glass, mesmerized by the play of water and light on the other side. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “She is.”

I glanced over my shoulder and found him watching me, not the ocean. The softness in his expression made me forget everything beyond this room. For a moment, I could almost believe we had all the time in the world to learn each other’s quirks and histories, hopes and dreams.

But beneath the peacefulness, I felt a clock ticking down our time together. The fight for his throne wouldn’t wait forever.

“When will you go?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could reconsider.

His eyes remained fixed on the churning waters. “Soon. Vigas believes we’ll have enough support within three days.”

Three days. Just seventy-two hours before he’d face his brother in a battle that could claim his life. The thought sent an unexpected wave of panic through me.

I wanted to tell him I’d go with him, fight at his side. But the words died in my throat. What good would I be in a battle? I couldn’t even breathe in his underwater world, let alone defend myself in it. The limitation burned, made worse by knowing there was nothing I could do to change it.

“You’re thinking very loudly,” Lairos said, his voice gentle.

“I hate that I can’t help you.” My fingers curled into fists at my sides. “I don’t like knowing that I’ll have to wait here, wondering if you’re alive or dead.”

“Worried I won’t be around to honor our agreement for your fellow humans?” His teasing tone couldn’t quite mask the underlying tension. He cupped my face in his hands. “Stillwater is impregnable. You’ll be safe here. That matters more than you know.”

But what good was my safety to the thousands still in cryosleep? To the ones counting on me to save their lives? Every second Nedaris held power was another second closer to their destruction.

I stepped back from Lairos’s touch with a weak laugh. “I’m sorry. Here I am, demanding comfort when you should be focused on preparations.”

“You are many things, Emme Mathis, but never a burden.” His lips quirked into that familiar arrogant smile. “Though I admit, selfish as I am, nothing would please me more than having you at my side when I retake my throne.”

“Let me guess,” I said with a roll of my eyes. If he wanted to shove the problems away for these precious few moments, thenso could I. “Resplendent dress, enemies on their knees, allies with devotion in their eyes.”

“Pageantry is as much a weapon as a blade, and I wield both with ease.” Lairos shrugged one shoulder, every inch the careless king at play. “The court will hate having a queen who sees through their games. They’ve spent generations perfecting the art of agreeing with their king while undermining him.”

“I’m sure you’ve given them plenty of practice,” I said, fighting a smile at his obvious delight in causing chaos.

“Oh, but watching you cut through their pretenses will be spectacular.” His grin widened as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering. “No one else dares question their king quite like you do.”

The quiet admiration caught me off guard. I’d grown used to his flirtation, his strength, his arrogance. But this… This felt real. This was a man who valued my defiance, who wanted my counsel. This was a partner.

A… mate.

The maelstrom hummed around us, a constant reminder of the dangerous beauty of his world. I stepped closer, drawn to this alien king who could charm water—and me—like some siren from our old tales. His thumb brushed across my bottom lip, making it impossible to concentrate on anything but him.

His smirk told me he knew exactly what effect he had on me, but I allowed him the unspoken victory as our lips met. The kiss started slow and sensual, like we had all the time in the world. Time to explore. Time to savor.

Time to hope.

Desire thrummed between us, matching the beat of my heart, the pulse of my blood. He tilted my head back, deepening the kiss, his tongue darting past my parted lips to tease mine. Need flared brighter, burning away caution. I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting him carry me deeper into his spell.

The chamber shuddered, a deep groan reverberating through Stillwater’s foundations. The reinforced glass rattled in its frame as the vibration shook through my bones. We broke apart, staring at each other as the tremor subsided.

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