Page 6 of Tricked By the Alien Prince

Maybe my father is right; the light doesn’t hold as much appeal now that I’m walking in it. But I’ve always been drawn to it, even when others retreated further into darkness. Perhaps that’s why I feel so alone - I cannot be content hiding in shadows like the rest of my people, yet I have no one to walk beside me in the light. Without that support, I’m feeling all too vulnerable - entirely too seen and exposed.

I am a powerful warrior, until recently the head of security, but there are things in this world that would even make me quake in my boots. My thoughts turn to how several of the guards returned from patrol, reporting that they had spotted signs of a Tangler passing through the region. They aren’t that hard to miss - the damn thing cleaves tunnels through the ground as if it’s in water.

It disturbs me that my father wants the thing captured. I can only hope that Tanis can lead my warriors in my absence. I scoff; it’s not like my father’s guards will assist in any way, even if they are the best trained in the kingdom.

Knowing that my morose thoughts won’t get me any closer to my destination, I draw my long grey cloak closer around me, warding off the chill in the air. Its hood helps to block out some of the light that stings my eyes, my eyes all too accustomed to the darkness of tunnels and caves. My boots crunch underfoot with each moody stomp, all the way up and down hills, through pink and blue forests as I make my way to the new tribal village.

It’s less than I expected. The tribe has set up some defensive fortifications in terms of wood and stone walls. I find myself wishing I had someone here with me to help formulate a proper strategy. But that’s not my purpose here - I have to complete this quest alone, as my father demanded. The weak wooden walls won’t stop much, I think. The drakoons in the mountains will just fly right over the top. If my people truly wanted to, we would just come with weapons that spewed fire and burn our way through. At best, it might hold back the harkcana who don’t seem capable of anything beyond their primitive ways.

The guards at the gate hesitate when I walk calmly by them. If Tanis were here, he’d probably suggest some elaborate distraction. The thought makes my chest ache - even my most loyal guard can’t help me now. I’m not insane—I do keep my hood up and hide my features. One thing I have learned all these cycles of my life is that looking confident is half the battle. The number of times I’ve slipped past my guards, or Tanis, pretending that I was supposed to be doing something… Just like now. I belong in this village, and the guards should naturally allow me entry.

So they do.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I slip past them, and none of them calls out to halt me. Sometimes it works perfectly…other times it’s an absolute disaster. At least when things go wrong in the kingdom, I have warriors at my back. Out here, I’ll have no one to blame but myself if this fails.

“Who is this guy? He’s so tall!” one male says to his companion as soon as I’ve passed.

Yes, I am tall, and these beings are short. Their tallest barely comes to my shoulders. They are thin too, even the males lack the muscles that I imagine they’d need to survive the harsh conditions on Atraxis. They look so much like me that for a brief moment I almost mistake them for younglings, yet I can’t see a single one with a mark.

Bodies mill around me as I make my way further into their tribal village. It’s not quite as primitive as I first thought, especially as I study the architecture and layout of their village. Sure, they don’t seem to have much made from metal like the sulthari. Instead, they favor building with stone and wood, but perhaps that’s because wood is so readily available up here on the surface.

A female slips by me, giving me a wide-eyed gaze. As soon as I walk past her, she turns to her companions, whispering overly loudly, “Why’s he wearing that? Do you think he was hurt in a mining accident and needs to hide his face? Maybe he’s super ugly.”

I cringe at the female’s words, then chuckle to myself. We are two wholly different species. Maybe these females would consider me ugly.

I gaze at the humans around me with interest. They aren’t that different from me, though. While many have covered up their bodies against the cold, some wear shorter-length garments. They lack any glowing markings. Their skin comes in a wider range of hues—some are red, pink, white, and even dark browns. My own people tend to all have grey-toned skins, though some are slightly lighter or darker than others. Their hair is also far more varied. Rather than my long dark strands that fall down my back, theirs come in many dazzling hues. It seems that the females of the species take time styling their strands, arranging them in a variety of ways.

It’s all rather overwhelming. More so at just how many females are casually walking around me. I’ve never seen so many in one place before. My tribe is well secured and well fortified, but even we don’t have this many females on the planet.

Is this what it was like in the past, to walk among so many females so casually and relaxed?

Relaxed? I’m far from relaxed. I keep sniffing the air, searching for any threats. With so many bodies pressed around, it’s hard to isolate any singular source. This would be easier with someone watching my back, helping to track potential threats. But then, perhaps that’s the point of this challenge - to prove I don’t need anyone else. To prove that I am capable on my own - because then my father will truly think that I am worthy of ruling our people. Won’t he?

I breathe deeply, isolating the scent of a harkcana, lingering just out of reach. I’m about to track them down when the scent’s owner comes to me.

A small human female tugs at the sleeve of my cloak. She peers up at me with frightened, yet determined eyes, and asks, “Do you know why the market is so busy today?”

I tilt my head, considering her question. Will she even be able to understand my words? I guess there’s no harm in trying—you know, other than being revealed within their midsts and likely captured.

“Many have been recalled into the town’s walls. Most likely for your safety. The leaders fear an attack, and rightly so.”

It’s amazing what you learn when you just listen to those around you talking.

The female stares up at me in shock. She’s only just realized who I am, that I do not belong here in this world with her.

“Hello, little human female,” I whisper to her, hoping that if I speak softly enough, I won’t startle her. Perhaps this is a good learning opportunity for her though. A female should never be without a guard. “Be careful, little female. There are many males that would love to have your company, and not all are good.”

The harkcana scent flitters across my senses again. I scrunch my nose, searching for it. My eyes widen when I realize it’s coming from her. “I see you have already been claimed. Strange that your mate allows you to walk so freely among males without his protection.”

The expression upon her face is absolute devastation. I do not need to know this species well to witness her absolute heartbreak.

I did not mean to bring up painful memories for this female. I can only hope she is well cared for in her mate’s absence. I breathe in deep, a strange sense of guilt filling me at seeing her vulnerability and knowing I caused it, but something more alluring fills my senses.

Another female joins the first. This one’s skin is much darker, and instead of the fire-colored hair, hers is just as dark as mine. It’s frizzy, though, with tiny curls flying in all directions. I desperately get the urge to slide my fingers through the strands. Would they cling to me, as she would, as I held her naked body close and…

I growl, absolutely shocked. Where did that thought come from? Since when have I ever felt such overwhelming attraction?

The female’s dark face pales, though not as much as her companion’s. “Where did he come from? Since when did aliens-”

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