Page 17 of Cursed Alien

As they moved deeper into the keep, she noticed the tech integration more clearly. What had appeared to be stone walls occasionally revealed seams of dark metal. Panels that might once have glowed with information displays were now dull and lifeless. In one corridor, she spotted what looked like environmental controls, far more advanced than anything in her village.

“This is incredible,” she murmured, pausing to examine a panel. “We’ve got nothing like this back home. The mayor’s house has some basic tech, but this…” She whistled low. “This is something else.”

Malrik watched her with those unnerving eyes, something almost like pride flickering in their depths before he turned away.

As they turned down another corridor, he slowed, then came to a halt before a set of double doors, even larger and more ornate than the others they’d passed. After a moment’s hesitation, he pushed the doors open.

The room beyond was enormous, clearly a master chamber. A raised dais dominated one wall, supporting what had once been a massive bed frame. The frame itself was broken, the mattress long gone, but in its place was a nest of furs and fabrics—some looking quite new.

“This is where you sleep,” she said softly, not a question.

He rumbled in confirmation, watching her face.

She stepped further into the room, taking in the details. Unlike the other spaces they’d toured, this one showed signs of current use. The dust was disturbed in patterns that suggested regular movement. A few personal items were scattered about—a broken piece of armor hung on one wall, and what looked like a collection of interesting stones sat on a shelf.

The remains of a grand wardrobe stood against one wall, its doors hanging open to reveal empty space. Nearby, a shattered mirror reflected her image in fractured pieces.

“It must have been beautiful once,” she said, turning slowly to take in the whole space.

He made a sound that might have been agreement or dismissal. He moved to a set of huge windows that looked out over the mountains, still remarkably intact, and stared into the distance.

Something about his posture struck her. Despite his fearsome appearance, there was a profound loneliness to him as he gazed out at the world beyond his crumbling domain. The intelligence in those eyes wasn’t just predatory calculation—there was something deeper there, something wounded.

A sudden thought struck her, and her stomach tightened with uncertainty. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

He turned to face her, tilting his head again as if he didn’t understand the question.

“I mean, I need somewhere to sleep while I’m working on your tech,” she clarified. “I can’t exactly curl up on the floor.”

His gaze moved to the nest of furs, then back to her. He pointed a lethal looking claw at the furs.

“Oh no,” she said, taking a step back. “That’s your… your nest. I’ll need my own room.”

A low growl rumbled from his chest, and he shook his head firmly.

“Look, I agreed to fix your tech, not to share your bed,” she said, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “There must be other bedrooms in this place.”

His eyes flashed, and he took a step toward her, but she held her ground, even though her heart was racing. He leaned down until his face was level with hers, those glowing eyes boring into her.

“Safe,” he growled, the word clearly costing him effort. “With me.”

She blinked, surprised. “You’re worried about my safety?”

He hesitated, then nodded, gesturing around the keep with a sweeping motion of his arm.

“Dangerous,” he managed, the word guttural but clear.

She considered the idea. The keep was in ruins, with who knew what structural issues. There could be vermin, or worse things hiding in the dark corners. And she was in unknown territory, far from help if anything went wrong.

“All right,” she said finally. “But we’re going to set some ground rules. I’ll sleep in your… nest, but you keep your distance. Deal?”

He stared at her for a long moment, then gave a single, curt nod.

“Good. Now, how about showing me the rest of this place? I want to see what I’m working with before I can start fixing anything.”

Malrik turned and led her from the bedroom, continuing their tour through the massive keep. They passed through more grand rooms, all in similar states of disrepair—a music room with a shattered piano, a gallery with torn paintings, a conservatory with broken glass and withered plants.

The scale of the place was overwhelming. It would take weeks, maybe months, to restore even the basic systems. And that was assuming she could figure out how Vultor technology worked.

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