Page 8 of Gifted to the Alien Prince

I wondered what family dynamics those made. I guess I would find out shortly.

Unfortunately, the briefing didn’t say much more about Prince Thadron himself.

I threw all my warm clothes in my suitcase and put all my weight on it to zip it closed. One last item remained on my bed,The Book of Frost. I still had doubts about giving this to him for the exchange.

"Thadron isn't a fairy tale kind of person," I muttered to myself. The exchange wasn’t for several days. Maybe I could find a different gift for him.

I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to shop on a foreign planet, though.

“Isa, we need to go.” Thadron called from downstairs. I had a mouthful of grumpy words under my breath.

No time for thinking about holiday shopping now. I had been officially summoned.

“Coming, Your Highness.” There may or may not have been a tiny note of sarcasm in my response.

I lugged my suitcase to the top of the stairs. Thadron stood at the bottom, tall and imposing, his silver white hair reflecting the artificial light, making him look almost like a winter statue.

“Thank you for being patient," I beamed an innocent smile his way. I was unable to suppress it at the sight of him shifting irritably from one boot to the other.

His lips twitched. Dare I say that humor was threatening to break through his stoic demeanor before he masked it with a sigh. "We have a schedule to keep," he said, but his tone had softened, just barely. He climbed the stairs until he reached the one below me. Still towering over me, he lifted my suitcase and carried it the rest of the way down.

I put the CLOSED sign up and locked the door to my shop. I gave the bookstore a last glance, not wanting to leave it even though it would just be for a few weeks during the holiday. "Lead the way.” I left outYour Highnessthis time.

Thadron turned towards the transport vehicle, his cape giving a dramatic sweep like it had a mind of its own. I followed him, leaving behind the warmth of my world for the cold vastness of space

The vehicle took us to the space hub. Our ship was a sleek vessel, its design both elegant and intimidating, much like the prince himself. I stepped inside, feeling a tremor in my knees, knowing I was headed for unfamiliar territory. The ship’s interior was bathed in soft blue light that filtered from the very walls, casting an otherwordly glow on everything it touched. I traced a hand along the cool metal surface as I passed, marveling at the craftsmanship.

As we ascended into the cosmos, I pressed my face against the viewing port, watching Earth shrink into the distance. My heart swelled with a mix of pride and jitters—here I was, Isa Hartman, bookstore owner and aspiring writer, about to represent not only myself but also my planet and the Wanderstar Fleet.

"Besides the cold, Glaciara will be a change from what you're used to," Thadron said, startling me from my thoughts. His voice held no trace of warmth, but I sensed an undertone of concern.

"Change can be good," I responded, turning to face him. "It brings new perspectives." My foot bumped against the suitcase stored under my seat, with his gift stored inside.

Thadron's gaze lingered on the edge of the suitcase peeking out, but he said nothing more. We traveled in silence, each in our own thoughts.

HOURS LATER, THE SHUTTLEbroke through the clouds of the stratosphere, and I caught my first glimpse of Glaciara. The planet unfolded beneath us with sprawling icy plains and jagged crystalline mountains glinting under the weak sunlight. My breath fogged against the cold glass as I pressed closer, a rope of nerves and excitement knotting in my stomach. I had read about the eternal winter of this distant world, but no words could do justice to how beautiful it was.

"Looks like something out of a fairy tale," I murmured to myself.

Thadron, sitting beside me, spared only a disinterested glance out of the window. "We’ll reach the landing station soon," he said, his voice flat. His eyes seemed dulled, his posture slouched as if the sight of his home was a burden rather than a comfort. I wondered what weight he carried that made him so distant, so ready to be anywhere but here.

Upon landing, another entourage of guards whisked us away in a sleek vehicle that seemed to glide over the snow rather than plow through it. It delivered us to a sculptural palace called the Gelverin Keep. The tall spires and long walkways were a shade darker than the snow surrounding the area.

I stopped in my tracks and couldn’t help but look up as I stood directly in front of the main entrance. The spires shimmered like frozen starlight, rising high against the pale, winter sky. The walls glistened with a fine coat of crystalline ice. Beneath the ice was etched intricate patterns that seemed to shift and glow. The windows also glowed with a light from within, reminding me of looking into a home and seeing the glow of a cozy fireplace.

“My family is waiting for us,” Thadron remarked, hardly taking in the sight of the grand keep. I supposed he was used to seeing it and living here all his life. But it was still a breathtaking sight.

The cold wasted no time cutting through the down of my winter jacket and seeping through the weave of my sweater. “Your home is gorgeous, but I probably shouldn’t stand out here longer.”

“Let’s go inside.” He got that concerned look on his face again as we passed through the main entrance. The bright light above the door was harsh to my eyes but the heat it generated felt good. “I told the palace aides to adjust the keep’s heating units.”

“That was nice of you.”

“It’s not nice. It’s necessary to keep you alive.” He kept a serious face. “Humans don’t have thermasense nodes to help regulate their body temperature in the cold.”

“No. We do not.” I tried to hide my curiosity as I looked at Thadron, wondering what and where exactly were thermasense nodes located on him.

Thadron's brother Prince Lucian waited for us in the great hall. Although he had grey eyes and he was slightly leaner than his older brother, I could see the family resemblance. Both Glaciarian males had the silver-white hair, with Lucian's shoulder-length while Thadron’s framed his head in careless waves. The brothers both stood shoulders above even the othertall Glaciarians who moved around us. Both had regal bearing, holding their heads high with pride and authority.

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