Page 7 of Alien in the Depths
Sofia huffed and turned back. “Oh, look, there it is! Blitto, can’t we go any faster?”
Blitto snorted, throwing a glare over his shoulder. “First you want to stay away forever. Now you can’t wait to get back?” he asked, his rough voice raised over the hum of the transport vehicle.
Sofia laughed. She’d dragged Blitto place after place, begging him for stories about the most haunted locations she could find.
“You loved it,” she said with a cheeky smile. She only got a grunt in reply, which she definitely took as a yes
They finally docked at the annex. After some quick introductions, Carmen insisted that the sisters catch up. She waved Zaraq over, introducing him to the Thryal equivalent of a butler.
“Could you set him up in a room near Sofia?” she asked. The butler nodded, leading Zaraq away.
“Z, I’ll meet up with you a bit later!” Sofia waved over her shoulder as Carmen dragged her along.
“Tell me everything. Have you eaten?” Carmen waved Arccoo over. “Could you get us some snacks and coffee and meet us in our bedroom?”
Sofia stifled a laugh at the way Carmen blinked up at Arccoo innocently. She’d been on the receiving end of that look, and she knew it was impossible to say no to her sister.
Arccoo rolled his eyes and nodded. He gave Carmen a quick kiss and winked at Sofia.
“Only you could boss around the literal prince of this place,” Sofia said. They made their way through the halls to Carmen’s bedroom. Elena was waiting, and Sofia hugged her awkward little sister tightly.
Before Sofia could say anything, Carmen nudged Elena. “Guess who brought home afriend?”
Sofia groaned, but she couldn’t hold back a smile. Elena raised an eyebrow, her keen eyes catching Sofia’s expression.
She dropped onto her bed, her hair fanning out around her. Her sisters followed, facing her on their sides.
“Well?” Elena asked, never one for beating around the bush.
“Ugh, well… His name is Zaraq. I was exploring the catacombs by the marsh, and there was this beautiful cave, and boom, there he was.” Sofia sighed dreamily. “He’s gorgeous and funny, and we talked for like two days straight.”
“I can vouch for him being gorgeous,” Carmen said with a cheeky grin.
Elena shoved her lightly on the shoulder. “How come I didn’t get to meet him?” she asked, put out.
“Because you weren’t the wonderful, amazing sister who went to meet their transport as they arrived,” Carmen replied smugly.
Elena rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been keeping watch for her to come back every second of the day.” Elena’s voice was thick with sarcasm, and Carmen scoffed.
Sofia’s head swung between them like a tennis match. She knew this could go on for ages if she didn’t put a stop to it, and she had a lot to tell them.
“Geez, calm it, sisters!” She held up her hands. “Can we focus on me again, please?”
For one terrifying second, she was on the receiving end of two matching glares. Carmen’s face softened first.
“Let’s all have dinner together tonight, and we can get to know him.”
The sky had just started to darken when the five of them walked down to Arccoo’s chosen restaurant. After spending the day with her sisters, Sofia was excited to talk to Zaraq and have her family get to know him better.
“Whoa,” Sofia muttered as they walked into the small restaurant. The interior was a mixture of marble and velvet fabrics, creating a luxurious feel. A musician sat in the corner of the room, playing on a dark green instrument that resembled a piano.
No one else was in the restaurant, and Sofia wondered for a second if Arccoo had booked the whole place for them. Her question was answered when she saw the lone made-up table in the center of the dining area. She shared a wide-eyed look with Elena.Fancy.
A waiter decked in technology walked over. “Right this way, Your Highness,” he said, leading them to the table.
“What’s all this?” Elena asked, pointing to the waiter’s tech ensemble. Sofia and Carmen exchanged exasperated looks. Their youngest sister was obsessed with the advanced technology of Thryal.
The waiter shared a look with Arccoo, and he nodded. With the prince’s permission given, he started describing each of the cutting-edge gizmos.