Page 9 of Taken By the Storm King

I turned to face him, too aware of how close he stood. “We didn’t have a choice. Earth is dying. We needed...” The words trailed off as his gaze locked with mine.

“What did you need?”

“A chance,” I whispered. “A future.”

I turned toward the path, trying to walk ahead of him, but the smooth stone beneath my feet was slick with moisture. My foot slipped, and the world tilted as I stumbled forward.

Before I could hit the ground, strong hands caught me, pulling me back against a warm, solid chest. My pulse raced as I realized how close he was, his arms encircling me, holding me steady.

“Careful,” he cautioned, the gravel in his tone sending shivers down my spine. “This world is not as forgiving as it seems.”

I should have pulled away. I should have thanked him and stepped back. But I didn’t. I stayed frozen in his arms, my palms braced against his chest, feeling the heat of his skin through the fabric of his tunic. His scent---salt and something faintly sweet---wrapped around me, and my heart hammered in my ears.

“Th-thanks,” I managed to stammer, my voice barely audible. “Guess I’m still finding my footing here.”

His hands lingered a moment longer, steadying me. He released me, though his hands seemed reluctant to leave my waist. “You should be more careful,” he said, his tone softer now. “You’re not used to this place.”

No, she wasn't. Not accustomed to this world. Not prepared for him. And certainly not used to the way he could leave me breathless with a single glance.

We continued walking through the courtyard, and soon I caught sight of a group of his people. It had been two days since I’d arrived in Thalassar’s kingdom. Days of healing, of learning, of gradually understanding this new world. Evenings of talking, of trying to integrate my communicator with his strange technology, trying to find any trace of my team.

Each day pulled me further from my old life and deeper into this one, making the mission feel increasingly distant.

They were gathered near a tall tree with glowing orange fruit, their scaled bodies shimmering in hues of green, blue, and gold. Their movements were fluid and elegant as they worked together to harvest the fruit, each gesture precise and purposeful.

I noticed tools unlike anything on Earth---devices that seemed to manipulate water currents, harvesting mechanisms that worked with rather than against nature. Their technological development had clearly taken a different path than humanity’s, emphasizing harmony with their environment rather than dominance over it. Advanced in ways we weren’t, yet without the digital infrastructure we took for granted. Two civilizations that had solved different problems based on their unique challenges.

When they noticed Thalassar, they immediately stopped. As he approached, they bowed deeply, their black, pupil-less eyes shining with respect.

But then their attention shifted to me. The air grew heavier, the warmth of the courtyard replaced by a current of tension. They whispered to one another in their melodic language, their gazes sharp and guarded.

One of them---a woman with green-gold scales that seemed to ripple like water---stepped forward. She spoke to Thalassar, her tone sharp and questioning. Her black eyes flicked to me with a distrust that made my stomach tighten.

Thalassar answered her in the same musical language, his tone calm but firm. Whatever he said, it carried weight. The woman’s jaw tightened, her resistance evident before she finally nodded and stepped back, rejoining the group.

The others still cast wary glances my way as we walked past.

“What did she say?” I asked once we were out of earshot.

“She questioned your presence here,” he explained with forced evenness that couldn’t quite hide the underlying tension. “Outsiders are rare. And my people value caution. They’ve seen outsiders destroy what they love before.”

“Do they think I’ll destroy this place?”

He glanced at me,his lips thinned almost imperceptibly.“That depends on you.”

We followed a narrower path that wound away from the courtyard and into a small clearing. At its center stood an enormous tree, its golden vines glowing softly in the fading light. The air here felt different---charged with energy that made my skin tingle.

“This is the heart of our settlement,” Thalassar said. “The tree has stood here since before my people first came to this island.”

I moved closer to the trunk, drawn by the pulsing golden light. “It’s incredible.”

“It’s sacred.” He placed his hand on the bark, his voice reverent. “The tree connects us to the island, to the sea. Through it, we maintain the storm wall that protects us.”

I placed my hand on the tree beside his, feeling a faint hum of energy beneath my fingers. “Is that why you brought me here? To show me what we might destroy?”

“No.” His voice was quiet but steady. “I brought you here because I see something in you.”

I turned to him, my pulse quickening. “What do you see?”

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