Page 38 of Taken By the Storm King

“This is where we keep the truth of our origins,” Veda said, guiding us to a central display. “Your mother visited here often, Thalassar. She believed our future lay in understanding our past.”

Veda activated a large memory pearl set into a coral pedestal. Images bloomed around us---a distant planet wracked by geological upheaval, ships departing its surface.

“We were also refugees,” Veda explained, watching Lucy’s reaction carefully. “Our homeworld was dying. The ancient kings and queens led our people across the stars to find a new home.”

Lucy’s expression shifted from awe to recognition. “Just like us. Earth is becoming uninhabitable. That’s why we’re seeking new worlds.”

“Perhaps not coincidence but destiny that you found us,” Veda suggested, her ancient eyes holding mine meaningfully.

“You told me that my mother believed we would one day encounter others like ourselves,” I said, remembering conversations long past.

“She would have welcomed humans as potential allies, not feared them as invaders,” Veda confirmed, touching a scaled finger to a text scroll. “These are her private journals. She wrote of opening relations with other species, of strengthening our kingdom through diversity rather than isolation.”

Lucy moved closer to me, her warmth against my side a comfort I hadn’t known I needed. “She sounds remarkable.”

“She was,” I said softly.

“And her son has more of her vision than he admits,” Veda added. “I’ll leave you two to explore a bit. The archives will inform me when you’re ready to depart.”

Before she left, Veda placed a withered hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Our people survived by finding a new world when ours was lost. Perhaps now we can help yours do the same. That would be a fine continuation of our queen mother’s legacy, wouldn’t it, Thalassar?”

The pearl door sealed behind her, leaving Lucy and me alone among the ancient records of my people.

“She arranged this,” Lucy said, still looking around in wonder. “Didn’t she?”

“Veda rarely does anything without purpose,” I acknowledged, watching how the soft blue light played across Lucy’s features. “She was my mother’s closest confidante. If anyone knows what my mother would have wanted, it’s her.”

Lucy ran her fingers lightly over a displayed text. “What does this one say?”

I moved behind her, close enough to breathe in her scent. “‘From the stars we came, and to the stars our destiny returns us.’ A secret that even I never knew.”

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

“Many of these texts speak of cycles,” I explained, reluctant to move away from her. “Of how patterns repeat across time and space. Endings become new beginnings.”

“Like your people finding this world after losing their own.” Lucy turned to face him, her back against the display. “And now my people, doing the same.”

The space between us charged with unspoken possibilities. My scales tingled with awareness of her proximity.

“Lucy.” I took her hands in mine, their smallness and lack of scales still fascinating to me. “I’ve made my decision. I want you to stay. Not as my guest or as an ambassador for your people, but as my queen.”

She inhaled sharply. “Thalassar---“

“I know it’s sudden by human standards. I know there are complications. But I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

“We barely know each other,” she protested, though she didn’t pull her hands away.

“I know enough. I know you’re brave and brilliant. I know you care deeply for your people, as I do for mine. I know you’ve awakened something in me I thought died with my mother---hope for something beyond mere survival.”

“The council would never accept me.”

“Some already do. The rest will follow or be replaced.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “We can find your team together. We can forge an alliance between our peoples. But most importantly, we can build something neither of us expected to find across the stars.”

“And what’s that?” she asked, her pulse quickening under my touch.

“A future. Together.” I leaned down, my forehead touching hers in the intimate greeting of my people. “Stay with me, Lucy Stewart. Be my queen. Let us write the next chapter of both our peoples’ stories.”

As we stood there in the sacred archives, I felt Lucy’s gaze drift to a carving of the ancient tree on one of the scrolls. “The tree you showed me,” she said softly, “it seems to be important in all your histories.”

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