Page 43 of Alien in the Attic

Arccoo’s jaw clenched in fury, but Carmen gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“No, you just care enough to get them all killed in a pointless war,” she said. “Earth has plenty of men like you, and they always make the worst leaders.”

That got under his skin. “Kill them.”

Rocco’s soldiers opened fire, but Elena’s modifications to the invisibility cloaks worked. The rays from the blasters bounced off them like light off a mirror.

Carmen pulled Sofia close and whispered something in her ear before charging Rocco’s soldiers. He watched the fastest of the sisters sprint into the vault and, realizing what she was doing, charged Rocco in the hopes of distracting him.

“You and me,” he said, slicing at his brother with his plasma sword. Rocco easily dodged the blow and returned with one of his own. Arccoo heard the sound of distant gunfire and hoped his backup would be arriving soon. He and his brother locked plasma swords. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You always were weak like that.” Rocco pushed him back, sending him stumbling. “It’s why you would never be a great king.”

Arccoo let out a surprised laugh as he parried his brother’s blow. “You think I want to be king? You truly have lost it.”

“No, I am a student of history,” Rocco retorted, kicking Arccoo’s knee. He fell with a choked cry. “Do you have any idea how many firstborns have died at the hands of their younger brothers? I’m simply taking preemptive action.” Rocco held the blade to his brother’s throat and prepared for the killing blow.

“Get the hell away from him!” Carmen shouted, striking Rocco on the back of the head with her blaster staff.

Rocco crumpled to the ground like clothes dropped from a dryer line. Carmen’s brown eyes, usually so gentle, were fierce. When they met his, though, they softened into worry.

“Are you okay?” she asked, helping him to his feet. He sensed more than he saw the soldier taking aim at her. In a fluid motion, he swung her aside and threw his sword at the shooter, hitting him square in the chest.

“I’m fine,” he replied, running a hand across a wound sluggishly forming a red streak down her forehead. “You?”

“I’m—Behind you!” She grabbed her blaster and shot someone trying to sneak up on them. Shaking her head, she let out a weak laugh. “I’m fine. But let’s save this conversation for later.”

“Agreed.”

“Hey, guys, I got the thing,” Sofia said, bounding over to them alongside Elena. “How about you grab your brother and we all skedaddle?”

“Sounds like a plan.” He stooped over to cuff Rocco’s hands and feet together before lifting him in a fireman’s carry. Pressing his comms, he made a report. “Mission objectives complete. Return to the ship.”

With Carmen and her sisters at his side and the taste of victory on his lips, they fought their way to the waiting ship and headed home.

Chapter 18

Carmen

Rocco woke slowly, and Carmen watched his confusion turn to indignation with some satisfaction. “I am the heir to the throne. Let me go at once.”

“Sorry, no can do,” Sofia said. “Megalomaniacal princes go straight to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.”

“Why would he want two hundred dollars?” Arccoo whispered to her, making her giggle at his honest confusion.

“It’s a reference to an Earth board game. Remind me to pick one up if we ever go home. It’s a great way to destroy relationships and feed that power hungry side of you without actually hurting anyone.” She hummed thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, Rocco might be able to use that. It can be a therapeutic outlet for him.”

“I understood all those words separately,” he said.

Giggling, she leaned on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.” After the adrenaline of the battle, she could feel herself beginning to crash now that she knew she was safe. As soon as she got back, she was going to sleep for a week.

Elena was already dozing in her seat while Sofia’s eyelids drooped. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “Sleep well and know that the Thryal people are in your debt.”

Across from them, Rocco made a disgusted noise. She felt Arccoo’s sigh and knew without looking up that he was rolling his eyes. “Oh, shut up. You’re just jealous.”

“Of that? I’d sooner be jealous of a farmer having relations with his herd of groles.”

She felt him tense underneath her and tightened her grip around his waist, holding him back from lunging at his traitorous,asshole brother. She didn’t know what a grole was but assumed Rocco was comparing their relationship to bestiality. Charming.

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