Chapter 19
Sofia
“And how exactly did you fend him off?”
“Do you have sigma blasters on Earth?”
“What about Zaraq? Weren’t you scared of him at first?”
The reporters’ questions washed over Sofia like a flood as the police ushered her away from Vexis’s house. A throng had gathered in the early hours of the dawn but after what she had been through, Sofia was only vaguely aware of the commotion. What really mattered to her was that everything would be okay now.
The morning sun warmed her toes, still shoeless, as she was led to the paramedics who were already tending to Zaraq. In the chaos that had unfolded after Zaraq called the cops, the three of them had been separated, and Sofia felt a rush of life course through her again as she rushed forward to meet him.
“Careful!” Zaraq told her, holding out his arm to embrace her.
The other hand was being bandaged by a yellow alien that reminded her of a crustacean. It was using several spindly appendages to deftly wrap the strip of cloth around Zaraq’s injured finger. The sight of his blue blood soaking through the bandage made Sofia wince.
Zaraq caught her staring. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. It was only a graze.”
Sofia nodded, tearing her eyes away and instead gazing into Zaraq’s deep purple eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to you,” she breathed, pressing her forehead to Zaraq’s.
“Likewise.” His warm breath tickled Sofia’s lips, and she leaned into him, kissing him softly.
“Ahem,” came a voice.
Sofia turned around and realized the cop who had accompanied her away from the reporters was still lingering there. “I’ll need to ask you both a few questions.”
“And we’ll need to keep cuddling while you ask them,” Sofia quipped before Zaraq could answer.
She saw the Rikuan cop stifle a smile as he cleared his throat again. “Fine. Now you.” He pointed at Zaraq. “Start from the beginning.”
As Zaraq took a deep breath and began to recount the story, Sofia took a moment to breathe. She could hardly believe what had happened over the last few days and she finally felt how tired she was. The warm morning sun was creeping over her, and the comforting warmth of it made her want to curl up in bed with Zaraq and sleep for days and days.
“And that’s when you fled Rikuus?” the cop asked, typing something in his comm as he spoke.”
“Right,” Zaraq answered, before continuing his tale.
Sofia sat beside him on the edge of the medic-pod, letting her mind wander again. The fatigue had her in a state of calm, even while all around her was chaos. Police and what she assumed were forensics officers were filing past the tall tree that rose from Vexis’s front yard, and through the two black doors just barely visible from the street. Reporters, cam-operators, and affluent neighbors had formed a crowd. Many of them, Sofia noted, were still in their pajamas, gossiping among themselves.
Vaguely, she wondered how many were criminals themselves and if any of them were tied up in Vexis’s schemes. Or even Slikrim’s.
Her thoughts reeled back in when she heard her name being called.
“And that’s when you came in, Ms. Flores?”
“Yes, but what about Slikrim?” she asked suddenly.
“I just need to hear your story for now.” The officer looked at her expectantly, his fingers hovering above the wrist comm as he waited for her to continue the plot where Zaraq had left off.
But Sofia frowned and shook her head. “Look, Slikrim is really behind all this, Vexis was just second-in-command. Aren’t you doing anything to get the guy at the top?”
The officer faltered, his dark eyes flickering slightly as if he didn’t have the answer to that. Sofia took the opportunity to keep talking.
“Look, he owns the biggest casino in Rikuus. Doesn’t he? He has the money and the connections to flee the second he hears about what’s going down here.” She gestured to Vexis’s house, her gaze firm.
“She’s right,” Zaraq chimed in, taking her hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. “If you don’t already have someone picking him up, I suggest you do it now.”
The cop glanced between them again, the fingers that hovered over his comm twitching ever so slightly. Finally, he nodded, pressing a button on the device.
“I need all available units covering the Constellation Casino. You’re looking to apprehend Slikrim Kachor. Consider him armed and dangerous.”
Affirmative chatter came back over the comm, and the officer gave them another nod.
“You can go for now,” he told them, suddenly distracted. “We’ll follow up for an official interview in the next day or two.”
With that, he left them and Sofia breathed a sigh of relief, folding herself into Zaraq.
“This might actually be over,” she told him, letting her hand rest gently against his chest.
The comfort of his arm around her almost put her to sleep, and the moment the paramedics cleared them both to leave, they did.
“Arccoo!” Sofia cried as a police escort took her and Zaraq to a black pod that was parked across the street. The prince was leaning against it, and when he heard his name he looked up, shooting them a relieved smile.
“I wondered where you’d gone,” he told them, embracing Sofia and giving Zaraq a shortened version of the greeting of solidarity. “The second the police realized I was a prince, they whisked me away from all this.”
He waved a hand at the crowds and when Sofia looked, she realized a swarm of cops had created something of a buffer between Arccoo and the general public.
“I guess they figure an intergalactic faux pas would be bad for the press.” Sofia winked. “Now let’s go home, please.”
Arccoo nodded. “Oh, definitely. Carmen’s going to kill me if we don’t get back soon. Get in the back, both of you. I can play royal poddy.”
Sofia shot him a grateful smile before sliding in the back. When Zaraq slid in next to her, she nestled up in his arms. It felt like only a second later the pod was rolling to a halt.
“Did I fall asleep?” Sofia asked, blinking drowsily up at Zaraq.
He smiled down at her. “You deserve the rest.”
Entering the hotel, Sofia realized this was the first time since they’d stepped foot on the planet that Zaraq didn’t need to worry someone might recognize him.
The receptionist shot them all a shocked look, glancing from them to her desk comm and back again.
Of course, this is all over the news by now , she thought sleepily as they made their way up to their rooms.
Carmen and Elena were all over them the minute they stepped foot in the hallway, and it looked like neither of them had slept, either. It was a good fifteen minutes of tight hugs, relieved tears, and exclamations of gratitude before Sofia and Zaraq were allowed to retreat to their own room.
“I could sleep for days,” Sofia told Zaraq, and when they collapsed in each other’s arms, she did.
The group finally checked out of the hotel a full forty-eight hours later. Sofia felt revived, the days lounging in bed, ordering room service, and taking long, luxurious showers having done her good. But now, she was ready to get out of Rikuus and so, it seemed, was Zaraq.
The police interviews ended up being unnecessary. In between naps, Carmen, Elena, and Arccoo had delivered the news that was playing on every device on the planet.
It seemed Joran, who had regained consciousness right as the police stormed the building, had made a plea deal. He’d given up Slik, including the casino mogul’s secret safehouse, plus more than enough evidence to clear Zaraq for good. Which meant nothing else was holding them on Rikuus.
“Are you happy to go back to Thryal?” Sofia asked as she and Zaraq followed the others toward Arccoo’s ship. The warmth of the sun had somehow managed to cut through Rikuus’s haze, and for a second, she wondered if Zaraq would miss the planet that had been home for so long.
“I don’t care where I am, as long as I’m with you.”
Sofia smiled and reached out to squeeze Zaraq’s hand. She still hadn’t told him what she’d been longing to admit, and now she felt her heart swell with the love that had only grown since their ordeal at Vexis’s house.
Somehow though, it hadn’t felt like the right time. They were both still recovering, and though she knew she loved Zaraq, she didn’t want that confession to be made hastily. She wanted to take her time.
The whole ride back to Thryal, though, the words kept aching to be said. Sofia could feel them expanding inside her every time she opened her mouth, and she promised herself that once they got settled back at the annex she would tell him.
The warm, rich colors of her bedroom greeted them after a celebratory dinner with Arccoo, Carmen, and Elena. Sofia felt her heart flutter as she stepped inside.
Now’s the time .
As she turned to finally admit how she really felt, Zaraq hesitated at the doorway.
“Why don’t we go for a walk in the gardens?” he asked, surprising her a little.
He must have seen the look on her face because he shrugged and explained. “After being cooped up in that hotel, and all the ugliness on Rikuus, I wouldn’t mind some fresh air.”
It was a good reason, and Sofia couldn’t think of any excuse to keep him there that didn’t sound mean. Instead, she stepped forward again and slipped her hand into Zaraq’s.
“Can’t argue with that,” she admitted, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. He led her out of the room again and down the back steps into the cool of the night.
The stars were stunning out there, and for a second, Sofia forgot her mission as she looked up at the twinkling night sky. Her feet stilled and Zaraq stared back at her, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the heavens.
“God, it’s so beautiful here,” she whispered.
Zaraq was right. After a week of Rikuus’s grimy, gray streets and blank light-polluted sky, Thryal was a wonder.
The sound of the planet’s various night birds made her smile. She still didn’t know the names of most of them, but she thought she heard a sirulet. The lilting song soared and dipped, filling the stillness.
“Come on,” Zaraq said finally, tugging at Sofia’s hand. He led her gently through the garden, his hand warm against the cool night air.
“Where are we going?” Sofia had come so close to telling him how she felt about him under the stars, but Zaraq seemed to be on a mission. She wondered for a moment where he was taking her, but suddenly the answer made itself apparent.
A soft glow ahead grew steadier as she followed Zaraq through the royal grounds. When he gently guided her around a copse of pink-leafed trees, Sofia’s eyes landed on a candlelit picnic blanket laid out within a semicircle of bright white flower bushes.
Their fragrance wafted toward her, gentle and sweet. It reminded her of roses.
“What is all this?” she asked, incredulous. “And how did you even…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Zaraq told her with a grin. “Just enjoy it.”
Sofia’s usual sarcasm melted away, and she had to admit, the gesture made her giddy. She’d never, ever been romanced like this and the novelty of it, as well as its unexpectedness, made her stomach fill with butterflies.
She let Zaraq lead her to the blanket, and when they sat down, he gave her a look that made her heart race.
“Sofia,” he told her, his purple eyes catching the warmth of the candles that flickered at the edges of the blanket. “I still can’t believe I found you. Someone like me should never have gotten a chance at love, but against all odds, you proved me wrong.”
Sofia felt her breath catch in her throat at the word love, and she suddenly knew what was happening. All she could do was stare at Zaraq, though, as he gazed back with adoring eyes.
“I love you, Sofia. I wanted to tell you so many times. I’m in love with you, and I have been from the start.”
The words soaked into Sofia, and she felt herself expanding. “I love you, too,” she told him. It spilled out of her like a tidal wave, a release, a joy that she’d been holding inside. “I love you so much.”
With this, she leaned forward, planting her lips on Zaraq’s in a lingering, loving kiss. Zaraq’s hands reached for her waist, and for a second, it seemed like time was standing still.
When they finally pulled away, Sofia saw something else in Zaraq’s eyes.
“You nearly died for my sake,” he told her, his voice heavy with emotion. “And it made me realize I don’t want to spend another second of my life without you. I want to commit to a future with you.”
The candlelight showed the sincerity on Zaraq’s face, revealed the soft smile on his lips, and, once again, showed the love in his gaze.
“What do you mean?” Sofia’s voice sounded strange to her, as if it couldn’t possibly contain all the excitement, happiness, and anticipation she was feeling at that moment.
“It means I want to take you as my mate. Or as the earthlings would say, marry you.”
From his pocket, Zaraq produced a gold ring covered in ancient symbols, but Sofia hardly saw it. Instead, she was gazing at Zaraq.
Time stood still for another long moment as that tidal wave of happiness mounted in Sofia’s chest again.
“Oh my god, yes!” She nodded, and unable to contain herself, she kissed him again, deeply, lovingly.
Around them, the night birds continued, the sirulet singing its happy, lilting song as if in celebration. Sofia didn’t think she’d ever been that happy in her life.
“I love you,” Zaraq whispered again, pressing his forehead to hers.
“I love you, too.”
When she finally looked at the ring, she realized it was some kind of relic, and she looked up at Zaraq again with a wide grin.
“This is so perfect,” she told him, holding out her hand.
“I looked into human traditions,” he explained, slipping the ring onto her finger with gentle hands. “But something told me you might prefer a less traditional approach.”
“You nailed it,” she said, grasping his hand. “Now I think you oughta nail something else.”
Zaraq gave her a puzzled look, and Sofia just laughed, almost relieved he didn’t get that one. “Let’s go back to the room, huh?”
Zaraq nodded, and they hurried back along the garden path, Sofia grinning all the way.