Page 100 of Alien Prince

My silence in the hopes that one might make an error and I learn who stands for us and who opposes us.

I curl my fingers into tight enough fists that my knuckles change hue. She clearly overheard them, but why would she believe the worst and not speak to me first?

I should have stopped the rumors the moment they started. I should have defended her and made it clear that she is not just another outsider to be dismissed or used as a pawn.

But I didn’t for a plan that now seems foolish. There were other means to try to learn who is with us.

And now, she’s gone.

A surge of panic and anger rushes through me, and I turn to my guards. “Prepare a transport,” I bark. “Now.”

I can’t lose her. Not just because of the kingdom or the throne, but because of what she’s come to mean to me.

Emily isn’t merely one of the vessel’s many choices. She isn’t just a queen-in-waiting. She’s the woman who’s challenged me, who’s seen past the crown and into the man beneath it.

She’s my match.

The realization sharpens my resolve, and I stride toward the transport bay, determination coursing through me.

I’ll find her. Wherever she’s gone, whatever it takes, I’ll bring her back.

And this time, I’ll make sure she knows—without question—that she belongs here. That she belongs with me.

Losing her is not an option.

Chapter Twenty-One

Emily

The guard is a step ahead of me as we leave the palace. We’re heading toward the transport bay to find a spaceship. I’m going to Earth.

My heart pounds with each step, and I don’t know if I’m more afraid or determined.

Karlia, my sweet friend, insisted on staying behind, her soft voice steady as she promised to delay Kael.

“You’ll need time,” she said, her hand resting lightly on my arm. “I’ll make sure you have it.”

I hated leaving her behind, but I didn’t have a choice. Without her aid, I might not be able to accomplish my goal.

The guard who told me his name but escapes me speeds up, and I match his pace. His presence is both comforting and unnerving.

“We’re almost there,” the guard says, his voice low as he glances back at me.

I nod, clutching my bag tightly. The transport bay is just ahead and, with it, the spaceship that will take me far from Erythos. Far from Kael.

My stomach twists at the thought, but I force it down. This is the only way.

We enter the transport bay, and I see the sleek outline of the ship waiting for me. Relief floods my chest, but it’s short-lived.

A sudden noise—a sharp clang followed by a rush of movement—erupts behind us.

“Get down!” the guard shouts, pushing me behind a stack of crates.

Chaos descends in an instant. Figures in dark clothing, their faces obscured, swarm the transport bay. The guard draws his weapon, firing at the intruders, the blasts purple, but there are too many.

Before I can fully process what’s happening, rough hands grab me, yanking me to my feet.

I struggle, my bag falling to the ground as I try to twist free. “Let me go!” I shout, my voice echoing in the cavernous bay.

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