Page 104 of Alien Prince

“You should rest,” he says softly, avoiding my gaze.

“Rest?” I snap. “After everything that’s happened? After everything I’ve heard?”

His shoulders tense, and he finally looks at me, his violet eyes filled with a mix of guilt and something I can’t quite name. “Emily—”

“No,” I cut him off, stepping closer. “I deserve answers, Kael. You let them accuse me. You let them spread rumors about me, and you said nothing. Do you know what that felt like?”

His jaw tightens. Then he exhales, the sound heavy with emotion. “I know,” he says quietly. “I failed you.”

The admission takes me off guard, and my anger falters for a moment. “Why?” I ask, my voice softer now. “Why didn’t you defend me?”

He takes a step closer, his gaze locking with mine. “I was trying to see who was on our side and who wasn’t. I was hoping they would slip up and make a mistake, and… I never intended for you to get hurt or to get caught up in all of this. Where you…You were going to leave, weren’t you? That’s why you were at the transport bay.”

“Yes,” I admit.

“If you sought to go, you can. I would have brought you to a spaceship myself. Did you forget that I said you could leave at any time? Why didn’t you ask me to help you?”

“Because I didn’t want to see you again,” I whisper.

He flinches. “I understand that. I’ve been afraid. Not of you. Never of you. But of what you mean to me. Of what you’ve become to me.” Kael runs a hand through his silver hair, his composure cracking. “You are my greatest strength, Emily, but you’re also my greatest vulnerability. The rebels and the council see that. They see how much you matter to me, and they will stop at nothing to use it against me. Against us.”

I take a shaky breath, my anger giving way to something deeper. “You could have told me your plan,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I would have understood.”

“I know,” he says, his tone filled with regret. “But I thought…” He shakes his head. “I was wrong.”

The vulnerability in his eyes undoes me, and I step closer, reaching for his hand. “Kael,” I say softly, “I don’t need you to protect me by shutting me out. I need you to stand with me and trust me.”

He looks down at our joined hands, his grip tightening. “I do trust you,” he says firmly, “and I will stand by you. No matter the cost.”

The conviction in his voice sends a shiver through me.

“If you wish to still leave—” he starts.

“No. I’m not leaving.” I smile at him. “We’re in this together.”

His eyes meet mine, and I see the tension in his expression soften, replaced by something that warms my entire being. “Together,” he repeats, his tone a quiet vow.

The distance between us disappears as he pulls me into his arms, his embrace strong and grounding. For a moment, we simply hold each other.

“We’ll face the rebels,” he says finally, his voice steady, “and we’ll do it as partners.”

I nod against his chest. Tomorrow, we can fight the enemy, but for right now, all I need is him.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kael

The library is dimly lit, maps and documents spread across the table before us. Emily sits beside me, her brow furrowed in concentration as she examines the latest intelligence reports. Her presence is a steadying force, her sharp mind and determination a match for any challenge we face.

“They’re using the old trade routes through the northern valleys,” she says, pointing to a series of lines on the map. “I read about them. They stopped being used decades ago because of an electrical storm, which is why no one noticed for so long. If we cut them off here and here, it’ll cripple their supply chain.”

I glance at the spots she’s indicated, my admiration for her growing. She’s proven herself time and again—not just as an ally but as someone I can trust implicitly.

“You’re right,” I say, nodding. “We’ll send scouts to confirm their movements then position our forces to intercept.”

Emily leans back, her expression thoughtful. “It won’t be enough to disrupt their plans,” she says after a moment. “We need to hit their leadership. Take out Nyran and his inner circle before they can regroup.”

Her words send a surge of pride through me. She speaks with the confidence of someone who belongs here, someone who’s earned her place.

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