Page 13 of Alien in the Depths
Swinging her legs off of the bed and leaving her dinner to get cold, and probably soggy, next to the spot where she’d been sitting, Sofia stood up and stomped to the balcony like a ticked-off toddler. She swung the doors open and stepped out into another beautiful Thryal night.
Leaning on the banister, she noticed it was one of those bright nights. Just like on Earth, the moon must have been a bit closer to the planet than usual, reflecting the baffling array of stars and other luminescent celestial bodies toward the surface of this alien planet that she was becoming more and more comfortable with calling home.
The sky was deep violet, casting the mountains bordering the capital in an indigo shade. Sofia huffed an annoyed sigh. The shade of the purple sky resembled Zaraq’s eyes perfectly. How could she be so mad at him but still miss him?
The lights of the many towers rising from the ground had a golden yellow glow, as if the interiors were lit by candles reflecting off of polished treasure. The engine trail of a transport pod left behind an ethereal lilac trail that evaporated like mist over the emerald lake. Sofia watched as the engines shrank in the distance and blinked out of existence, wondering if Zaraq was on board, exiting from her life as quickly as he’d arrived.
This would have been a perfect night to spend with him—a cozy night in, where they could continue to bond through dumb conversations young couples have when their guards are starting to come down and the embarrassing quirks they keep tucked away in fear of judgment begin leaking out.
In her experience, that was when a fling, or a “thing,” became something real. When you can show someone else what the mirror sees, that is when you know they are special.
Isn’t that what Zaraq did?Sofia wondered, tracking a satellite blinking through space.He took off his mask, and you threw him away.
She squeezed the railing until her palms burned.
“It’s not the same,” she said aloud.
Pushing herself back from the edge of the balcony, she went back inside, closing the doors behind her. Locked away from a stunning scene made it easier to let her anger out.
She gave herself permission to feel everything burning its way through her. All of the anger over being lied to, the shock over his violent past, the betrayal for being led to believe he was something he wasn’t, the guilt for not giving him a chance.
“No!” she said, slamming a fist on the dresser. “I have nothing to feel guilty about.”
He kept this fromme.He lied tome.If anyone should be feeling guilty right now, it’s him.
So what if she didn’t give him a chance? Zaraq said it himself. Involving her could get her hurt. Not only did he lie to her, but he put herlifein danger. If space gangsters work the same way Earth gangsters do in movies, his enemy was likely to go after anyone Zaraq had ever known.
Howdarehe jeopardize her like that?
Howdarehe let her get close to him?
Howdare—
There was a knock at the door.
Sofia wasn’t aware that she’d been pacing, but the intrusion of the knock stopped her from burning a hole in the floor.
“Sof?” It was Carmen. She was using her gentle, motherly voice.
Sofia snarled. “What?” she yelled. Besides not having a poker face, she didn’t have a poker voice, either. She was pissed and didn’t care who knew it.
“Are you okay?” Carmen asked through the door.
“Yes!” Sofia lied. Her face felt hot. “Why do you ask?”
After a short beat, Carmen replied in that singsong, consoling tone parents use with fussy eaters. “Well, you didn’t come down for dinner, and you’re yelling at me right now.”
“I am not…yelling!” Sofia yelled.
Carmen dropped the matronly act. “Girl, you need to open this door before I have my husband order one of his guards to open it!”
She yanked the door to her quarters open to find both Carmen and Arccoo standing there. Her older sister had a hand on one hip and daggers poised to fly from her eyes. The prince looked frightened, as if he were about to witness Thryal’s first act of sororicide. Carmen held a bottle of wine, and Arccoo had three empty glasses. They were both wearing those robes Sofia was brooding about earlier.
“Both of you?” Sofia exclaimed. “Seriously?”
Giving up, she shambled over to her bed and threw herself down in defeat. “Can this night get any worse?”
“Perhaps I should leave,” Arccoo offered from the hall.