44.

Alex stood on the balcony of his chamber, gazing over the vast expanse of his kingdom. The twin suns hung high in the violet sky, casting a soft glow across the landscape. The distant sound of the bustling city below reached his ears, but his mind was elsewhere—on Aeryn. He hadn't spent much time with her since her arrival, his royal duties consuming nearly all of his attention. The growing pile of kingdom work made him restless, but his thoughts continuously drifted back to her.

"She must feel trapped," Alex muttered under his breath, the guilt creeping in. He had wanted her here, near him, but she needed more than just the confines of their chamber.

He turned and headed toward the door. Before leaving for his meetings, he allowed himself one more glance at Aeryn, who was now engrossed in a stack of books she had found in their chamber's vast library. She was leaning against a couch, eyes scanning the pages with a sharp focus that made him smile. She approached even their world’s literature with the same scientific curiosity that she had displayed on Earth.

"I'll be back soon," he said softly, though he doubted she heard him.

"Mm-hmm," Aeryn murmured, barely lifting her gaze from the book. She flipped another page, her brow furrowed as she tried to decipher the strange text. Alex chuckled at the sight, shaking his head before heading out the door.

---

Hours passed, and Aeryn remained absorbed in her reading, fascinated by the technology and scientific methods this alien world had to offer. Though their language was different, her sharp intellect pieced together many concepts. She had already figured out how their energy sources worked and was now diving into their methods of space travel, which differed vastly from anything she’d seen on Earth.

"Fascinating," Aeryn whispered to herself, "They've managed to harness dark energy without disrupting the surrounding spacetime continuum. If I could just... understand the calculations here…"

She reached for another book, her hands trembling slightly from excitement. Despite being trapped in a strange world, her thirst for knowledge made her momentarily forget her situation.

Just as she was deep into her studies, the door to the chamber creaked open. Aeryn looked up, half-expecting it to be Alex, but instead, Arin strode in, her tall frame casting a long shadow across the room. The two women hadn’t interacted much since Aeryn's arrival, but something about Arin's presence always felt tense, like an unsaid challenge hung in the air between them.

"Studying, I see," Arin said, her voice smooth, but with an undercurrent of something sharper.

"Trying to understand your people's technology," Aeryn replied cautiously. "It’s... interesting."

Arin tilted her head, observing Aeryn for a moment before stepping further into the room. "Alex is busy, as usual?"

"Yes," Aeryn said, feeling slightly defensive. "He has duties. I understand that."

"Of course," Arin responded, her lips curling into a faint smile. "I wonder, though, if you understand everything. This place, this kingdom—it's not Earth. And the people here... they aren't human."

Aeryn swallowed, sensing an edge to Arin's words. "I know that. I'm trying to adapt."

"Adapt," Arin echoed, amusement flickering in her eyes. "That’s a noble goal. But some things might be beyond your ability to adapt to."

Before Aeryn could respond, Arin turned abruptly toward the door. "I have to meet someone. Keep studying, human. Knowledge might be the only thing that keeps you safe here."

The door closed behind Arin with a soft thud, leaving Aeryn with a growing unease in her chest. She set the book aside, her earlier excitement over the discoveries now dulled by the subtle threat in Arin's words.

---

Hours later, Alex returned, his face weary but relieved to be done with the day’s tasks. He found Aeryn pacing the room, her mind clearly racing with thoughts.

“Everything alright?” he asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

Aeryn turned toward him, her eyes searching his face. “Alex... I feel like I’m missing something. Arin, she said things—implied things.”

Alex’s expression hardened slightly at the mention of Arin. “What did she say to you?”

“Just that... adapting to this world might be harder than I think,” Aeryn replied carefully, unsure if she was reading too much into the conversation. “It wasn’t so much what she said but how she said it.”

Alex let out a deep sigh and crossed the room, stopping in front of her. “Don’t worry about Arin. She has her own way of doing things. She’s not your enemy, but she doesn’t trust easily.”

"Why doesn’t she trust me?" Aeryn asked, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and curiosity. "I’m not here to take anything from her. I just want to understand where I am—what’s expected of me."

Alex’s features softened, and he reached out, gently placing a hand on her cheek. "You're right. You didn’t ask to be here. And I’ve been so caught up in my duties that I haven’t spent the time I should have with you. You deserve more than just being left alone in this chamber."

Aeryn looked up into his eyes, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. His touch was gentle, his voice reassuring. For the first time since arriving, she felt a little less like a prisoner.

"Maybe," she whispered, "But I’ve also realized that there’s so much I can learn here. So much potential."

Alex’s lips curved into a smile. "Your curiosity is one of the things I admire about you."

Before Aeryn could respond, he leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a soft kiss that sent a shiver down her spine. It was the first time she hadn’t pulled away from him, the first time she allowed herself to let go of the fear that had gripped her since she arrived.

As the kiss deepened, she felt her heart race, her body pressed against his as though seeking the warmth and comfort she had been denying herself. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, surprising even herself with the boldness of the gesture.

When they finally broke apart, her cheeks were flushed, her breath coming in soft pants. "That was... unexpected," she admitted, her voice trembling with a mixture of emotions.

"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?" Alex teased, his hands still resting on her hips, his touch steady and reassuring.

"Good," Aeryn admitted, smiling despite herself. "Definitely good."

Alex’s eyes sparkled, and he leaned in closer, his voice a low murmur against her ear. "Then let’s make it happen again."

---

The night passed in a blur of stolen kisses, whispered confessions, and shared warmth. For the first time since her arrival, Aeryn found herself not caring about the barriers that once existed between them. She didn’t worry about the differences in their worlds, their cultures, or even the looming threats that surrounded them. All that mattered in those moments was the way he made her feel—safe, wanted, and for the first time, truly seen.

As they lay together under the soft glow of the twin moons filtering through the window, Aeryn rested her head on Alex’s chest, her fingers tracing absent patterns across his skin. "I never thought I’d feel this way about someone from another world," she whispered.

"Neither did I," Alex replied softly, his voice filled with tenderness. "But here we are."

Aeryn closed her eyes, letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her into a peaceful sleep. For now, she was content. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she wouldn’t face them alone.