Page 101 of Alien Prince

“Shut her up,” one of them snarls, and a hand clamps over my mouth.

Terror surges through me, but I refuse to give in. I kick and try to shove my head back to hurt them, but my blows accomplish nothing, the aliens too strong.

They drag me toward a smaller, hidden ship tucked away in the shadows, their grip unyielding. I glance back to see the guard fighting desperately, but he’s outnumbered.

The rebels. Who else could it be?

They shove me onto the ship, the cold metal floor biting into my knees as I’m forced down. The doors close behind us with a hiss, sealing me inside with my captors.

One of them steps forward, their face partially visible under a hood. “So, this is the Earthling who’s caused so much trouble,” he says, his voice dripping with disdain.

I glare up at them, my heart racing but my resolve hardening.

“You’ll make excellent leverage,” the rebel continues, crouching down to meet my gaze. “Kael will do anything to get you back.”

The implication sends a chill through me, but I refuse to let them see my fear.

“If you think he’ll negotiate with terrorists, you don’t know him at all,” I snap, more afraid for Kael and what he’ll do than for myself.

The rebel’s eyes narrow, and he straightens, signaling to the others. “Lock her up. We’ll see how long her defiance lasts.”

They drag me into a small, dimly lit cell at the back of the ship and slam the door shut behind me.

As the ship takes off, I press my back against the cold wall, my mind racing.

Kael.

They plan to use me against him, but I won’t let that happen.

I concentrate on my breathing and try to clear my mind. I will find a way to survive. They won’t win.

If they think I’m just some pawn, they’re sorely mistaken.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kael

The moment I arrive at the transport bay, my heart sinks. There’s a cluster of dead bodies, and I jump out of the vehicle.

There’s movement. One of them is alive.

The guard assigned to watch over Emily.

I want to shake him, to force him to tell me what happened, but he’s barely conscious.

I carry him onto my transport. “Return to the palace,” I say after sweeping my gaze one last time for Emily.

She’s not here.

Has she left for Earth then? But what about the dead bodies near the guard?

Not even an hour later, the guard sits on the edge of the medical bay cot, his uniform torn and bloodied but his posture rigid. Despite his injuries, his eyes are sharp, his focus unwavering as I stand before him.

“What did you see?” I demand, my voice low but unrelenting. “What happened? Where’s Emily?”

He takes a shaky breath, wincing as he shifts. “They were rebels, Your Highthos. I recognized some of them from theoutskirts of the capital, at gatherings where dissent brews. I tried to protect her, but…”

“They took her,” I growl.

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