Page 99 of Stranded with the Alien

“It is Minerva-6, sire. A dwarf planet in a remote system. Uninhabited and primitive.” The general cast a disdainful look at their surroundings. “You are fortunate you found the river. It is the only water source on the entire rock.”

“Fortunate indeed. You have been searching all this time?”

“I never lost hope.” The general’s reptilian eyes fell on Kara. “The beacon belongs to this vermin?”

“The human crash-landed at the same time as I.” Vahn stepped in front of her and she kept her gaze on his feet. “I captured her, of course.”

“May I ask why, Imiri? Surely it would have been better to gut it on sight.”

“Do you not recognize her, general?”

Solarun came to stand next to Vahn. Kara tensed as the Vraxian’s eyes bored into the top of her head. But she trustedVahn. So much so it took her a moment to process his next words.

“She is the daughter of our mortal enemy, President Cameron.”

Shocked, Kara bolted to her feet, mouth open. Before she could utter a word, the general back-handed her across the face, so hard she stumbled and fell.

She lay on her back with blood trickling from her nose, staring up at Vahn. His expression was inscrutable.

In the next moment Solarun’s clawed foot was pressing on her throat.

“Impudent vermin. How dare you taint the Imiri by laying your filthy eyes on him. I will burn them out for your insolence.”

The general drew her laser-blade and pointed the tip at Kara’s face. Terrified, Kara bucked under the weight crushing her windpipe. She tried to form words but she couldn’t even breathe. She looked to Vahn for help. He simply watched.

From behind them came the sound of manic barking. Solarun’s head jerked up as Rocky came charging through the trees, fangs bared and hackles raised, determined to protect his mistress.

Desperately, Kara waved her hands trying to stop the hound but its eyes were fixed on Solarun. Without missing a beat, the Vraxian general drew her blaster with her free hand and let off a shot.

Rocky fell to the ground, unmoving.

No!Kara couldn’t see if he was alive or dead. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Tears of frustration at her own helplessness, and tears of grief for her faithful companion. Solarun’s mouth twisted in contempt.

She brought the tip of her blade to within an inch of Kara’s right eyeball.

“With your permission?”

Vahn tilted his head to one side as if considering it.

“Tempting. But perhaps not. She will be worth more as leverage if she is in one piece.”

“Of course.”

Solarun holstered her blade and removed her foot. Kara turned to one side, coughing and spluttering into the dirt. She glanced towards Rocky’s body, then away again.

Anger was steadily building in her chest. Anger, not just because Vahn had let it happen – though that was bad enough – but because he’d deliberately deceived her.

Imiri. Highness. Sire. These were all words the general had used to address him. And even without the microbes in her head, Kara knew what they meant.

Vahn had lied to her this whole time. He’d hidden his true identity. He wasn’t just a soldier in the Vraxian army. He was the Imiri, the heir to the whole damned Empire.

Prince Talvahnax Castellian. The son of the Emperor.

Forty Seven

Vahn saw realization flood across her face and hated himself. He’d wanted to tell her the truth so many times. And he should have done – especially after she’d admitted to him whose daughter she was.

But he had always stopped himself, because he couldn’t bear to have her look at him with hatred and contempt.

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