Page 31 of The Alien's Unwanted Bride

But as they reached it, the door burst open, revealing a squad of Drakanor mercenaries, their weapons trained on Zora and Dravek.

“Well, well,” a deep voice rumbled. “What have we here?”

The military leader stepped forward, his amber eyes gleaming with predatory excitement. “The princess and her prince caught in the act. Lord Malgor will be most pleased.”

Zora’s mind raced, assessing their options. The room was too small for a prolonged fight, and they were outnumbered. She glanced at Dravek, seeing the same calculations running through his mind.

“Now, now,” Zora said, forcing a playful tone into her voice. “Surely we can talk about this like civilized beings?”

As she spoke, her hand inched toward a pouch at her waist where she kept her most potent botanical creations.

The militant’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “I’m afraid the time for talk is over, Your Highness.”

In that instant, several things happened at once.

Zora threw a handful of seeds at the mercenaries’ feet, where they burst into a thick, choking mist. Dravek lunged forward, his fist connecting with the man’s jaw in a bone-crunching impact.

“Run!” Dravek shouted, grabbing Zora’s hand and pulling her through the confused tangle of coughing mercenaries.

They sprinted down the corridor, the sounds of pursuit close behind. Zora’s heart pounded in her ears as they ran, dodging palace guards and panicked party-goers.

“This way,” Dravek said, pulling her down a side passage. “There’s a secret exit?—”

His words were cut off by a searing bolt of energy that struck the wall inches from Zora’s head. She yelped, ducking instinctively as fragments of stone rained down on them.

They rounded a corner, finding themselves in a vast ballroom. Ornate pillars lined the walls, and a massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. On the far side, a set of floor-to-ceiling windows offered a tantalizing glimpse of freedom.

But before they could cross the room, more mercenaries poured in from other entrances, cutting off their escape. The same military officer strode in, a nasty bruise forming on his jaw, murder in his eyes.

“Nowhere left to run,” he snarled.

Zora and Dravek stood back-to-back, surrounded on all sides. Zora could feel Dravek’s muscles tensing, ready for a fight.

“Any more tricks up your sleeve?” Dravek murmured.

Zora’s mind whirled, assessing their surroundings. Her gaze landed on the chandelier, and a desperate plan formed.

“Just one,” she whispered back. “When I say ‘now,’ drop to the floor.”

The leader advanced, a wicked-looking energy weapon aimed at Zora’s heart. “Lord Malgor might want you alive, Princess, but he didn’t say anything about unharmed.”

Zora’s hand closed around a seed pod—a work-in-progress she hadn’t yet perfected. It was risky, but they were out of options.

“You know,” she said, her voice steady despite her racing heart, “there’s something you should understand about nature.”

The man’s brow raised, curiosity momentarily overriding his bloodlust. “And what’s that?”

Zora’s lips curved into a defiant smile. “It always finds a way.”

With that, she hurled the pod at the chandelier. “Now!” she shouted to Dravek, dropping to the floor.

The pod exploded in a burst of vivid green light. Instantly, vines erupted from it, growing at an impossible speed. They wrapped around the chandelier, creaking and groaning under the sudden weight.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then, with a deafening crash, the chandelier plummeted to the ground.

Chaos erupted. Mercenaries dove for cover as crystal shards and twisted metal rained down. Zora felt Dravek’s arm wrap protectively around her, shielding her from the worst of the debris.

As the dust settled, Zora and Dravek scrambled to their feet. The fallen chandelier had created a barrier between them andmost of the mercenaries. But the military head, quicker than the others, was already climbing over the wreckage, his face contorted with rage.

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