Page 36 of Adored By the Alien Warlord

The king watched me leave, the weight of his gaze a drag on my spine.

With Davon following, she took me to my room, nudging me inside.

“Don’t do anything that shows the king that your affections might be misplaced,” she said sternly, as if she was a prison matron and I was one of the lowly inmates. “Don't speak with the Zuldruxian any longer. Don't walk with him and don’t smile at him. The king doesn’t like to share his treasures.”

I wasn't a possession, but I knew better than to tell Oolah that. My heart sank. If we couldn't talk to each other, how could we plan our escapee? “Davon is my bodyguard. How can he protect me if he can't come near me?”

Oolah's eyes hardened. “If you're not careful, the king will assign someone else, a Veerenad who doesn’t distract you.”

My belly churned with dismay. The thought of not having Davon close by terrified me. He was my lifeline, my only hope. I needed him.

“He’ll continue his duties as long as you bothbehave,” she said. “But he will no longer be your shadow. The king has made his decision, and we will respect it.” With that, she turned on her heel and left the room, locking the door behind her with a solid click.

I stomped into the bathroom and bathed quickly, dressing in a clean, soft gown provided by my “owner,” the king. He truly did see me as a pet, one he fed, pampered, and made to perform at his command.

Returning to my room, I dropped onto my bed. I needed Davon with me. I longed for his touch. We'd only kissed once, and I couldn't imagine never touching or kissing him again.

I turned off the light and lay on my bed in the darkness, staring at nothing until I fell asleep and dreamed . . .

I woke sometime later to a click echoing in my room.

My door creaked open.

Chapter 18

Davon

I’d come up with a plan for our escape, but I needed to talk about it with Maggie. Everything hinged on her doing something the next time she danced.

And I needed to see her, to make sure she was alright. I kept picturing her lying in her room with her eyes wet with sorrow. Curling up on her side and shivering. She’d be as worried as me, and that was eating me alive.

So I did something foolish. I crept into Oolah’s room while she slept, and I took the key to Maggie’s room.

The stolen key felt cold and heavy in my hand, a symbol of my need to see my mate and the risk I was taking. As I crept away from Oolah’s room, the hallway remained silent, the only sound my heartbeat thrumming in my ears. I slipped the key into the lock, wincing at the faint click that seemed to echo through the entire palace.

Pushing the door open, I peered across the room, finding Maggie lying on the bed. She lay still, herbreathing soft and even, and for a moment, I considered leaving her to rest. She danced hard, putting everything she had into each move in order to please the king. She didn’t need me waking her up when she rested.

But the urgency of our situation drove me forward. We had to talk, to plan, and I doubted we'd find a way to do it during the day.

I carefully closed the door and stepped forward.

“Maggie,” I whispered. “It's me, Davon.”

She bolted upright, her eyes wide, searching the dark. Relief washed over her face and before I could take another step, she slipped off the bed and rushed toward me. Her arms wrapped around me, clinging as she buried her face in my chest.

“I was scared,” she said, her voice muffled against my tunic. “I’m worried they're going to take you away from me.”

I rubbed her back, wishing I could give her the reassurance she needed, that I could still the tremors running through her small frame. “I'm here. Even if they send me away, I'll always find a way back to you.”

“I missed you. I need you, Davon.”

My own fears and longing surfaced, and I tightened my hold on her. “I missed you too. More than you can imagine.” Lifting her into my arms, I carried her back to the bed. I sat with my back against the wall, cradling her on my lap. This woman filled the empty spaces inside me. She made the rest of the world cease to exist.

“We need to talk about our escape.” I kept my voice low. “I have a plan, but it's risky, and I need your help.”

She nodded, her eyes locked on mine.

We couldn't afford to wait any longer. The king's possessiveness was growing, and the restrictions placed on us would only tighten. We had to leave before it was too late.