Page 46 of Sworn to the Alien

Steal the Blue Orb or your sister will suffer.

It had taken me a full hour to get up off the hotel floor.

I simply lost all power in my legs.

It had been me that they had been following this whole time — not Sleii, not the Governor.

Butme.

They thought I could get into the palace and steal this Blue Orb — I wasn’t even entirely sure where it was — without anyone noticing.

Surely I had to be theworstperson to do this.

I wasn’t anyone of significance and didn’t know the palace intimately.

I should have been the verylastperson they thought of to carry out such a mission.

But that was the point, wasn’t it?

They couldn’t approach someone like Sleii or the Governor who had resources at their disposal.

I was anobody.

I had no wealth to draw upon and had never served in any kind of military unit.

I was just me.

Suddenly, I realized just how alone I truly was.

I had dusted off my knees, checked myself in the bathroom mirror, my body still shaking, and got control of myself.

I had intended on leaving the hotel room and returning home, but now, I didn’t feel safe heading out.

And so I stayed in the hotel room.

The smell of congealing fat from the pizza and fries only made me even more sick to my stomach.

I looked in the mirror and kept repeating to myself that I could do this, that I hadno choicebut to do this.

More than once, I had considered telling the Governor the truth, just so I didn’t have to deal with it alone anymore.

But I knew if I did what the consequences would be.

I had already seen the little leader was serious about his threats.

Although I was awake when the hotel buffet breakfast was available downstairs, I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.

I formulated my plan and got to work on it right away:

As there was no way I could get inside the palace without an invitation from the Governor, I had to see him as soon as possible.

So, I grabbed a basket, bought a bunch of snacks and other items, and went to the city offices.

It was only after our little afternoon delight that I began to feel confident.

I can do this,I thought.I can do this.

I returned home to my small but well-appointed apartment downtown.

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