Page 46 of Adored By the Alien Warlord

My heart turned into a stone as I swayed and twirled for the king. His eyes never left me, his gaze intense and possessive. Warning blazed in their depths. I was his, and he wouldn't tolerate any further infractions on my part. I danced for hours, my body moving on autopilot, my mind a million miles away. All I could think about was Davon. Where was he? Was he hurt? I needed to know he was alright. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the king waved his hand, signaling me to stop. I stood in place, panting, my body drenched in sweat, waiting for his next command.

“You may return to your room, pet,” he said, his voice cold. “But remember this, if I catch you with anyone else again, I'll kill you. There will be no more chances.”

The truth shone in his eyes. He meant every word.

“What about Davon?”

“Your behavior will have a direct impact on his life.”

Then he still lived. I wanted to sag in relief, but instead, I dipped my head. “Yes, my king. I will behave.”

Oolah entered the sitting area, and she dragged me back to my room. She shoved me inside, the door locking behind me with a harsh click. I was trapped once more and very much alone.

They brought me food, but I could barely eat. I felt sick, my stomach churning with worry and fear. I washed in the bathroom, the cool water doing little to soothe my frayed nerves. When I dropped onto the bed, exhaustion pulled me under.

I woke with a start, a scream lodged in my throat. I'd dreamed that Davon was dead, that the king had killed him and dumped his body in front of me. I looked around, my heart pounding, but found no one here but me.

Scrambling off the bed, I rushed to the door, banging on it with my fists. “Please,” I cried out. “Tell me if Davon is alright. Please, someone answer me.”

No one came. No one answered. I remained in the silence, worry gnawing through me further with each passing second.

Hours later, the door opened. Oolah stepped in, her expression stern. “Prepare yourself. You will dance for the king and his guests tonight.”

I wanted to scream, to fight, to demand answers. But I knew better. I’d given in after the nightmare, but I had to play along and be smart. With a nod, I strode to the gown hanging on a peg on the wall that had been cleaned and returned to me yesterday. Was it only yesterday that I was with Davon? It felt like a lifetime ago. I dressed quickly, my fingerstrembling as I made sure I was covered. As I slipped on my shoes, I took a deep breath to steady myself.

Oolah led me through the palace to a large room filled with seats. A stage with a pole stood in the front. The king sat in the center of the theater, his guests flanking him on either side. Their eyes turned to me as I entered, their gazes hungry and eager.

“Dance, pet,” the king said in a jovial voice, a smug smile on his face. “Show my special guests your devotion to your king.”

Davon and I were supposed to escape tonight while the king was distracted. The thought of how much had changed since we formed that plan made my chest ache.

After I'd made my way to the platform, the music started, a light, airy melody. I began to move, my body swaying to the beat. But my heart wasn't in it. All I could think about was Davon.

As I spun and swayed, the king spoke to his guests, his voice loud enough for me to hear. “She's quite the prize, isn't she?” he said, laughing. “And the male, he’s quite devoted to her. I took him from her and locked him in the basement with my otherspecialguest.”

The other males chuckled; their eyes gleaming.

My heart turned to ice in my chest. Davon was in the basement? I had to find a way to get to him, to free him.

It was timeIcame up with a plan.

Chapter 24

Davon

Iscooped up a handful of the grains from the tray, shoveling it into my mouth. It felt gritty, like sand between my teeth, but it was food. I followed it down with a swig of water from the jug, feeling a bit of my strength returning. My body ached from the fight, but my mind remained sharp, focused on one thing only: escape.

“How long have you been down here?” I asked, looking at the three Veerenads.

Valdar sighed, running a clawed hand through his matted hair. “Too long. Months, perhaps. It's hard to tell the passage of time in this place.”

Krekk nodded, his tail twitching behind him. “We've tried to escape. Many times.”

“And?”

Torinar snorted. “And we're still here, aren't we?”

“The king expects us to try,” Valdar said. “He likes the game, the chase. But we've stopped playing.”