Page 49 of The Alien's Cruel Starfrost Domain

I have tortured myself, too, I want to explain. I’ve spent every day aching to tell someone, anyone.

But I can’t.

And so in the end, I’m left standing silent as time continues ticking down slowly to the moment I’ll be able to put the final elements of my plans into effect.

Finally, Adefina throws up her arms in irritation, and turns away. “Have it your way.”

But she’s still muttering under her breath as she walks away.

Oddly enough, her reaction calms the anxiety roiling through me, convinces me that no explanation would ever suffice.

Adefina has taken Lara into her warm Starcaix embrace—and if my cook knew what I planned to do, she would join forces with Lara in a heartbeat.

Luckily for me, she has no idea.

But I worry what will happen when she finds out.

Back in my rooms, I pause by the window, staring out at the snow-covered grounds. The fire in my chambers crackles, drawing my attention. Lara must have been here earlier to tend it. Her scent lingers, sweet and warm, completely at odds with my frozen world outside. I inhale deeply before I can stop myself.

I cannot have her, I remind myself. Moving to my desk, I pull out the ancient text I’ve kept hidden in a false drawer. The pages are brittle, the ink faded, but the words are still clear:When Starfire fails, only Starfire blood can restore it.

Simple enough words.

Devastating implications.

I trace the lines with one finger. The day I first read this text, I knew what I would have to do. What I’ve spent cycles preparing for.

Finding the Evans sisters, bringing them here, waiting for their powers to manifest… I’d thought that would be the difficult part.

But nothing prepared me for how difficult it would be to watch Lara work in my household, to see her strength and determination, to witness her defiance in the face of captivity. Nothing warned me that I might come to admire her.

Want her.

Need her.

A discreet knock at my door interrupts my brooding. I quickly return the text to its hiding place.

“Enter.”

Khrint appears to announce that the baron has requested I join him riding.

I tilt my face toward the ceiling and pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “Did he happen to specify why he wants me to go riding with him?”

“No, Your Lordship. He merely asked me to relay the message.” Khrint says nothing more, but I can tell by the twist of his lip that however little the baron might have said to him, my valet does not approve of Svalkat.

I allow my own lip to curl up in just a hintof a smile—enough to let the servant know that I’ve both received and understood his message. In the Icecaix Court, often the smallest expressions or intonations give the most information. “Very well,” I say. “Please let Baron Svalkat know that I’ll join him for a ride in one solar click.”

Khrint bows stiffly, his back perfectly straight, and leaves the room without another word.

Iexit Starfrost Manor into the front drive almost precisely one solar click later. It's a sunny day, the kind with sunlight sparkling on fresh snowfall. The sky above is a beautiful, bright blue—a rarity in my domain.

The baron is already waiting for me, marching to and fro. His steps stir up the snow in the circular drive, which servants smoothed only this morning.

He wears full formal riding gear, including a long-tailed coat, a top hat, and gloves—he is pulling on the latter as I move to join him.

“Glorious day for a ride, isn’t it?” The baron finishes tugging on his second glove and pulls a riding crop out from under his arm.

I give the crop a pointed glance. “Are we using live beasts as mounts today?” Then I let a little of Khrint’s attitude from earlier seep into my voice as I raise my eyebrows and give the tiniest hint of a smile. “Or do you anticipate your constructs escaping your control?”

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