Page 49 of Loving the Alien Spy

I veer off and slip through the door before the second guard notices my presence. Several ticks pass before finally there’s the sound of approaching footsteps and Tarrik enters, closing the door behind him.

Before the guard can get a word out, I beat him to it. “I have a message for Ryvik that I wish for you to deliver.”

He arches a brow. “What would that be?”

“Tell him I’m ready.”

The guard smirks, and it sets me on edge, the same way I’d been when Ryvik first approached me in that darkened alley. It’s like they both know something I don’t. “What makes you think he’ll believe that?”

“Because he was right about Carrik. I confronted him and the prince with my knowledge of who my brother really is, and neither denied it. Didn’t even try to.”

Tarrik laughs. “You act surprised.”

“I thought they would at least attempt to lie or feed me some other kind of cover story. Not only that, but it was my brother who told the queen I’d been part of the rebel camp. He’s betrayed me one time too many. Tell Ryvik to meet me outside the gates nearest the rain forest where the rebel forces made camp, two nights from tonight. Whatever he needs from me is his. I want to punish Carrik and soon.”

“I’m not sure I can get a message to him that quickly,” Tarrik says.

“I am sure you’ll figure out a way.” Without waiting for a response, I swiftly exit the room and make my way out the main palace entrance and across the grounds to the lift.

When I reach street level, I walk without direction. I’m vaguely aware of my surroundings, a fact my father would severely reprimand me for. In my role, vigilance is what has kept me alive in some instances. Too many things are spinning around in my head, though. I need to find a small amount of peace, and the only place besides with my heart’s fire that I know I’ll find it is the botanical garden. With determined steps, I make my way through the city.

Chapter 24

Lindsey

I really do have the best friends on this planet. The whole galaxy, even. Soft snores come from my left, a knee digs into my right hip, and a human-sized weighted blanket is sprawled over my shins and feet. I glance in all three directions and take in the women I love like sisters. Lying on my right side, Devon meets my eyes.

“Good morning.” She grins sleepily and shifts positions, giving my aching hip some relief.

“Morning.”

She lifts her head and slowly shakes it with a soft laugh at Quinn still asleep on my left and Olivia draped across the bottom of the bed where we all fell asleep last night after several bottles of plyka and a lengthy conversation about men and how they like to withhold truths from us. After all, Horek and Janik had kept things from their heart’s fires at first too. I admitted to them that “Bannik” had finally shared his secrets with me, and while I was trying to make peace with what he’d revealed, I also couldn’tshare the information with anyone else—not even them. They all accepted that and didn’t try to pry answers out of me, which I knew they wouldn’t. That’s not the kind of friends they are.

“Did you sleep okay?” Devon asks.

“About as well as I could sharing a bed with three women and having a minor relationship crisis at the same time.”

She snorts quietly. “You could have kicked us out anytime.”

I side-eye her.

“Okay, maybe not once Olivia had it in her head we were going to have a sleepover.”

Honestly, I’m grateful they stayed. “I needed this. The three of you.”

“We’ll always be here when you need us,” Olivia says mid-yawn, so she’s almost indecipherable.

She sits up, and blood flows in my legs again. On my left, Quinn stirs as well until she finally blinks her eyes open. She closes them right after that with a groan.

“Why did you all let me drink that much plyka?” She palms her forehead and gently rubs at it.

Olivia bounces off the bed and heads into the other room. The sound of running water comes from the kitchen, and a minute later, she’s back with a glass she hands to Quinn. Our friend chugs it and lets out a satisfiedahhwhen she’s done.

“You’re the best, thanks,” she tells Liv.

“Now that everyone’s awake, how about we soak up any residual plyka with some of Erik’s food? We all need the fresh air, and it will be good to get Lindsey out of here,” Olivia suggests.

I groan, because why can’t I just stay here and mope? Already knowing who will get their way, I crawl over Devon and grab clothes from the closet. I glance over my shoulder. “If anyone wants to borrow something to wear, feel free.”