Page 74 of The Alien in the Archive

Before I can get back to work, I sense an unfamiliar presence coming through the archive gate—a mind I haven’t encountered before. The Obscuary should be empty. Page would’ve reached out if she were coming. I set the pen down and rise from my chair, sliding soundlessly into the shadows.

Ashlan chirps in warning, his glowing antennae twitching as we approach the intruder. I extend my awareness, brushing against their mind—and stop short.

Human. Male. And familiar in a way that grates on my nerves and sends a swell of familial affection through me, affection that is entirely alien.

Riley.

I step further into the shadows as the footsteps draw nearer. He rounds the corner with the casual confidence of someone who has no idea he’s walking into a predator’s den. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, his dark hair tousled in a way that suggests he wants you to think he doesn’t care about it. His leather jacket creaks as he pauses, his sharp gaze scanning the space with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

When his eyes land on me, he stops and gapes.

“You’re Thorne,” he says, as if stating a fact.

“And you’re not supposed to be here,” I reply.

“Yeah…about that,” he runs a hand through his hair, “Page told me about you, but then she said she’d try to introduce us…and never followed up. So, given she’s been spending an awful lot of time with you, I took things into my own hands.”

I raise an eyebrow, then I gesture over my shoulder.

“I suppose it would be rude not to invite you to my home, then,” I say. “Follow me.”

The sound of Riley’s boots echoes in the cavernous silence of the Obscuary, far too loud for my liking. Ashlan trots ahead of us, antennae casting a faint bioluminescent glow across the darkened floor

“What is that little guy?” Riley asks, gesturing toward Ashlan, who chirps in response, his tail flicking.

“Lumivix,” I reply curtly, leading him through a narrow corridor flanked by towering shelves of ancient tomes. “A creature native to this planet. They like to steal books.”

Riley chuckles. “He’s adorable,” he says, pausing to crouch and reaching out to scratch behind the lumivix’s ears. Ashlan leans into the touch, his antennae glowing brighter.

I sigh, glancing back at the two of them. “You’re slowing us down.”

Riley stands, unbothered. “Sorry, but it’s not every day you meet a…what’d you call it? Lumivix? He looks like a cat crossed with a firefly.”

Ashlan chirps indignantly, and I swear he’s offended by the comparison. “He’s smarter than he looks,” I say, stepping through an archway into another hall. “He just has a habit of taking a liking to people he shouldn’t.”

Riley smirks. “Like you, then?”

I don’t dignify that with a response, keeping my focus ahead as we near the alcove. The dim, dusty air of the Obscuary feels heavier with him here, an outsider treading in a place typically reserved for only me and Page. But Ashlan seems content, padding along at Riley’s side, his antennae bobbing like tiny lanterns.

“Here,” I say as we reach the concealed entrance to my alcove. I glance over at Riley, who’s now crouched again, scratching under Ashlan’s chin. “Are you coming, or did you want to adopt him first?”

Riley grins, rising to his feet. “Tempting. But I think he’d miss you too much.”

Ashlan chirps again, as if to agree. I roll my eyes and step inside, gesturing for Riley to follow.

We walk inside, Riley coming in after me with his hands in his pockets. I turn to look at him, crossing my arms.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” he says, glancing around at the piles of books and general disarray. “Page didn’t mention you were living in a hoarder’s paradise.”

“I prefer to think of it as curated chaos,” I deadpan. “Why are you here, Riley?”

He crosses his arms, leaning casually against the nearest stack of books. It starts to shift and Riley quickly rights himself, overcorrecting and stumbling a step. He shakes it off, and I get the impression he’s no stranger to losing his balance. “I wanted to meet the guy who’s been monopolizing my sister’s time—and her thoughts.”

Of course. He’s her only family; they’re close, and Page is certainly protective of him. I should’ve expected this.

I arch an eyebrow, gesturing toward the battered loveseat. “If you’re so determined to lecture me, you might as well sit down.”

Riley hesitates for a moment before sitting down. His eyes dart around, taking in the place with a grimace.

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