Page 45 of Tempted By the Alien Warrior

When Emily finally opened her eyes, she smiled shyly at me. Before I could say anything, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against my cheek. It was so quick, I almost wondered if I’d imagined it. But I hadn’t.

That small, all-too-swift kiss may have been a casual gesture to her, an impulsive act born of gratitude or comfort. But to me, it was everything. It wasn’t just the softness of her lips or the warmth of her touch. It was what it symbolized.

She trusts me. Not the version of me shaped by my father, not the warrior who stood silent while others suffered. But me. To her, I’m more than my mistakes. I’m someone worth trusting.

Maybe even someone worth caring for.

The realization hits me harder than any battle ever has, leaving me almost unsteady. I don’t know what lies ahead, but for the first time in a long while, I allow myself to hope.

That kind of trust is a rare, fragile thing, and I’ll protect it with everything I have in me. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s her trust. Because somewhere along the way, Emily became more than just someone I vowed to keep safe.

I’ve healed faster than I expected. The haze of fever and weakness is gone now, burned away by rest, time, and the quiet, relentless care of the female now walking beside me. Only a dull ache remains where the arrow grazed me.

It could’ve been much worse. If the arrow had gone any deeper or if I had been alone, I might not be walking at all. That thought settles heavily in my chest, not with fear but with gratitude.

I clear my throat and force myself to focus on the path ahead. “We should reach the nesting grounds by tomorrow.”

She nods at my words, her lips pressed into that determined line I’ve come to recognize. “We’ll find her, Vrok. I have to believe that.”

“I know.” And I do. Now.

At first, I didn’t believe Lily had survived. The odds are stacked against anyone taken by an anuroi, but a human? How could they survive such a dangerous beast? I didn’t say it out loud, but I’ve carried the doubt inside me.

Emily has never wavered in her conviction, and little by little, her certainty has started to erode my doubts. It makes me wonder if maybe, just maybe, she’s right. Because I’m starting to believe if anyone can survive the impossible, it’s the humans.

But whether she is right or not, no longer matters. She believes Lily is alive. That belief is enough to carry us both. And for Emily’s sake, I’ll move the stars to find her cousin.

I find myself watching her more than I should. The sure way she clambers over a fallen log, and the way she scans the terrain with confidence. She’s not built for this terrain. She wasn’t born and raised here. She hasn’t ventured into this jungle since she was a kitling. But she moves like someone who’s made up her mind. Someone who’s decided to face whatever comes without backing down. And that makes her braver than any warrior I’ve ever known. There’s a quiet strength in her, and I’m drawn to it like a dicro to water.

As we keep moving forward, the jungle noise settles into a steady hum. Somewhere nearby, a scrof moves through the undergrowth. A flock of colorful psittas flies overhead. The weight of what we’re searching for presses quietly between us. There’s no need for words. It feels as if the whole jungle is holding its breath, waiting to reveal something, a sign that brings us closer to Emily’s cousin.

It’s not until well after midday that we find the first sign of Lily.

At first, I didn’t notice it. I’d been focused on scanning for predators and searching for any signs that we were close to the cliffs of the nesting grounds. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot something small glinting in the sunlight.

I stop abruptly, lifting my hand. “Wait.”

Emily pauses beside me, the soft crunch of leaves beneath her boots falling silent.

I crouch and reach into the low branches of a gnarled tree. A thin object made of metalloid is caught in the limbs. Carefully, I close my fingers around it and ease it free. It’s a delicate golden chain with a small oval pendant dangling from it. I turn it over in my hands, already knowing who it belongs to.

Emily sucks in a breath. “That’s Lily’s necklace,” she whispers, her voice tight.

She reaches out with trembling hands. Her fingers graze against mine as she takes the necklace from me.

“She always wore it. It belonged to her mom,” she says, almost to herself. Her eyes scan the necklace as if it might hold the answers she’s desperate for.

My gaze lifts to the sky visible through the gaps in the canopy above. “She must have dropped it while the anuroi carried her overhead.”

Emily stiffens. “You mean?—?”

“It likely flew this way as it headed to the nesting grounds,” I explain, pointing in the direction we’ve been traveling. “The clasp looks damaged. Perhaps it snapped during the flight or in a struggle.”

Emily clutches the necklace to her chest. “Then we’re on the right track.” Her voice is laced with fragile hope.

I nod to the trail ahead of us. “The cliffs aren’t too far away, now.”

Without a word, she slips the necklace into the satchel she carries and steps forward. I can see the resolve in her eyes, the fierce, stubborn protectiveness that has driven her this far.

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