Page 6 of Alien in the Depths

Sofia raised an eyebrow and motioned with her hand for him to continue. He shrugged.

“You can’t make a statement like that and not deliver! Come on, tell me the craziest one,” she implored.

“Fine, fine. When I was four, my parents and I visited a planet called Triensi. It was my first off-world trip, and I was so excited. I might have thrown up on the trip there,” he said, laughing at himself. “My father wanted to visit the old libraries there, so we stayed in the librarian’s house. What we didn’t know was that it had been deserted because of ‘rogue spirits’ that were causing havoc.”

“Ooh, a poltergeist! Fun!”

“That’s what you call vengeful spirits?” Zaraq frowned. It sounded like something you could eat. “Anyway, so one night, I couldn’t sleep, and I wandered around the halls. The clock struck midnight, and the next second I was back in my room.”

Sofia frowned. “That’s it? That’s your best story?”

Zaraq shrugged, mildly offended. He’d thought she’d like a “ghost” story.

“Bah, you were probably just sleepwalking! Come on, tell me another. What’s the best place you’ve visited?”

Zaraq stared at her for a few seconds, taking in the glint in her eyes and the tilt of her head. He felt lucky to be the sole owner of her attention, despite his apparently shit story.

“Best place… It would have to be Yordii. The whole planet is just wild nature, and the inhabitants are so interesting. They have skin that changes color according to their moods. It’s fascinating.”

“Mood ring skin? That seems invasive. It’s bad enough that I can never control my face.” Sofia laughed.

Zaraq joined her. He’d noticed that whatever she was thinking was broadcast on her face, and he found that refreshing. For most of his life, he’d been surrounded by people who hid every thought and emotion behind a steel door.

“I think it’s good. Hiding your thoughts and emotions just leads to it being bottled up, and that’s not good for anyone,” he mused.

“If you say so, Mr. Poker Face,” Sofia replied with a cheeky grin. Zaraq assumed it was a teasing insult, though he didn’t know what a poker face was. He playfully scowled at her.

“Ooh, watch out, you’re showing emotion!” Sofia smirked, extremely amused at her own joke. Zaraq couldn’t help but grin back. She was unlike anyone he’d ever met… and he really liked it.

As they walked, Zaraq and Sofia shared stories of their adventures. Zaraq had to work hard to keep his story vagueenough to hide his sordid history, but he found himself wanting to share everything with her.

After exploring the cave and reading the inscriptions on the graves, they set up their bedrolls in a warm corner. Zaraq shared some of the liquor he’d taken from Rikuus before his escape, and they spoke until late in the night. When they woke, Sofia seemed thoughtful.

“Are you staying here much longer? What do you have planned?”

Zaraq frowned, not sure where she was going with this. In all honesty, he didn’t have any plans beyond staying out of reach of anyone who may be looking for him. “I’m not sure, really. Why do you ask?”

Sofia seemed shy. In the short time he’d known her, even though it felt like they’d known each other for years, it was very uncharacteristic.

She bit her lip. “Well, you mentioned last night that you haven’t been to the capital before. I was wondering if you wanted to join me when I go back to the annex?” She said the last part in a rush.

Zaraq stayed silent as he considered. He couldn’t explain it, but he wanted to spend more time with her. And, though he was born to Thryal parents, hehadnever been to the capital. And the annex was protected by royal guards. If he could keep his history secret, what could it hurt?

Sofia spoke before he could reply. “I’m hoping to go on more explorations around the planet, and like I said yesterday… Adventuring can get lonely. Maybe you could come back with me, meet my family, and then we go on some adventures?” She smiled hopefully at him.

He couldn’t say no to that beautiful face.

“I’d like that.”

Chapter 3

Sofia

Sofia squinted through the sunlight, trying to gauge how much further it would be to the palace where Arccoo and her sisters lived. Zaraq sat next to her, fidgeting. They had spent two incredible days getting to know each other and exploring the catacombs. Being around him felt so natural, despite the fuss her insides kicked up every time he looked at her with those smoldering purple eyes.

“Don’t worry. My family’s great. They’ll love you!” she said, beaming at him. When he agreed to come back with her, she’d been over the moon. She couldn’t wait to introduce him to her sisters.

“I’m not worried,” Zaraq replied, looking very worried.