Page 12 of Quick on the Claw

The wormhole spat them out with all the grace of a toddler’s first attempt at spitting watermelon seeds. Tiffany stumbled, her stomach doing an impressive impression of a washing machine on its final spin cycle. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the swirling lights from her vision.

“Well,” she muttered, straightening up and attempting to smooth down her hair, “that was... something.”

Beside her, Sia let out a whoop of delight. “That was awesome! Can we do it again?”

Gerri Wilder chuckled, looking as poised and unruffled as if she’d just stepped out of a spa rather than an interdimensional portal. “Maybe later, dear. For now, welcome to Nova Aurora.”

Tiffany’s jaw dropped as she took in her surroundings. The sky above them was a vibrant shade of purple, streaked with ribbons of shimmering gold that pulsed and shifted like living things. Two suns hung low on the horizon, one a brilliant white and the other a soft, rosy pink. The air was thick with the scent of alien flowers, sweet and spicy and utterly unlike anything on Earth.

“Holy crap,” Tiffany breathed. “We’re really on another planet.”

“What gave it away?” Sia teased, nudging her cousin. “The colorful sky or the fact that we just stepped out of a wormhole?”

Tiffany rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the grin off her face. Despite her lingering nausea and the surreal nature of their situation, excitement bubbled up inside her. This was it – a real adventure just like she’d dreamed of.

“Ladies,” Gerri said, gesturing toward an impressive structure near them, “allow me to present the Royal Palace of King Alyx.”

The palace was a marvel of sleek metal, crystalline spires, and graceful arches, seeming to grow organically from the lush landscape around it. As they approached, Tiffany noticed intricate patterns etched into the walls, glowing faintly with an inner light.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, running her hand along one of the walls. To her surprise, the surface was warm to the touch and seemed to pulse gently under her fingers.

“The palace is partially sentient,” a voice explained, startling Tiffany. She turned to see a woman approaching, her smile warm and welcoming. “It responds to touch and emotion. Right now, it’s saying hello.”

Despite her regal bearing, there was something unmistakably human about her.

“Gerri!” the woman called out, her face lighting up with a warm smile. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Gerri rushed forward to embrace her. “Bella, darling. You’re looking as radiant as ever. How’s that handsome and stubborn king of yours?”

Bella laughed, returning the hug. “Alyx is growly as ever and just as amazing. He still tells everyone about your powers at matching the grumpiest alien lion king with an Earth girl.”

“It’s what I do best,” Gerri winked, then turned to introduce Tiffany and Sia. “Ladies, this is Queen Bella. Bella was my assistant for a while before I brought her here and matched her with Alyx. Bella, meet Tiffany and Sia, our newest Earth visitors.”

Tiffany’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait, you matched her with King Alyx? As in, the king of this entire planet?”

Bella grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yep, that’s my Alyx. He’s on a camping trip with the boys or he’d have been here to greet you guys, but since he only does it once a season, the kids were driving him crazy wanting to go hunting and spending time outdoors.”

“So Alyx is getting in touch with his lion side, huh?” Gerri teased.

Bella giggled. “Gerri here has a knack for the impossible. Who knows? Maybe she’ll work her magic for you two as well.”

Sia perked up at that. “Ooh, does that mean there are more hunky alien kings available? Because I am so ready for my own interstellar romance.”

Gerri and Bella exchanged a knowing look, and Bella grinned. “You just wait. I’m so happy to meet you both and have more Earth girls here. We’re totally going to start our own Earth girls club.”

Tiffany found herself instantly charmed by Bella’s easy manner and the hint of mischief in her eyes. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to be here.”

Bella waved a hand dismissively. “Oh please, call me Bella. ‘Your Majesty’ makes me feel like I should be wearing a stuffy gown and waving from a balcony.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Between you and me, I much prefer jeans and having our AI stream some good Netflix. Those documentaries are insane.”

Sia laughed delightedly. “A queen after my own heart. So, Bella, what’s the 411 on all the hunky alien men around here? Because I’ve got to say, the view is pretty spectacular so far.”

“Sia!” Tiffany hissed, mortified, but Bella just grinned.

“Oh honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Just wait until you meet some of our warriors. Let’s just say there’s definitely something in the water here.” She winked at Tiffany. “And speaking of hunky aliens, wait until you meet Zakhar. He’s almost as handsome as my Alyx – and that’s saying something.”

Before Tiffany could respond to that intriguing tidbit, a small whirlwind of energy came barreling down the palace steps.

“Mama! Are they here? Are they the Earth ladies?” A little girl, no more than six or seven, skidded to a stop in front of them, her golden eyes wide with excitement.

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