Page 15 of Claimed By the Alien Prince
He buzzes excitedly, hovering above my workbench like a tiny sun. “Todd stored all the best samples! Holograms ready!”
“Show me!” I urge, heart racing at the thought of what we might have collected before everything spiraled out of control.
With a whirr and a flicker, Todd projects shimmering holograms into the air. Vivid images of glowing fungi dance before me—brilliant blues and greens pulse rhythmically, reminding me of heartbeat rhythms in an alien symphony. I lean closer, tracing my fingers through the holographic light as if I could touch the very essence of this strange world.
“Can you analyze their bioluminescence patterns?” I ask, intrigued by how they might adapt to their environment.
“Analyzing now!” Todd responds eagerly, his single green eye flashing with excitement as he computes data at lightning speed.
While he works, I pull out small samples stored safely within his casing—tiny vials filled with iridescent spores and bits of bark from the crystal-barked tree where they found me. Each one represents hours spent in search of knowledge, and I refuse to let them go to waste.
“Todd,” I murmur as I prepare a slide for microscopic examination. “What do you think? Will these be enough for the CRC report?”
“Definitely! But maybe humans should be more careful next time?” He spins in mid-air, mimicking caution with his small robotic arms. “Don’t want to get caught again!”
I laugh softly; his nervous energy is infectious. “No kidding.”
Hours pass as we dive deeper into our work. The tension fades under the steady rhythm of research—the banter between us fills the silence like music in an empty room. Todd’s presence makes this place feel less like a gilded cage and more like a temporary lab.
Just as I finish documenting notes about one particularly mesmerizing spore sample, there’s a rustle at the door behind me. My heart skips when something slides beneath it—a note.
I glance at Todd; he hovers closer to inspect it too.
“What does it say?” he asks nervously.
I crawl over to pick it up, unfolding it carefully under Todd’s watchful gaze:
I know how to get you out.
CHAPTER 12
ZEVRAN
Ibalance a tray of breakfast on one hand, the sweet scent of floral pastries wafting through the air. My heart pounds with each step I take toward her quarters. This is her third morning here, and I didn’t have time to visit yesterday—too many political games, too much scheming.
Now, though? A tightness uncoils in my chest as I near her door. It’s ridiculous how much she’s occupied my thoughts these past days. I tell myself it’s merely curiosity, but that excuse feels flimsy under scrutiny.
I knock gently, the sound echoing in the stillness. Silence answers back.
“Carys?” I call out, hoping she’s simply absorbed in her research or perhaps plotting an escape.
Another knock follows. Still nothing.
“Open up,” I command softly, trying to mask the frustration bubbling beneath my skin. No response again.
My hand hovers over the door handle for a moment longer than it should; reason urges me to walk away, but curiosity pulls me closer like a vine winding around a tree trunk. This is my palace. I can go where I please.
I twist the handle and step inside without waiting for permission.
The room looks untouched—an organized chaos of scientific equipment sprawled across the floor—but Carys is nowhere to be seen. I frown and scan the lavish space, only to catch a sound that sends my pulse racing: splashing water from beyond another door.
Curiosity piqued, I move toward it and open the bath door without thinking.
There she is—naked, hair plastered against her skin like a dark halo, water cascading down her body in rivulets that glisten under soft lighting. Her amber eyes widen in shock before fury flashes across her features.
“Get out!” she screams, lunging for a bar of soap nearby and hurling it at me with surprising accuracy.
I slam the door shut just in time as the soap smacks against the wood with a dull thud. My heart races as if I’ve just fought off a beast rather than startled an irate human woman.
