Page 3 of Alien in the Depths

Zaraq looked uncomfortable for a second and then shook himself. “Same as you, I suppose. Exploring.”

“I assume you’ve heard the stories, then? Have you come for a wish? I call dibs on the first one!” She pointed a finger at him accusingly.

Zaraq laughed. “You believe that stuff?”

“Hey, you never know what could be real. All myths and legends originated somewhere,” Sofia said with a shrug.

Zaraq studied her with new interest. “That’s true, I guess. But no, I just wanted to come see the catacombs. Their beauty is legendary—the real kind.” He winked. “Though no one talks about the smell out there,” he said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder.

“Oh my god, right? I could seriously have done without breathing in fart-smell while huffing and puffing up that hill!” Sofia giggled.

Zaraq snorted at the description. “I was about to break for lunch. Would you like to join me?” he asked.

“Ooh, yes, I’m starving!” They walked to the edge of the cavern, sitting on the hard rock with their backs against the cave wall. Sofia pulled out the lunch that Blitto had prepared for her, and Zaraq rummaged in his backpack for his own. As he dug through it, Sofia thought she spotted the barrel of a blaster. She’d thought the Thryal weapon was only allowed for the royal guard and the army.

She glanced at Zaraq as he pulled out his food and closed his pack. She couldn’t imagine this wide-eyed explorer carrying an illegal weapon, so she shook her head. It must have been something else. She’d used a blaster gun before, but she was by no means an expert.

Sofia settled back, biting into her sandwich. The silence between them was comfortable as they ate. She stole little glances at Zaraq between bites, catching his gaze on her more than once. It made the butterflies kick up a fuss again in her stomach.

When they finished, Zaraq turned to her.

“How did you end up on Thryal?” he asked, a slight furrow on his brow. She smiled.

“It’s a long story,” she warned.

Zaraq settled back. “Well then, good thing we have nowhere to be.”

Sofia huffed. “Speak for yourself. I’ve only just started exploring the caverns, and I really want to find the hot springs. There’s nothing like a swim in naturally heated water!”

Zaraq’s eyes lit up. “I found them yesterday. They’re amazing, and there are glow worms all over the walls.”

The thought made Sofia’s nose scrunch in disgust, and Zaraq smirked at her.

“Don’t worry, they barely move. And they don’t bite… I think.” He burst out laughing at her expression and jumped up. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

Sofia bit her lip, looking up at him through her lashes as he offered a hand. She could hear Carmen’s voice in her head, warning her about trusting strangers. She had her own map, though, and she’d know if he was leading her astray.

With a shrug to her inner trepidations, she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. They tidied their packs. Sofia felt herself growing more and more curious about this handsome alien.

Zaraq grinned at her as they finished up. “Come on, there’s a shortcut this way,” he said, pointing toward an ominous-looking tunnel. Sofia hesitated, looking down at her map.

“Here, let me show you.” Zaraq leaned close to her and traced the path on her map. She inhaled subtly, picking up a light sulfur smell from the hot spring and a fresh, woodsy smell underneath it. Along the way, her map noted a caved-in tunnel. Zaraq tapped his finger on the spot.

“I went through that a few days ago and cleared up the rocks. It wasn’t as bad as it says on here.”

Sofia looked at him. He seemed genuine.Fuck it, she decided.

“Okay, let’s go.”

The tunnel was narrow, forcing them close together as they navigated through. Sofia’s heart was racing, and she knew she couldn’t fully blame it on the excitement of her adventure. Just like when they ate, they kept stealing glances at each other in the faint lamplight, blushing every time they caught the other in the act.

“So, how did you end up here?” Sofia asked after a while.

“You first,” Zaraq replied cheekily.

She laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. “Well, it started with a ghost in our grandparents’ house…”

Chapter 2