Page 44 of Alien in the Attic

“I wouldn’t be so picky,” she replied, not opening her eyes. “Soon, the only action you’ll be getting will be by your own royal hands. The groles might not be looking so bad once you’ve served your time.”

Rocco sputtered indignantly while a chuckle rumbled in Arccoo’s chest. Sofia burst out laughing loudly enough to wake up Elena, who mumbled in confusion over what was so funny. As the laughter died down, Carmen’s breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep.

“Carmen, wake up,” came Arccoo’s gentle voice as he shook her arm to rouse her.

Sitting up, she let out a jaw-cracking yawn. Her neck had an awful crick in it, but she felt better than she had in a very long time. The ship was landing with a crowd circling below them. When it touched the ground, Arccoo took her hand. With her sisters at their side, they walked to the door.

In his other hand, he held up the parantaa, and a hush fell over the crowd. Moving as though in perfect synchronicity, they touched their hands to their hearts and bowed low, a gesture Carmen had come to realize was one of respect, not just directed at their new heir apparent but at her and her sisters.

A high-ranking Thryal approached. Carmen did not recognize him, but Arccoo’s face lit up. “Corrum!”

The official placed a fist over his heart and bowed low. “Your Highness. I see your mission proved successful.”

“And yours has just begun,” Arccoo replied, handing the device to him. “I entrust this to you for the care and protection of our planet. Use it well and only for good.”

Corrum bowed. “I will do as the heir requests.”

Carmen glanced up at Arccoo, who mouthed, “Later.” After all the trouble they’d gone through to get it, she had to trust that the parantaa was in the right hands.

The next hour or so was a blur of mission debriefs and visits from Thryal doctors to make sure she and her sisters truly had gotten through the battle unscathed. Arccoo left her once the doctors had given them a clean bill of health. He had other duties to attend to. Finally, she was allowed to change out of her clothes, shower, and relax in her and her sisters’ quarters.

Elena flopped onto her bed. “Well, I can cross ‘epic space battle’ off my bucket list.”

“That was on your list?” Sofia asked, toeing off her shoes and climbing into her bed. “And I thought my goal of being the first to find real proof of Bigfoot was unrealistic.”

“Well, between the two of us, which one’s list just came true?”

“Bigfoot might still be real,” Sofia protested. “Our sister is dating the alien who we thought was a ghost haunting our grandparents’ house. Stranger things have happened than the continued survival of a hominid species in remote parts of the world.”

Elena tossed a pillow at Sofia. “Nerd.”

“Hi, pot, meet kettle.”

Carmen stretched out in her bed, letting her sisters’ bickering wash over her. It had been a very long day, and it wasn’t even lunch yet. The gravity of what just happened began to sink in.

The Thryals now had the ability to heal their people from this plague. She, Arccoo, and her sisters did that. It felt conceited to call herself a hero, but she was one. They all were. If someone had told Carmen a year ago that she would fall in love with an alien prince and help save an entire planet, she would have laughed in their face. But this was real.

“You’re quiet, Carmen,” Elena said, shaking the eldest from her reverie.

“Sorry, just tired and lost in thought. Everything feels so surreal right now.”

Elena smiled. “I get it. These last few months have felt like a dream. I keep expecting to wake up in our shitty old apartment.”

“Same,” Sofia said. “Like, how the hell did we become heroes in outer space? I’m a failed paranormal investigator, for God’s sake. Now, I’m living out the dreams of every UFO enthusiast on the Earth. Our lives are so fucking weird.”

“I know I said it before, but thank you both again for coming with me. The parantaa would have been lost without you.”

“Aw, this calls for an awkward sibling hug,” Sofia said. She and Elena joined Carmen on her bed and wrapped their arms around her in a group hug.

The door opened, revealing Arccoo. He stopped, grinning and looking more relaxed than Carmen had ever seen him. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

“Nope.” Elena pushed Carmen away from her and toward him.

“Just some sweet sisterly bonding,” Sofia said, getting to her feet. She shot him finger guns before flopping into her own bed. “She’s all yours, chief.”

Rolling her eyes, Carmen got to her feet and joined her love. He pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply, lifting her and swirling her in a circle. “You are amazing,” he said.

She felt the heat warm her cheeks. “You’re the amazing one. I just have to keep up.”

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