Page 9 of Saving the Alien Prince

I give her a one-shouldered shrug. “It’s not something I really like to talk about. Makes me sound weird.”

“Stop it. It does not make you sound weird at all. Not to me at least, and I know it wouldn’t to Quinn or Lindsey either.”

We’re finally near to the palace lift. I touch Olivia’s hand and glance over at her, grateful for her kindness and friendship. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. That’s what friends do. We accept each other’s quirks and differences without hesitation.”

Against my will, tears form, but I blink them back before they become more than damp eyes. We reach the lift and the guard stationed there. He glances at the three of us with a question in his gaze.

“We’re here to see the prince,” Olivia announces boldly.

“I’m afraid the prince is in a meeting and doesn’t wish to be disturbed.”

“Don’t care. Disturb him anyway.” She crosses her arms, and I bite back my grin at her mulish pose.

The guard shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but he left strict instructions.”

At this rate, we’re not going to get anywhere, so I step into his personal space. “Then call Commander Horek and tell him that his mate will be extremely put out when she learns that her friends were turned away.”

Some of the copper blanches from the guard’s skin. Nobody wants to get on the commander’s bad side, me included.

“Wait a tick, please.” He barely speaks without stuttering and taps his wrist comm.

The commander’s gruff voice replies on the other end. “You were given specific instruction that we were not to be disturbed.”

“I apologize sir, but there are two females and a phinnek who have requested an audience with the prince. They said it was urgent.”

Horek’s heavy—and exasperated—sigh is familiar. “Send them up.”

Huh, that actually worked. The guard looks at us and presses the button on the lift that will take us to the palace level.

“Thank you.” Olivia says and steps into the open car with Mak at her side. Once more, I hang back. It feels weird to keep tagging along considering she’s probably about to intrude on the prince, the commander, and most importantly, her mate.

“Aren’t you coming?” she asks.

“I thought you might not want an audience.”

Before the lift door can close, Olivia grabs my hand and drags me inside with them. “You’re the reason I’m being allowed up there in the first place. Besides, I’d love the support of a friend at my side.”

Grateful, I squeeze her hand in return. We ride in silence up to the top and are greeted by another guard.

“Follow me, please.”

We do so and as we walk, I can’t help but stare in awe at our surroundings. If I thought my lovely apartment back at the women’s dormitory was nice and made me feel like I was part of the upper tier, it’s nothing to how I feel walking through a fucking palace, even if there are areas that don’t look palatial. Certain rooms are cozy. Homey. The family portraits that hang on various walls make me somewhat uncomfortable. Like I’m intruding on their privacy.

“The palace never fails to amaze me.” So what if I’ve only been inside three times before now.

“Yeah, me too.”

Mak’s nails click in time with the soles of our shoes on the shiny marble floor. Olivia she leans close. “Do you have any idea where we’re going?”

“Not a clue.”

Finally, we come to a stop outside two embellished doors that are decorated with various swirling designs etched into the wood. One door is graced with a large phinnek-head knocker the guard uses to announce our arrival. Seconds tick by before the lock disengages and it opens to Horek standing there looking as severe as always.

“Urgent request?”

Olivia’s chin tips upward. “Yes. Extremely urgent.”