Page 34 of His to Claim
"Yeah. Just worried sick over Emma. What if she's hurt badly?" I whisper.
"Don't think that way. She may have wandered off, but it doesn't mean she's gone completely. Someone would know what happened to her. Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine," he reassures me.
But I'm not sure that's true. Not anymore. This isn't the same world I grew up in. And there are things going on that shouldn't exist. Things that should stay hidden and buried deep inside.
* * *
I wakeup groggily feeling tired, sore, weak…and hungry! How could I forget how good food tastes?
My stomach growls loudly, reminding me I haven't eaten for days. I open one eye and look around. Where am I?
Soft light shines through the window above my head, illuminating the room brightly enough to see clearly. There is no furniture except for a bed, a table, and a nightstand. The walls are painted dark red, giving the bedroom an ominous atmosphere.
I lie down on top of the covers and close my eyes again. Maybe I'll just rest for a bit until I regain some energy.
Suddenly, someone sits next to me on the bed.
"How are you feeling?" Torr asks curiously. "Better than yesterday, right?"
His voice makes me jump. I open both eyes quickly. He smiles at me tenderly, showing his sharp fangs.
"Yes," I answer hesitantly and rub my forehead trying to hide the fact that I'm still half asleep.
"Good. You must eat something first. I made some breakfast already," he tells me and stands up from the bed.
He walks into another room and comes back carrying two bowls filled with steaming hot stew. It smells delicious and reminds me of home. I smile happily as he sets them on the table.
"Sit. Eat," he instructs me kindly and pats the empty seat beside him.
I stand up from the bed carefully and walk towards the table. I place one hand against the wall so I won't fall and sit down on the chair opposite Torr. I reach out my bowl and scoop some of the thick stew onto my spoon, then lift it to my lips and eat.
It feels like heaven on my tongue. All the fatigue and pain disappear instantly. As I chew, I savor every mouthful of this amazing meal.
"This is incredible!" I say between chews.
Torr laughs softly and takes a bite of his own.
"You're welcome." He says.
I finish eating the whole portion, even licking the bowl clean afterward before taking a sip of water from my glass on the table. Then, I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table, resting my chin on my hands.
"So…" I begin, looking up at him expectantly. "What do we do now? Do you have any ideas? How do I find Emma?"
He sighs sadly. "We can search for her together if you want. But I don't believe that she ran away or disappeared. If anything, it sounds more likely that the aliens took her captive."
The thought terrifies me. What will happen to Emma? Will she be okay? Or maybe worse…
"Where would they take her?" I ask nervously.
He looks down at the table, avoiding my gaze. After several seconds of silence, he finally speaks.
"They might've taken her to Zarat's palace."
* * *
Torr tellsme that Zarat is the ruler of Vestia. He rules over the entire planet and is also the supreme commander of all military forces. He controls everything about life on Vestia including its food supply and climate control system, which keeps temperatures within certain limits year-round.
Zarat is extremely powerful and ruthless. There is no limit to what he could do with Emma. She wouldn't last very long under such a cruel tyrant.
