A loud scream from afar woke her up.

She could taste salty water on her lips. When she tried to move her aching arms and legs, she felt the smooth skin of her bare feet and hands scraping against rough grains of sand.

Her mind was now alert, her ears picking up the slightest sounds in her surroundings. There was a deafening silence following the scream. Had it been her imagination? Was it just a dream?

Suddenly, gusty wind made her shiver. She realized she was all wet and cold.

Opening her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of a beautiful, calm, blue sky. The gentle white clouds glided across, slightly covering the shining sun.

Despite the pain that seemed to envelop her entire body, she forced herself to sit up and look around. She pushed aside the wet and sandy strands of blonde hair matted on the side of her face.

She stretched her legs and straightened her back. Her muscles protested, but she didn’t care. She had to see what was happening. She had to find out where she was.

As she realized that she’d washed up on what appeared to be an island, everything flashed back to her all at once—the unexpected storm, the boat capsizing, her loud screams drowned by thunder and other hysterical voices.

 

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she shook her head in an attempt to brush them off.

Looking down on herself, she saw that she was still wearing the highly expensive cashmere sweater she’d recently bought along with a pair of her favorite ripped jeans. Her slip-on shoes were nowhere to be found.

She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, hoping that the sun would fully come out already so she’d stop feeling so cold and her clothes would dry faster.

After a few minutes of trying to calm herself down and think straight, she got up and made her way into the dense woods behind her. Perhaps she could find something else to wear so she could avoid getting sick. Coming down with a fever after being shipwrecked would be a disaster!

As she walked barefoot on the fine, white sand, she kept looking to her left and right. “Hello? Anyone?!” she called desperately in a loud voice.

Going further into the woods, she found an overgrown dirt trail of some kind. Since she had nowhere else to go, she followed it and hoped that it would lead to something that could be of use to her.

“Belinda?” she called out loudly, referring to her agent and close friend who had been on the boat with her. When the boat had capsized, Belinda had been sleeping in her cabin. Her heart constricted as she said a quick prayer for her friend’s safety.

“Clay?” she called out, as she pictured the handsome actor who’d been flirting and making out with her on the boat. They were supposed to be first-time co-stars for the upcoming film Beach House, the remote location of which they were headed to before disaster had struck.

She could still feel his breath on her neck and his hand groping inside her sweater while they had been enjoying the wind outside in the starless evening. When the rain had begun, they had not cared at all. He had just started kissing her when a clap of thunder had made them jump apart.

She shivered again. Her clothes were still quite wet. She needed to get out of them quickly.

She continued down the path, frantically searching for anything that she could use to keep herself warm while she dried her clothes.

To her surprise, she found an old blanket on the ground, partially covered in dried leaves. Pulling it out from the leaves and dusting off the dirt, she saw that it was dull blue in color but had probably already lost its original hue. There was a regal-looking crest embroidered in the center, which piqued her curiosity.

But it was no time to wonder and investigate. She was just glad she found it.

Quickly she took off her sweater and jeans without care, thinking she was all alone there, anyway. She threw the blanket over herself, before unclipping her lacy brassiere and shaking it off to the side.

She was about to remove her underwear when she heard the rustling of leaves. In a snap she turned around, her heart pounding hard. “Who’s there?” she hissed, feeling crazy. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her body as she waited for someone…or maybe something...to come out of the bushes.

There was no answer. Everything was still. She didn’t dare move. Her ears picked up the sound of heavy breathing coming from behind the cluster of trees in front of her.

A minute passed. She slowly stepped back and picked up her clothes, her mind and body prepared to run.

Suddenly, she heard that loud scream again cutting through the silence. The cry now seemed closer.

Without thinking, she broke off into a run, tucking her clothes under one arm and clutching the blanket around herself.

More screams followed. But this time, the voices seemed to blend into a weird pattern, a rhythm that sounded like a tribal chant or something.

She kept on running. She could hear heavy breathing and distinguishable footsteps coming after her.

She didn’t know where she was headed. All she knew was that she had to get away fast.

The scream-like chanting was coming closer. She slowed down as she realized the sound was almost in front of her.

“Spy!” a deep, rumbling voice yelled from her back. And before she knew it, several odd-looking men in dark blue robes appeared and surrounded her.

She screamed in fright right before one of them threw her over his muscular shoulder. She didn’t catch a glimpse of his face. But as he and the rest of the chanting men took her deeper into the woods, she kept struggling and punching and slapping, trying to get away. He did not seem affected at all.

Whimpering, she finally relented. She closed her eyes, wishing it was just one of her movies and she’d wake up again in her luxurious penthouse in Hollywood.

She could imagine the headlines this morning: Lindy Miles Missing After Boat Overturns in Storm!

 

***

 

“I’m so glad they finally thought of pairing us,” Clayton said, his intense dark brown eyes filled with lust. His gestures had all been suggestive, after all, ever since they had started meeting about the upcoming movie. “Beach House is going to be a blockbuster, with you and me in it.”

Lindy smiled seductively, playing right into his game. She knew what he wanted, and she wanted it too. “It will be big, of course,” she agreed, her bright blue eyes locking with his. She had to admit his recent rise to stardom was going to boost her already flourishing career as a Hollywood actress.

“You are so beautiful, Lindy…” Clayton whispered as his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer.

“That’s what everybody says,” Lindy answered confidently, her wavy blonde hair whipping around her radiant almond-shaped face.

He chuckled. “I like confidence in women,” he murmured. “It turns me on.”

She laughed in response, her manicured hands crawling around his neck. “Lucky for you I’m in the mood tonight.”

“To what?” he whispered hoarsely, obviously getting more aroused.

Lindy could feel him growing, rubbing against her thighs. She suddenly yearned to make love to him—right there in the little dark corner on the deck of the boat. “To talk,” was her teasing reply.

She loved playing this little game with men who always fell at her feet. It gave her a sense of power and fulfillment. It was one of the things she enjoyed about being a celebrity with a face and body that never seem to age. At 35, she looked ten years younger. She was still single, and she preferred it that way.

Clayton, on the other hand, was only in his twenties and had recently broken up with his girlfriend. He was eager for sex with no strings attached.

Little raindrops fell on her face. For a while, she was concerned about her makeup and eyelash extensions. But then, Clay leaned forward and began kissing her on the lips. His hands caressed her back and eventually moved down to her buttocks, cupping them and pulling her closer.

Even her vanity was temporarily forgotten as their heated kiss continued. The rain began pouring harder, but neither of them noticed.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in the sky, followed by a roaring thunder. They jumped apart in surprise, their bodies still filled with hunger for each other.

“Lindy? Clay?” a voice called. It sounded like the captain.

Lindy stood up and made her way toward the side. She saw the captain right before the boat dangerously swayed to one side, knocking her off balance. Clayton, standing behind her, caught her before she could fall.

“You better get inside!” the captain said. “There’s a storm warning tonight, and it doesn’t look good.”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be a clear day?” Clay grumbled, his eyes darting toward Lindy in grave annoyance. “Damn storm!”

It made Lindy giggle, though she was getting nervous about this sudden storm announcement. It was unexpected. And she knew they were out in the middle of the ocean, still a long way from their destination which they were scheduled to arrive at in the morning.

As she walked along the side of the deck, she could feel the waves becoming wilder. The boat felt like it was made of paper.

Her heart was racing. Her mind was in turmoil, as long-buried memories pushed to the surface. She hated storms because they reminded her of that night when her parents had died in a car accident. She had been left in the care of her Aunt Thea that evening, and she would never forget how it had felt to realize she would never see her parents again.

Even though she was only six years old then, she’d felt the severe loss and emptiness her entire life. Her mom’s sister, her Aunt Thea, had cared for her throughout her childhood and teenage years but eventually passed away too because of cancer.

Lindy made her way to the cabin entrance, eager to get indoors and take her sleeping pills to drown out the awful memories, and to escape the dreadful weather conditions.

But before she could step inside, lightning flashed and the thunder boomed. At the same time, she felt the boat swaying once more to one side, this time much higher than before. The captain was calling out instructions. She screamed as she felt herself sliding toward the side. A huge wave on the other side rocked the boat, toppling it severely. She kept screaming, her arms flailing as she struggled to hold on to something, to anything.

She saw Clayton going into the water too, but in a different direction. As the cold water hit her, her world went black. She submerged and on instinct, she held her breath for as long as she could. Eventually her body rose back to the surface. She opened her eyes and her mouth. She took a huge gulp of air as she saw how far she’d been thrown from the boat. There were bobbing heads near the capsized boat but she couldn’t tell who was who.

“Help!” she yelled, but her voice was carried away by the wind. She began to cry, but knew she had to look for something stable to hold on to while her legs could still kick under the water.

“This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening…” she kept repeating to herself in between sobs. Her eyes spotted a piece of wood floating nearby. She swam toward it and let it take her weight.

The storm was still raging on. She was quivering in the cold but slowly she tried to push toward the boat, hoping to find someone else. She didn’t even know if her friend Belinda had gotten out or was trapped inside the cabin. She would drown there!

The thought gave her added energy to keep going. But no matter how much she paddled toward the boat, she was drifting further away.

After about an hour, the rain stopped. Nevertheless, the waves were still quite big and tumultuous, pushing her over the water, and hindering her from seeing anyone else. She was so exhausted at that point that she could only keep reciting a prayer in her mind, over and over again.

Without warning, another huge wave came and threw her off the piece of wood, causing her to swallow some water. She felt her body being carried away, but she had no more strength to fight. She could only float along and pray.

 

***

 

“That woman is a spy,” somebody was saying. It was a man’s voice. He sounded angry. “Why are you taking care of her?!”

“She doesn’t look like a spy,” a woman answered.

Lindy stirred awake. She realized the conversation was taking place outside. As she gazed at her surroundings and remembered what had happened to her, a feeling of dread washed over her. Had taken her prisoner thinking she was a spy?

The room she was in did not look like any prison cell, though. It was almost bare, with four walls in plain white. There was nothing except the surprisingly comfortable bed she was lying on, a chair, and small round table beside it. The door was ajar and there was no scary-looking guard. There was even a curtained window on one wall, where the voices were drifting in.

Standing up, Lindy brushed strands of her blonde hair away from her face. She felt terrible, but knew she had no time to dwell on any pain. For a brief moment, she had the urge to check her reflection. She must look horrific!

Well, even if she wanted to, there was no mirror anywhere. She climbed out of the bed and saw that the floor was made of concrete. She wondered if this structure was still on the island, or if they had shipped her somewhere else.

She was now dressed in black cotton pants and a loose-fitting white shirt. Her lacy bra was underneath, now dry. She wondered who had dressed her.

“Go back there. The spy might wake up and escape!” the man outside commanded.

The woman simply grumbled in response.

Lindy went to the window and peeked outside. She didn’t see anyone, though. The people talking were no longer there.

Since the window was slightly open, the cool ocean breeze was coming in, blowing the curtains gently. It was quite refreshing and calming. She was most certainly still on the island. And for a few seconds, Lindy closed her eyes and savored it, trying to relax her racing heart and jumpy nerves. When she opened her eyes again, she looked outside. There were many trees blocking the view, but she could tell that she was near the shore. It would be easy to escape. But where would she go once she was near the water? She had to plan it well first.

“You are up,” a female voice said in a flat tone.

Lindy gasped, turning around. She was expecting to find a woman who resembled the men who had captured her, or maybe woman who looked like she lived in the jungle. But the brunette who stood by the door was a pretty young lady who could easily be a model with some makeup and a stylish outfit.

The strange woman’s brunette hair was straight and long, but with a yellowish glow. She was wearing a navy blue, long-sleeved dress with buttons in front all the way down to her ankles. It did not have any shape, though.

Lindy had the urge to find a colorful belt and glam up the drab outfit a bit. She pushed away the thought and instead smiled at the young woman.

“Hi,” Lindy said, her heart relaxing and warming up to the person in front of her. She looked nice and friendly. “I’m Lindy. What’s your name?”

“Kayraz,” was the curt reply. She didn’t smile. She looked guarded as she approached.

“Where am I?” Lindy asked, frowning in disappointment. She had been hoping to make friends with the young woman.

Kayraz gave her a puzzled look. She moved closer, watching Lindy closely and scrutinizing her face. Finally, after a few seconds, she said, “You are within the Vorton War Compound.”

The woman had an bit of an accent so it took Lindy a minute to comprehend the words. “Wait, did you say ‘war’?”

“I am part of the Vorton Community Servers,” Kayraz explained without answering her question. “Now tell me about you, Lindy.”

Lindy looked her in the eye. “I work as an actress back home. I was on a boat that capsized in the storm, which is why I ended up on this strange island. I went into the woods looking for something to wear so my wet clothes could dry, and then suddenly, an army of men arrived and captured me!”

A look of alarm passed over Kayraz’s eyes for a brief moment. “The blue soldiers did not hurt you, did they?”

Lindy shook her head.

“Good,” Kayraz said. “They sometimes tend to go overboard with security.”

“Are you going to let me go?” Lindy pleaded. “Or maybe help me find a way back home. Please! I’m a very wealthy and popular celebrity! People will be looking for me…”

“No, it’s not my decision to make,” Kayraz said, cutting her off. “Somebody said you’re a spy. The Prince will have to meet you first. He will be able to tell.”

“What are you talking about? Which prince?” Lindy asked, her tone of voice showing despair. “I need to get home please… I don’t even know if the others are okay…” To her own surprise, she broke down into tears.

Kayraz gave her a sympathetic look but did not approach her. “Perhaps you need to rest first. If you get hungry or you need anything, I’ll be right outside.” She then walked toward the door and closed it behind her without looking back.

Lindy spent the next few minutes crying and feeling sorry for herself. She didn’t know what to expect from these odd people who had taken her into their compound. A war compound! What does that mean?

She fell asleep again and when she woke up, she felt more renewed and filled with hope. Her stomach made a grumbling sound. She was also very hungry.

“I knew you’d be hungry,” a man’s voice told her. He sounded friendly, though.

She sat up in surprise. The man’s voice sounded familiar. She couldn’t place him, but she knew it wasn’t the man she’d overheard Kayraz talking to outside the window.

“Eat,” he said, rubbing the stubble on his chin as he talked. He was sitting on the chair beside the bed, pushing a basket of bananas and a bowl of soup toward her.

Lindy looked at him with doubt, thinking that he was being friendly because he wanted to lure her into eating poison. She was still trying to rack her brain for why his voice sounded familiar.

“It doesn’t have poison, Woman,” he said, chuckling. He seemed to have read her mind.

As she looked at his face for the first time, she could see that he didn’t look scary at all. He looked like an ordinary man but with slightly more pointed ears and with eyes that had sparks of silver. Perhaps it was just the light? Or maybe it was a new type of contact lens they were experimenting on. In this peculiar world, anything was possible.

The sparks of silver were dancing around in his pupils, mesmerizing her for a moment. Another unusual detail.

“Enjoy the food, Lindy.”

She snapped back to reality. “How do you know my name?”

“Kay told me,” he said, smiling. His teeth were surprisingly white and straight. And when he smiled, he looked like any normal guy.

Lindy gave him a weak smile as her hunger won out. In a short time, she finished the three bananas and the soup. She admittedly wanted more food.

“Still hungry?” he asked, grinning. “By the way, my name is Eli, short for Elixir.”

“Nice name,” Lindy commented sincerely.

He seemed genuinely touched. “Thank you, Beautiful.”

In that instant, she was reminded of her co-star Clayton. Was this odd man flirting with her? Belinda would be happy to know that her beauty also had its power with strange tribes on unknown islands.

Misery swept over her as she worried about Belinda and the others who had been on the boat. But then Eli surprised her by taking her hand and leading her out of the room. The chance to get out of the room and go outdoors cheered her up.

Her mind was running double-time as she studied the narrow hallway covered with mirrors. Never mind her ugly reflection! She did try to smooth down her unruly hair with her fingers as they walked through the hallway. Her face did not have any messy makeup on, and she guessed that was Kayraz’s doing. I do hope she used a special cream for makeup, she thought.

At one point, she got a good close-up look of her reflection and saw the ruins of what used to be her beautiful eyelash extensions. Sighing, she forced herself to shrug it off. Nobody recognized her here, anyway. It didn’t matter.

Eli kept on glancing at her, clearly amused. At least he had dropped her hand and was being a total gentleman.

The hallway wasn’t that long. When they came to the end, it opened up to a huge dome-like structure with a glass ceiling that revealed the sky.

“Wow,” Lindy breathed, looking up. “What is this area for?”

“Mostly meetings,” Eli told her. “But sometimes we have fun gatherings…like what humans call…ahhh…a party! Yes, a party…”

Lindy gave him an odd look. What a weird thing to say!

“So, what things do you celebrate?” she wondered.

“Training graduations, birthdays of leaders…Not much, actually.”

“Training graduation? What kind of training do you do?”

“The Vorton soldiers are being trained for an upcoming war…”

“Here in the US? What war are you talking about?” Lindy said in panic, her voice rising.

Before he could answer, though, Kayraz appeared beside her. She had not even heard the woman approaching.

“There you are, Lindy,” Kayraz said, throwing Eli an exasperated look.

He chuckled in response. “The spy’s hungry!” he declared, as if explaining why he’d brought her there.

“Yeah, right,” Kayraz muttered.

“You miss me already, Kay?” he said jokingly. “Or are you jealous again?”

Kay ignored him and turned to Lindy. “Let me take you to the nightly feast of the community servers…”

As Lindy followed Kay down another mirror-filled hallway, she tried not to look at her reflection and just focus on what the young lady was describing.

“Our role as community servers is to keep the compound clean and to make sure that all the basic commodities are always available for the Vorton Soldiers in training, and all the Vorton Leaders.”

“I see,” Lindy nodded. “So which one does Elixir belong to?”

“He didn’t graduate as a soldier, so he is now a Vorton Guard.”

“He must feel bad about it!” Lindy exclaimed, suddenly feeling sorry for the man who seemed nice enough.

Kay shrugged. “He would have made an excellent fighter, but he’s got a problem with following rules and sticking to standards and all that.”

Lindy laughed. “He seems like the type,” she said. “I do know a lot of men like him.”

To her surprise, Kay laughed too. “We’ve grown to accept him. At least he’s like a…” she paused, trying to search for the right word. “… a ‘class clown’ as you humans call it.”

Lindy frowned. There it was again, that reference to her as a human. In her mind, she suddenly recalled reading about aliens migrating to Earth and blending in with humans. Could they change their appearance?

She shuddered. And this time, it wasn’t because of the cold.

 

***

 

The evening was oddly peaceful unlike the previous night. The sky was clear and dotted with plenty of shimmering stars and an almost full moon that lit up the clearing perfectly.

In the center of the large clearing was a group of women wearing dresses similar to what Kay had on. But this time, their ensemble included necklaces made of fresh, colorful flowers that matched the flowers they wore on their heads. They were dancing in a circle, laughing, and having fun while some men on one side played music on bizarre-looking string instruments.

The festive mood was contagious, allowing Lindy to relax a little. She was awed at the sight of these people who all had slightly pointed ears and uncanny eyes with silver sparks.

Are they not human? she wondered silently as she continued to watch the merriment. There were almost a hundred of them present, with some glancing in her direction curiously. But they seemed to be polite, nice, and friendly.

Is this just some kind of ritual or trick before they eat me? she thought, her eyes widening as she imagined them suddenly turning toward her like in one of those zombie movies.

“Have some of our special fish skewers!” Kay offered, taking some sticks from a woman who passed by with a tray. “They’re yummy!” She took a bite from one stick and handed two to Lindy.

Lindy looked at the skewers. Their delicious aroma and appetizing appearance made her mouth water. She cautiously took a bite and started chewing. Her eyes lit up. “Really good,” she murmured, taking another bite.

Kay smiled. “It’s my sister’s specialty,” she proudly shared, pointing out an older woman who looked like her and had the same hair and tanned skin tone.

“She’s a good cook then,” Lindy said.

Kay beamed. “I’m trying to learn the skill…”

“I’m sure you have your own strengths,” Lindy replied, which made the woman slightly blush and turn away.

They sat together on one of the blankets that had been laid out on the ground. Some of the other women eventually joined them. Lindy surprisingly got along with them easily and found herself enjoying the party, all thoughts of aliens fading away.

Soon a man came to collect Kayraz without any word. He looked stern. “I was looking for you…” was all he said. He pointedly threw Lindy a look of repulsion before leaving with Kayraz.

“Poor Kay…” one of the ladies commented when they had left. “I don’t know how she puts up with Calone. He always seems to be in a bad mood.”

The others nodded in agreement. They launched into a conversation about the couple’s supposed love story. Listening closely, Lindy figured Kay was either hopelessly in love or she just felt like she had no other choice but to stay in that relationship. They weren’t even married yet.

Her eyes scanned the crowd for them. She saw Kay looking down at the ground while Calone seemed to be scolding her. Right then and there, she wanted to give that man a piece of her mind, but she knew it would be risky in her current situation. It was best to keep her mouth shut until she discovered a way to go back home.

As the evening progressed, Lindy started to feel much more comfortable. She had made friends with the women who all seemed to want to learn more about her life as a celebrity. Of course she loved the limelight and couldn’t stop telling stories and bragging about the lifestyle she’d been enjoying. She had always been proud of her journey to success from being that poor 18-year-old girl with no family who had not had the chance to get into college.

She was so much into her story that she didn’t notice her audience suddenly falling silent, their eyes shifting to somebody behind her. The music had stopped. The entire field had fallen silent. Her voice rang out, loud and clear.

When she took notice of the abrupt silence, she stopped speaking. She saw the women around her bowing. That made her turn around.

“Interesting life story…” the tall, handsome man standing in front of her said in a low voice. His slightly long black hair was brushed back in a formal manner that suited him well.

Louder he said, “You would make a good storyteller around here, I guess…to entertain the community, since you are an entertainer, after all.”

Lindy felt insulted and embarrassed. How dare he belittle her successful career and inspiring story! The way he called her an entertainer sounded as if she was an inexperienced clown or magician in the streets.

He smirked, his lips turning up in a demeaning manner. His light brown eyes had sparks of gold instead of silver, twinkling quite mischievously as if he had a secret. Despite her annoyance at him, Lindy could not help gazing into his eyes and observing his regal stance and striking features.

What’s more, his skin seemed to glow with a faint bluish light even in the dimness. It was nothing like she’d ever seen! Very fascinating, she thought. Maybe it’s a new skin cream or something.

Addressing the crowd, he said in a loud voice, “Please, everyone. Continue with your merry-making.”

The music resumed, but Lindy noticed that many of them were more careful with their conversations and actions.

The imposing man walked away . She caught sight of the familiar crest at the back of his robe, the same one embroidered on the blanket she’d found in the woods. It showed gold swords entwined with one another, placed on top of a bluish gray planet with rings around it.

Lindy paused to wonder at what the emblem meant. Then she remembered what he’d said to her. Immediately, her cheeks flushed with irritation again.

“Who was that rude man?” Lindy asked in a peeved voice.

Some of the women gasped.

“Ssshhh…” one of them said, placing a finger on her lips. “He is our Great Leader—Kristan, the Prince of Planet Vorton.”

Lindy’s eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to her. If he was the so-called prince that they all considered the leader of their entire community, then he was the person she ought to convince that she wasn’t a spy.

A smile played on her lips as she imagined cozying up to him. I never realized trying to escape from here would mean seducing such a great-looking (though irritating) guy.

She needed to find a way to talk to him.

 

***

 

Lindy smiled at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She’d braided her long blonde hair and had pinned some light pink flowers into the side. And though she was dressed in the same boring dress that the female servers often wore, she’d opened a few buttons on top and added a necklace made with seashells.

Her blue eyes twinkled back at her, somehow filled with contentment. She wasn’t used to seeing herself without long, thick eyelashes. Nevertheless, she felt lighter and more relaxed than ever.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something about the place that relaxed her. Or maybe it was the people who’d been so nice and friendly to her, treating her like family instead of as an accused spy or prisoner.

Today she had woken up earlier than usual, ready to take on another day of learning new skills. She had been on the island a week already. She couldn’t believe it!

The past few days, Kay and her sister had been teaching her how to cook their dishes so she could help during the nightly feasts and also help feed the rest of the community. It was the perfect opportunity to find her way into the main house where Prince Kristan resided.

She had tried twice to go there but to no avail. The guards always stopped her. Furthermore, Eli kept appearing out of nowhere wherever she was. She didn’t know if he was seriously stalking her, or what his deal was.

When Lindy stepped out of Kay’s house, the lovely burst of colors in the sky caught her attention, drawing her to follow the path leading to the beach. Most of the servers were either still asleep or already doing their designated tasks in their own homes. Nobody even bothered to check where she was. It was odd, but her guess was that they’d put a tracking device on her or they had some sort of high-tech way to detect her location. She wouldn’t put such possibilities past them. Apart from their simple clothing and island lifestyle, everything else was ultra-modern like in a futuristic movie set! She supposed the avant-garde glass and metal structures of the homes and facilities were just the beginning. She hadn’t even gone to the “war room” they’d been talking about or to the prince’s house.

The sun was quickly rising on the horizon, causing a flood of pinks, purples, and oranges to light up the sky and illuminate the surroundings. The ocean was silent as it had been since that ill-fated storm, with its crystal clear waters glistening in the sunlight.

Lindy smiled widely as she gazed in awe at the beautiful sight before her. It was different from viewing a natural wonder while shooting a film. This time, there were no camera men, no directors, no makeup artists. This time, it was just her and Mother Nature.

“When was the last time you were alone, Lindy?” a deep voice said softly from behind her.

Lindy turned around in surprise. It was like whoever it was had been reading her mind! And to add to her disbelief, she found herself locking eyes with one of the most handsome, most intriguing men she’d ever met. And boy, had she met a lot of prominent figures in her lifetime!

Kristan smirked, as if he could sense what she was thinking about him. But he said nothing and just cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her response.

“Good morning, Prince Kristan,” Lindy immediately blurted out. She was shocked to find herself with no composure in front of the man! This was preposterous!

He smirked again, which was beginning to irritate her. “When was the last time you were alone, Lindy?” he repeated his question.

Lindy thought of the life she’d been living for more than a decade now. She was always surrounded by lots of people—fans, colleagues, crew members, advertisers, reporters, servants. But there was no one really special she’d ever been with, no one to call her family. Belinda was probably the closest she could consider.

She shrugged and just answered, “I don’t know.” Then she turned away and walked closer to the edge of the shore, admiring the sunrise and trying to forget the not-so-good parts of her celebrity life.

Prince Kristan didn’t say anything, but she could sense his presence at her back. He was keeping his distance.

Isn’t this the opportunity you’ve been waiting for?! a voice inside her head demanded.

Lindy snapped back to the reality of her situation. She had to do something fast before the prince left. “So…” she started, racking her brain for a conversation starter. It was so unlike her to not know what to say.

Again, Prince Kristan didn’t respond. At least he didn’t seem so rude or formal that day. He still looked a bit uptight, but he also appeared to be enjoying the early morning treat.

Turning to face him, Lindy felt enthralled by his looks and the strong personality that radiated even in his silence. She paused to admire even his casual ensemble—a white shirt that brought out his muscular chest and broad shoulders, combined with a pair of drawstring khaki shorts. Wow, he looked like a typical island boy. Her eyes ran down his neck and she suddenly pictured herself kissing the sunkissed skin.

“I have to go,” he suddenly said, nodding to her in acknowledgement before turning and walking quickly away.

“Wait!” Lindy called, following him. “Where are you going?”

“Back to the house,” he answered. “My guards will panic if they notice my absence. They might send everybody into a panic.”

That made Lindy laugh.

“What’s funny?” he wondered as he walked faster back toward a trail that wound through the woods.

Lindy tried to catch up with him, still laughing. “You mean to say you sneaked out?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” he said. “Nobody knows I come here every morning to watch the sunrise.”

“Well, now it’s not a secret anymore,” Lindy remarked teasingly. “But don’t you worry…it will be just between you and me…” Her natural flirting mode seemed to be back on!

He gave her a puzzled look and then suddenly came to a halt in the middle of the woods. He faced her and firmly said, “Go back to the beach or to the servers now. Or go back home where you belong.”

Ouch.

But wait… Wasn’t that what she wanted exactly? He was actually suggesting it?

He left her again, but she still followed him. “You mean I can go home? You’re allowing me?”

He stopped again with an exasperated sigh. “Yes, Lindy. I know you’re not a spy.”

“Great!” Lindy said cheerfully. “How do I leave this island? Do you have a boat I can use?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t make use of ships or boats because if you’re still not aware, this island is not on any map. Only the American government is aware of our presence here.”

“What? I don’t get it. You mean nobody will ever come to look for me here?”

“This is an invisible island simply because it’s not on any map and we have actually covered the entirety with a special electromagnetic field that throws off signals. It’s for safety precautions.”

“I see… So again, how do I get home?!” Lindy asked, her voice sounding desperate now.

“Look, if you leave me alone, I’ll arrange for a boat for you with a contact I have in the government,” he said reluctantly.

He was obviously not interested in her. She felt dejected. But there was also hope rising from within her as she pictured everything going back to normal.

Before she could say anything else, he started walking away again. But then he paused and turned around after a few steps. “By the way, don’t worry about your friends on the boat that capsized. They were rescued and are all alive.”

Lindy’s mouth dropped open in surprise, wondering if this man wasn’t a news reporter or entertainment talk show host in disguise. She had so many questions she wanted to ask! But even as the prince walked away, he called out, “Don’t follow me!”

Lindy stopped herself from running after him again. Damn this prince. He’s got me. I’m not just running after him instead of the other way around, but he’s actually giving me orders.

She leaned against a nearby tree, sighing. “He’s giving me orders, and I’m actually following them. That’s a new one!” she said to herself. “Well, he’s royalty, after all…”

The next few days, Lindy did not hear from him. She woke up early every single day and scanned the entire beach for him, but he obviously didn’t want to have anything to do with her. But as she was again cooking lunch with Kay and her sister Kam, she overheard Elixir hanging out with some guards on break. They were discussing the rigorous training sessions that the soldiers had been undergoing.

“The war is nearing,” he told them when he joined them to have a taste of the dishes they had prepared.

“I still don’t know what the fuss is all about,” Lindy complained. “Is your Prince working for the government? Are you guys plotting an attack on another country?”

Kay and Kam looked at each other uncomfortably.

Eli ignored them and turned to Lindy. “A union of evil aliens from different planets have been planning another attack on Planet Vorton, the planet where we all come from. We can’t afford to lose more lives again!”

Lindy was shocked. She saw Kay and Kam throwing Eli dirty looks.

“What?” Eli said, throwing his hands up in the air and looking defensive. “She’s been here now for some time. She’ll find out the truth eventually.”

“Because of you and your big mouth!” Kam retorted.

“She can’t do us any damage,” Eli argued. He motioned to Lindy. “Look at the woman! Do you think she’ll be able to squeal on us or something? And when she goes back to the world of the humans, will anyone believe her if she told them? They’re just going to assume she’s gone mad on this island!”

“I guess you’re right,” Kay finally said in a quiet voice. Her sister was still fuming.

Lindy finally found her voice, recovering from the initial shock of the revelation. “So you are all from another planet… i-it’s true?” she croaked. “Aliens are actually r-real?”

“Yeah, we’re all aliens!” Eli told her with a grin. “Surprise, surprise!”

I am fucked, Lindy thought, gulping.

 

***

 

It will take some getting used to. Lindy couldn’t fathom the reality of living amidst aliens, but she didn’t have any choice so she assured her new friends that she was okay. It was touching that she could see their concern for her and not for their own welfare.

Elixir was the only one thinking that they had been protecting their kind. Most of those she’d become close to had actually wanted to protect her.

One evening, Kam had told her she’d be taking her along to the main house. “You can assist me there, Lindy. You’ve been such a wonderful student. I know our leaders will be happy to have you serve them.”

Lindy wanted to jump up and down with joy. It meant a lot in this community—almost like winning in the Academy Awards. Not only was this a huge compliment and achievement for her, but she would finally get to see the prince again. Her heart soared.

A pair of guards transported Lindy and Kam in an actual vintage-looking carriage pulled by horses. The only difference was that the carriage was made of metal and glass and the horses were all robots.

“There is a big celebration happening tonight,” Kam told Lindy as they traveled in the carriage.

“Really? What?”

“The Vorton Engineers will be unveiling their newest invention—a new battleship with special weapons or powers I believe.”

“Wow,” Lindy breathed. “It is a special occasion then. Prince Kristan will be delighted.”

“I guess,” Kam replied dubiously. “But you know, he’s hardly ever delighted by anything. He’s always so serious, but I can’t blame him. The pressure is on him to win this war and save the planet.”

Lindy nodded in agreement. “That’s a truly big responsibility. I can’t imagine how it must feel.”

“Yeah…but we all believe in him. It’s only him who doesn’t seem to believe much in himself.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Lindy said, imagining the haughty expression on the prince’s face the first time she saw him. To her it had been annoying, fascinating, and captivating at the same time.

“He’s generally kind to the soldiers, but very hard on himself,” Kam explained. “It’s because his father, King Oragon of Vorton, blamed him for the sudden attack that had gravely damaged our planet and led to the deaths of thousands of Vortons. As the head of the military his father felt that he should have been better prepared.”

“So he’s trying to make up for it…” Lindy said thoughtfully, feeling sorry for the prince then. She remembered how she’d once been so hard on herself too, to make it big in the industry, simply because she wanted to prove to herself that she was deserving of all the attention.

The carriage came to a stop. Through the glass windows, Lindy could see the entrance to the prince’s estate. The gates with the familiar emblem of the Vorton royal family opened, revealing an illuminated lawn decorated with flowers and lanterns. Several men and women were milling about, talking and having fun.

Lindy climbed out of the carriage after Kam, feeling self-conscious. She was wearing a special dress that one of the women had sewn for her as a gift. It was a long tight-fitting stretchy dress in forest green. She’d requested a slit on one side, which the seamstress had willingly put in and had admired. “So that’s what a slit in a dress looks like!” the young woman had said. “I love it!”

She’d worn her hair up, tied loosely in a bun. It appeared to be professionally done, which made her proud of herself. With no hairstylists at her disposal, it was definitely an accomplishment. She’d almost forgotten how she used to do it all herself when she had been auditioning for acting roles. As for makeup, there was none on the island, but she’d squeezed out the juice of some flower petals to use as a temporary blush.

As she and Kam entered the grounds and made their way to the kitchen at the back of the main house, she couldn’t help admiring the contemporary architecture and the impressive interiors she’d glimpsed through the open glass doors. The ground floor was probably three times as big as her penthouse, decorated even more elegantly.

Nostalgia came over Lindy as she recalled her penthouse and all the grand parties she’d been to. It was bitterly funny that she was going to be part of the kitchen crew instead of attending as a special guest as she had been accustomed to. Well, it’s bound to be an unforgettable experience.

The next few hours were very busy for Lindy as she and Kam led a team of cooks and servers. She didn’t even have time to check what was happening in the party area, she was so caught up in the chaotic preparations.

After a few hours, Kam tapped her on the shoulder and told her she could take a break. “We’re all good now, Lindy. The party’s in full swing, and the guests have all eaten already… You can rest. You did a fantastic job.”

Lindy looked at her blankly.

“Go and enjoy yourself,” Kam told her, shooing her away. “Join the party! There’s still some food left in the banquet hall.”

“Huh? Am I even welcome there?” Lindy asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” Kam said. “Prince Kristan himself told me that we should join the party when we are finished here. Celebrations here last until the morning, you know…”

“What about you?”

“I’ll see you there later. I just need to catch up with some of my old friends who work here in the main house. Unless you want to go with me and meet them…” Kam gave her a knowing smile. “They’re old. Go mingle with your age group.”

After enjoying the feast they had prepared, Lindy went to freshen up before she cautiously slipped into the crowd gathered around on the lawn. The head engineer was about to unveil the specially made spacecraft, although she couldn’t spot it anywhere. Maybe it was going to come down from the sky with special effects or something.

He was explaining about the different features that could help the soldiers win the war. “… with new sensors that can detect other ships that are further away, and with the power to become invisible by voice command from authorized leaders…” he droned on.

Everyone oohed and aahed. But Lindy couldn’t concentrate on what the engineer was saying because her whole being seemed magnetized by the prince who was standing beside him. He was wearing the same maroon robe, this time over a two-piece uniform in plain gray. His flawless skin blazed distinctly in the evening, radiating that bluish light which gave him a regal aura.

She shook her head as the reality of being amongst aliens struck her once more. I’ll be damned. I don’t think I’ll be waking up from this weird dream anytime soon.

It was Prince Kristan’s turn to talk. Everybody fell into complete silence, even leaning forward to listen intently.

“I am very proud of the Vorton Engineers,” he said in a clear, loud voice. “This is a revolutionary spacecraft that will allow us to win battles on land and in outer space. I am confident that we will defeat the coalition of planets that attacked us and finally put their union to death—for good!”

Everybody cheered.

He raised up a hand, silencing them again. They hung on to his every word. “My dear fellow Vortons, I thank you for sticking with me here on our special mission, for giving all-out support to me and the King and the rest of our family, and for showing amazing love for our planet and our people.”

As the crowd clapped again, Prince Kristan signaled for the Head Engineer to reveal the much-awaited surprise.

Lindy gasped with everyone else when the engineer raised his hand and pressed something on the watch he was wearing, exposing the spacecraft that was just behind him all along but was in invisible mode.

All the aliens came nearer to admire the spacecraft in all its enormity, modern beauty, and power.

Lindy stood there in awe while everybody else swarmed around it. For a minute, she too was so mesmerized she didn’t even notice that the prince had left.

A server passed by with a tray of wine glasses that had a bubbling colorless liquid in them. “Hi, Lindy,” the server greeted with a grin. She couldn’t quite remember his name, but she saw him several times going into the kitchen earlier. “You ought to try the Vorton Wine! It’s something else!”

Lindy nodded absent-mindedly, smiling as she accepted the glass handed to her. She took a sip while still focused on the scene before her. The Vortons were excitedly babbling about the upcoming war.

“Mmm… It’s sweet,” she noted about the wine. “It doesn’t seem to have any alcohol content at all. Really good.” She took a longer sip this time.

When the crowd dispersed, she went back inside to look for Kam and ask what time they’d be heading back. From the huge ballroom area, she headed down one hallway that looked familiar, all the while drinking from the wine glass and appreciating the taste and the uplifting mood it seemed to be giving her.

The hallway was empty, and though she was wearing flats, she could hear her own soft footsteps.

The walls were all done in dulled metal with a strange textured design. One side had alternating mirrors and vertical blue lights that illuminated the path. Meanwhile, the other side was lined with doors.

“I think I’m lost,” she suddenly declared, stopping. The end of the hallway still looked quite far. She didn’t know where it led.

Before she could turn around, something caught her attention. One door was ajar and she could hear voices talking inside. Her naturally wild curiosity made her tiptoe toward the door to listen closely.

Suddenly, her head felt a lot lighter. Her heart was also beating fast. It was the wine taking effect. She looked down at the wine glass and saw that it was still filled to the brim, as it had been when it was first handed to her. That made her grin in amusement. Unlimited wine! These people sure know how to party, she thought, giggling softly to herself.

“We are going to win this war, father. I assure you.” It was the voice of Prince Kristan.

Lindy could barely make out the words as the alcohol was dulling her senses. She must have had too much.

“With the weapons we have now and the well-trained soldiers in our army, they have no chance against us…” he continued. His voice was like beautiful music warming her heart.

“That’s the same thing you said before!” a booming voice said. It was someone who sounded older, probably the King whom he appeared to be talking to.

Lindy inched closer toward the door and risked a peek. Glancing inside, she saw that the entire room was dark except for the light emanating from the hologram of the king in the center. Oh, my! That hologram looks so real!

She noticed that the king looked stern, but a bit anxious. His graying eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. “But yes I have seen the soldiers and the spacecraft. They may increase our chances of saving the planet…” he paused dramatically, a troubled look passing across his face. “… but I can sense that you have a real spy in your midst.”

Kristan looked rattled. “But…the human isn’t a spy. I can read her.”

“Perhaps it’s not her. The mind reader cloak will never work on humans.”

“You mean somebody here in the community has used the cloak to ward off my gift…” Kristan figured out.

Lindy was getting confused as she eavesdropped on more of the conversation. The wine wasn’t helping. She decided to get out of there before she got caught. This serious talk about spies was giving her the creeps.

Slowly and carefully she started making her way back down the hallway. She had not taken more than five steps when Kristan’s voice made her stop in her tracks. Holy shit.

“Human girl,” he called. “Come back here.”

With her heart beating fast, she turned around and smiled. “Hi, Your Highness.”

The prince was obviously not in a joking mood. He glared at her. “Come here, quickly now.”

Lindy approached him, her eyes boldly meeting his gaze. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten what he was about to say. That made her feel a sense of achievement. Somehow… just maybe… she was having an effect on him too.

“Whatever you’re thinking, you are wrong,” he said curtly.

Lindy frowned. Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked at him defiantly. “I thought you were going to send me home. Doesn’t such an important person like you know how to keep promises?”

He looked angered, but he remained calm on the outside. “Listen. First of all, I never made a promise. Second, my contact in the government hasn’t gotten back to me about the boat arrangement. And third, I really don’t like you staying here longer than necessary.”

Her eyes flashed with anger. She normally did not back down in any way. But at that moment, no words came to mind.

He breathed deeply, looking away for a few seconds before meeting her gaze again. “Lindy, I will do my best to speed up your departure. But as long as you’re here, you follow our rules and you do not act like what you humans call a spoiled brat or a celebrity with a big head.”

Lindy’s mouth opened wide as she tried to come up with a good retort. This prince was making her blood boil.

“The servers may be treating you nicely, but they are just really like that. It doesn’t mean you are part of our community now. You are still an outsider and will never be part of this family. Now what you overheard just now was a private and confidential conversation that nobody was supposed to hear.”

 

“Fine,” she muttered, her arms still crossed. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. His words had been so harsh, and the part about not belonging had gotten to her big time. Having grown up as an orphan and dealing with life without any family support for most of her life, it had hit her where it hurt the most.

She noticed then that his eyes had suddenly mellowed. In a cool but less angry voice, he said, “Starting tomorrow, you are to work with the cleaners instead of the cooks.”

“But…” she started to protest.

He held up his hand to shut her up. He had that natural effect. “You will do as I say. No arguments.”

Brimming with pain in her heart mixed with the fury she was trying to control, she turned around without saying a word and stomped off. Nobody treats me like this, she thought crossly. But she was the only human on an island of aliens. She was powerless here.

 

***

 

The next day, Lindy woke up with a headache. At least she was able to prove that alcoholic drinks from alien worlds also resulted in hangovers.

To make matters worse, she could hear Kay and her boyfriend Calone arguing outside her room. It was something she had to put up with regularly, since she shared a bedroom with Kayraz in the living quarters of the community servers.

She covered her ears with a pillow but it was no use. Their voices were now rising uncontrollably. After a while, she could hear Kay whimpering while Calone shouted at her.

Lindy couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped out of bed and rushed out to see what was going on. She arrived just in time to see Calone raise a hand to hit Kay.

“Don’t you dare hit her!” she yelled, running forward to move in between them.

He paused, his enraged eyes meeting her indignant gaze. For a moment she felt a wave of fear passing across her whole being, afraid that he’d hurt her. But she stood her ground. Her entire life had taught her to stand up for her rights and never back down from a fight, especially if she knew she was right.

“Aarrgghh!” he cried with fury before plodding away.

Lindy breathed a sigh of relief, and turned around to comfort her good friend. She was now crying hard, something Lindy had never seen her do before.

“It’s all over…” she sobbed.

Lindy tried to comfort her, telling her it was all for the best. They went back to their room where Lindy made her stay while she prepared breakfast for them both. It was their rest day, anyway.

Throughout breakfast, the two girls talked. Kay let out all the pain she’d been keeping inside of her. Lindy just listened. And when they embraced, she suddenly missed Belinda and knew that her best friend was probably still mourning for her supposed loss.

When Kay finally calmed down and fell asleep, Lindy went to the beach to think. Looking out into the ocean, her heart burst with emotion. And in an instant, she knew that she really had to find a way to get back home as soon as possible. And there was no one else to help her except for the prince.

A little while later she was showered and geared up in hiking attire she’d borrowed from some of the ladies. I’ve been through the woods many times, she thought. I can do this.

The dense forested area was at least safe from most wild animals. She knew there could be snakes lurking around, though, but she didn’t want to dwell on the possibility of running into any. The bright sun shone through the thick branches and leaves, cheering her up somehow despite the fact that she seemed to be moving in circles. Finally, she decided to take a break.

As she leaned on a tree trunk, almost breathless, the rustling of leaves nearby made her spin around. She caught sight of a familiar man zipping through the trees.

That looks like Elixir! she thought immediately, deciding to follow him secretly.

Not far from where she’d rested, she found herself approaching a clearing where the voices of soldiers could be heard.

“Where’s Eli?” she whispered, scanning the grounds. She’d lost him toward the end, but at least he’d been able to lead her to the training area.

She didn’t even know if she was allowed in the area, so she cautiously came closer, trying not to make any noise or to attract attention to herself.

The soldiers were busy doing their exercises so she was able to sneak into the building behind them, which she figured was connected to the main house somehow. Or maybe the prince would be in that building today.

Upon entering, she observed that there was no receiving area. It was just a series of hallways and some elevators. The plain metallic walls appeared lifeless and intimidating.

A sense of nervousness began to creep into her heart. Checking the signs, she was still deciding where to go when she heard Eli’s voice.

“Hey, Lindy!” he called in a whisper. “What are you doing here? Are you stalking me now?”

“Very funny,” Lindy answered, making a face. “And what are you doing here?”

“I asked first.”

“Fine. I’m looking for Prince Kristan.”

Eli scowled at the mention of the name. She didn’t know if he was somehow jealous, or if he was actually harboring negative feelings toward the prince.

“Do you know where I can find him?” Lindy continued.

“What do you need? He doesn’t just talk to anyone, you know…” he trailed off. His eyes darted to the left and then to the right. “We should get out of here before we get caught.”

“You mean you sneaked in too?” Lindy asked in surprise.

“Yeah, I wanted to see if I could somehow try to get back into training,” he admitted, pulling her to the entrance.

Lindy suddenly felt sorry for him, realizing how much he still wanted to become a soldier despite his previous failure.

“Isn’t it allowed to try again?” Lindy said curiously. “Maybe you should try to talk to the prince too…”

“Who should try to talk to me?” a familiar voice interrupted.

Lindy’s eyes widened at the sound. Slowly she turned around and was again captivated by the sight of the handsome alien man with the bluish glow. He was wearing his usual royal garb that made him so daunting yet so alluring.

“Lindy dragged me here to try and see you,” Elixir lied without flinching.

To Lindy’s surprise, he even placed an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “She’s desperate to talk to you, even though I tried to stop her.”

“I am not desperate!” Lindy hissed in an irritable voice. She didn’t know if it was her imagination or if the prince actually smiled a bit at that.

“Anyway, now that you’re here, Your Highness, I’m off,” Elixir said. “I am sorry to disturb you and to barge in here without permission.” He bowed and left hurriedly before Lindy could protest.

Prince Kristan simply nodded and then turned to Lindy with his famous smirk. “I am surprised you’re feeling fine enough to walk through the woods and come here after having drunk so much of our wine. You must really be desperate.”

“I’m not!” Lindy almost shouted, forgetting she was speaking to an alien prince. “I mean, okay. Maybe just a little.”

He waited expectantly for her to go on.

She straightened her back with greater confidence, imagining the entire scene to be part of one of her movies. “Let me speak to my friend Belinda. She’s my only family and I want to let her know I’m okay.”

He paused for a while, thinking. Then he shook his head. “It would put us all in a risky position.”

“But…”

“Are you done?” he followed up quickly in a cool voice. “I’m busy.”

Fuck this asshole of a prince, Lindy thought, her blood boiling again. You’re a heartless bastard and if not for the kind Vortons I’ve become friends with, I hope you lose that damn war!

The prince’s cool gaze turned into a glare for just a second, but it was gone so quickly she may have conjured it up. “You wanted to say something else?” he asked in that nonchalant tone again.

In a snap of a finger, Lindy teared up and feigned weakness. Maybe, just maybe, playing “girl in distress” will work better. It does with most men. She played it up well, and on screen it would have earned her a Best Actress Award! However, she just couldn’t make herself beg. She simply explained that she’d been feeling homesick and it had been making her feel ill.

Her tears began to feel real, and she could sense her heart constricting as she recalled the frightening storm in her mind. Her shoulders began to shake as her sobs increased. “Just let me go home…”

She thought it was working at first because his distant eyes seemed to be softening. But then, when he finally spoke, her cheeks flamed and her entire body heated with anger at his words.

“Lindy, you’re really a gifted actress,” he started. “Unfortunately, we’re not into movies here. We have much better, more important things to take care of. Don’t waste my time and yours. So if you’re done with your drama, you can go find our Head Cleaner to talk about your new job for tomorrow.”

Lindy straightened up and wiped her tears away as she glowered at the retreating back of the prince. “Asshole,” she muttered, wanting to strangle him.

 

***

 

The next few days were busy for Lindy as she was trained to be one of the cleaners in the training area. Since she’d grown up helping her aunt with house chores and working as a student, she was able to adjust well to the job. It entailed tough tasks, but she wanted to prove to the prince and to herself that she could do it all excellently.

She often worked in silence, focusing all her energy on completing tasks efficiently. The Head Cleaner would frequently praise her and even said that he admired her for doing such an amazing job at this despite her celebrity status back home. He was beginning to feel like a big brother to her, which was quite endearing.

There were times when she would feel so degraded, but she would immediately try to shift her perspective, thinking that this was a great way for her to stay in shape and to strengthen her body.

She remembered all those assistants who had been at her beck and call. She felt bad for all those moments when she’d felt so pressured at work that she sometimes took it out on them, snapping, or giving orders without a care in the world. During those times, she forgot about her past and it always made her feel guilty—especially now.

Often Prince Kristan would pass by as he was on his way to his office or to a meeting. He’d greet the other cleaners, but to her he would nod in acknowledgement only. Well, at least he was being polite enough. Maybe he was afraid of what the other cleaners might think.

One time when she’d seen him rounding a corner in the building, she had followed him with her eyes as he spoke to a device in his watch. When he’d abruptly turned around, their eyes had accidentally met. She’d felt something inside of her jump, but he’d simply shifted his gaze and ignored her.

Lindy, you better watch it, she had warned herself. You are not crushing on this guy! You’re too old for that and it was never your style. Besides, he’s not even worthy of your attention. He is the least worthy! Yet she couldn’t deny the physical attraction that drew her to him and activated her senses into full alert every time he was around.

One morning, despite the exhaustion of Lindy’s body from the work of the past weeks, she woke up at dawn and decided to watch the sunrise on the beach. It had been a long time since she’d last seen it, and she was hoping it would again have that magical effect on her. She needed to rest and refresh her mind, heart, and spirit.

As she walked down the stretch of the shore, absorbing the beauty of the sky and the heat of the sun, she started to relax. She pushed away all worries about her present and future, and simply concentrated on the spectacular view, the grains of sand rubbing against her bare feet, and the cool breeze blowing on her face.

Her blonde hair danced in the wind, along with the hem of her long skirt which she had paired with a sweater-type top that one of the ladies had given her. Her anxiety seemed to melt away as the minutes passed by and the sun finally rose above the sea, shining radiantly.

She was about to head back, ready to face reality again with renewed strength and conviction, when she saw a figure hunched under a tree near the beach. Her heart skipped a beat as she came nearer and she recognized the muscular body of the prince, bent forward while seated on the ground, his arms casually resting on his folded knees. His handsome face was shadowed by the tree’s leaves, but she could see that he had not shaved for a while.

Despite his treatment of her over the recent weeks, her heart went out to him. She wondered if he was still worried about that spy, or if his father remained doubtful of his ability to lead the army to victory. It was such a huge burden to carry. 

She took several steps in the other direction, knowing she might be late for her tasks that day, but something seemed to pull her back toward the prince. She looked back and gazed at him in silence. He didn’t look as intimidating at that moment. He didn’t even resemble a prince or an army chief or the leader of a planet. In that instant, he was just an ordinary man looking forlorn, needing a friend, as he stared out into the ocean.

Pushing her second thoughts aside, she plodded over to plop down on the ground beside him. I am Lindy Miles, famous multi-awarded actress! she thought to herself proudly, gaining confidence as she recalled her career achievements.

She hadn’t realized she’d positioned herself a bit closer to him than she’d planned. Their shoulders grazed, making him throw her a look of disbelief. Even through the sweater she had on, she could feel the heat passing between them.

He regarded her with interest for some time, which made her feel really self-conscious. But then his intense brown eyes narrowed, the golden sparks darkening too. He was obviously taken aback by her boldness in approaching him.

“You,” he said in a terse voice. But he did not move away.

Her eyes met with his. She smiled bravely, trying to look friendly. “Hi, Prince Kristan,” she said casually. “So, you’ve decided to watch the sunrise again today.”

He ignored her and faced forward again in silence.

Lindy tucked her knees under her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs and following his gaze. They sat side by side in silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke again.

“I don’t need a friend right now, Lindy,” he said bluntly, motioning for her to leave. “And we’re not even friends to begin with.”

Lindy could feel her cheeks flaming. Here he was pushing her away again. She had never made a fool of herself so many times in front of the same person in her entire life. And she’d never before had to keep asserting herself to any man.

“Why are you mean to me? I didn’t do anything bad to you…” Lindy said in a sharp tone, trying to control her rising anger. “You don’t seem as harsh to the others. Is it because I’m an outsider?”

He breathed deeply then turned to face her again, looking her in the eye.

Her breath caught in her throat as she found her face inches away from his. She felt herself becoming entranced by the mysterious golden sparks gliding across his eyes, their color dimming and brightening alternately. It seemed to signal the emotions he was keeping locked inside.

“Maybe it’s just wrong timing for you and me,” he whispered.

What is he saying? she wondered with a mixture of puzzlement and excitement.

He continued. “What I’m saying is that we could have been good friends if we had met a long time ago… back when I didn’t have to worry about my people’s welfare or about my planet’s future…”

“Hmmm… I find that hard to believe somehow,” Lindy told him. “I can’t picture you as someone relaxed or friendly at all. But well, something told me a while ago that I’m the only one with the guts to approach you and offer a shoulder to cry on. Come on! Try me. I’m a good listener!”

“You are one weird, persistent woman,” he noted, frowning. “But I don’t need a shoulder to cry on as you put it. I’m perfectly fine.”

Lindy laughed. “Suit yourself!” 

To her astonishment, he chuckled. Then with a bit of hesitation, he eventually said, “Maybe you’re right. And everybody else is right about me too. I’ve become too obsessed with this upcoming war.”

“Well, I would be miserable too if I lost a really important acting award that I was expecting to win,” Lindy said in understanding, already hating the imagined scene and knowing she would do whatever it took to win the next time around.

“You’ve heard of my story…”

Lindy nodded with a grin. “Word gets around.”

“Yeah, well… Guess even Vortons can gossip.”

Lindy actually giggled. “Oh. My. God.”

“What?” he said in confusion.

“You just cracked a witty remark!” Then scrunching her nose, she retracted her comment. “Well, not so witty but just… something not so serious.”

Kristan gave her a strange but obviously amused look.

She felt her heart soaring. “You know what I mean,” she said quickly, looking away.

Then to her shock, she felt his hand touching her knee very gently. “Thanks, Lindy,” he said in a genuine tone that made her face him again. “I really appreciate it.”

A few seconds of silence passed as she felt the physical attraction increasing between them. She could feel its thick presence in the air, making her imagination fly. But she stopped it before it got further. Besides, he had that smirk on his lips again, as if he knew something that she didn’t.

“Okay, tell you what!” Lindy said excitedly, wanting to break the spell just to relieve herself of the invisible tension. Her blue eyes twinkled as she came up with a bright idea. “How about we play hooky for today?” she suggested. “Just for today, like high school kids cutting classes for the first time!”

He laughed then. “You’re crazy, human lady!”

She grinned. Her heart fluttered from the way the sound of the nickname rolled off his tongue. It wasn’t anything romantic, but it was still special. She was different to him, and that made a difference. What’s more, he was just so cute when he wasn’t busy being an uptight prince preparing for war.

“When was the last time you did something crazy?” Lindy said curiously, nudging his shoulder with hers.

He was surprised again, but seemingly captivated now. “Uh, never?” he said, shrugging.

It was her turn to laugh aloud. “Seriously? Not even when you were a kid?!”

He shook his head, chuckling. “Was always a good kid.”

Lindy turned serious then. “You’re always seeking your father’s approval. Must be tough to follow in the King’s footsteps, huh?”

He seemed amused again despite her bringing up his father. “You read my mind.”

Lindy smiled. “It’s my secret power!”

Kristan shook his head in incredulity, but he was smiling from ear to ear.

“Come on!” Lindy said, suddenly getting up. As she did, her toe caught on a rock causing her lose her balance. She gave a slight shriek as she fell backwards on the prince, awkwardly ending up in a sitting position on his knees! But to her delight, he had his arms around her.

“Are you okay?” he asked with concern.

She nodded, suddenly speechless. She hastily clambered to her feet and hurried down the trail. “Let’s go!” she called.

Following reluctantly, he was shaking his head and chuckling. “Where are we going?”

“I want to show you something,” Lindy shouted. She led the way to the edge of the island that she had explored a few days previously. It wasn’t a long walk and there was a trail that was barely visible, which had obviously not been used frequently.

As they fell into step together, she felt him beginning to loosen up and become more comfortable with her. She was very pleased to see that she still had that ability. If it wasn’t to seduce men, at least it was helpful in making people feel more at ease just as she’d accomplished with the rest of the Vorton community.

They finally came to a stop in front of a small cave entrance. She studied his face and knew he did not know about its existence.

“When did you discover this cave, Lindy?” he asked, turning all serious again.

“Let me think…” she paused. “I think just a few days ago when I was looking for materials for the craftswomen in the community…”

“You’re helping them out?” he asked in surprise.

“Yeah, why? Is that bad?” she asked defiantly.

“No, no!” he immediately answered. “Just…interesting.”

She led the way into the dark cave. “It’s a small one, but there are no animals here inside, I believe… I did see some odd-looking gadgets that I think you should check out.”

“Gadgets?” he repeated curiously, quickening his step to follow her further into the cave. The pathway was quite dark now as they ventured farther from the entrance.

Lindy had no slippers on, but she didn’t really care. She’d gotten used to the feeling of bare earth beneath her feet, and sort of enjoyed it now. Besides, it was less slippery when navigating inside a cave.

“Just a few more steps…” she said without looking back. “Come on, hurry…”

She came to a sudden stop when she reached a point where there was a drop from the ground. “Whoa!” she cried out, almost falling forward. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back. She felt her body pressing against Kristan’s and it took all her self-control not to turn around and start kissing him.

“Be careful,” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck temptingly.

She was breathing heavily now, her heart feeling as if it would burst out of her chest. And for a moment, she forgot what they were doing there.

He pulled her closer, his hands enfolding her tightly. She could feel his chin on the side of her head. “What did you want to show me, Lindy?” he asked then.

“Uh…” She could not even think straight!

He slowly moved her to his side. “Is it down there? I’ll go first.”

She was so wrapped up in the rising temperature of her body and the crazy thudding of her heart that she didn’t have the energy to even protest.

To her disappointment, he let her go and sidestepped her to take a peek down below. He shone a light from his watch to check the height of the drop. “It’s not far at all,” he said. “It’s safe to jump. Wait here, though… Let me go first.”

He jumped to the ground below and called out to her. “Lindy?”

She took a deep breath, looked down and met his eyes. Somehow, she knew she could trust this alien prince. Without thinking any further, she went down to a sitting position on the edge before jumping—straight into his waiting arms.

They stood there face to face, staring at each other. And because he didn’t immediately let her go, she followed her instinct and placed both arms around his neck.

Kiss me, she demanded in her head, eager to feel his moist lips on hers. But aloud she started to say, “Prince Kristan, I—“

He didn’t let her finish. He swooped down fast and kissed her on the lips, taking her by surprise. Her heart felt like it exploded as their lips caressed one another passionately. Their tongues met in a fiery dance of desire, the sexual tension between them mounting dangerously.

They kissed some more, oblivious to their surroundings. But abruptly, the prince stopped as the desire they had for each other started to escalate. He gently pulled back.

“What’s wrong?” Lindy asked, out of breath.

“Nothing,” he answered with raspy breathing, trying to calm himself down. He quickly took his eyes away from her and changed the subject. “So where are the gadgets you were telling me about?”

Still feeling elated but a bit disappointed, Lindy wordlessly pointed to the black velvet string bag hidden in a crease in between some rocks.

Kristan seemed to have forgotten about her as he examined the old, worn-out gadgets in the bag. There were a few crumpled papers that were confidential documents regarding the army in the bag with them.

“Those papers weren’t there before…” Lindy said, puzzled.

“It means that the spy recently returned here,” Prince Kristan said thoughtfully. “He may have been in the training building or within the army grounds the past few days. I will have the security cameras checked.”

Lindy was already running through the people she’d seen over the past few days while she’d been cleaning up in the training area.

“Have you noticed anything weird lately?” the prince pressed on. “Maybe someone who looked suspicious or even a soldier who wasn’t supposed to be in a particular place at the time…”

Lindy tried to recall the memories. She remembered wondering why that quiet soldier often went inside the officers’ hall when he wasn’t even an officer yet.

“Branzon, the new graduate?” Kristan blurted out, his eyes clouding over in deep thought. He took out a communication device from his pocket and started snapping commands to one of the officers.

Lindy then had a picture of Kay’s boyfriend Calone in her mind. She remembered seeing him just yesterday, rushing out of the training building but trying to act nonchalant. It was almost night time then.

Kristan stopped speaking into the device he had on his hand. He turned to her and barked, “Calone? What the hell was he doing there?!”

Lindy’s eyes widened as she realized that he’d been reading her mind—literally. “How are doing that?” she whispered in awe.

In the midst of what appeared to be chaotic thoughts in his head, Lindy saw his face turn very serious as he looked into her eyes. Then he revealed to her a secret that nobody else knew. “I can read minds, Lindy.”

The color drained from her face as she grasped the reality of it and knew that he’d been reading her thoughts all along.

 

***

 

The monthly musical festival of the community servers was in full swing in the metal dome which was decorated like an enchanted forest. There were vines hanging around on the walls and from parts of the ceiling, intertwined with lovely lights and flowers. Real stars outside could be seen through the glass ceiling, flickering beautifully in the night sky.

Lindy had gotten so accustomed to the alien chants already that she found them entertaining now, sort of like a cross between rap and soulful melodies.

“This is really special,” Kay commented beside her. She looked extra pretty in a long pink dress that Lindy had made for her after learning how to do basic sewing. It was a makeshift costume for her performance later that evening. “Thanks for the outfit, Lindy. And the decors! Wow!”

Lindy smiled. “You’re welcome. But I don’t deserve all the credit. We all worked hard to make this event very special.”

“It’s my first month without Calone by my side…” Kay murmured wistfully.

Lindy knew that Calone was being investigated, but she couldn’t tell Kay until it was confirmed that he really was the spy. She had a bad feeling about it.

“Don’t worry,” Lindy assured Kay, secretly very relieved that they had already broken up for good. “There are lots of better men lining up to dance with you tonight!” She motioned to a couple of male servers eyeing Kay.

Kay consciously tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear. “I have forgotten how to deal with other men…” she said nervously.

“You’ll handle it. Just be confident!” Lindy told her. “You are smart, pretty, and totally irresistible!”

Kay smiled at her with gratitude. And in return, Lindy embraced her friend.

Suddenly, they heard somebody announcing Kay’s name as the next performer.

“Good luck, Kay!” Lindy called after her friend as Kayraz climbed up the stage. She proudly listened to her friend belt out a sweet, mellow song as some of their other friends played various instruments in the background. It was a combination of Vorton and human music, and all the servers present were loving it.

As she was swaying gently to the music, she felt an arm drape around her shoulders. It was Elixir, grinning at her and looking as if he’d had too much to drink already.

“Hi, beautiful,” he greeted cheerfully, his words slightly slurred. “How about joining me for a private walk on the beach?”

“No, thanks,” Lindy said in reply with a polite smile. She knew when to avoid Eli and when to joke around with him as a friend. This was one of those times when it was better to stay away, especially since she had no intention ever of hooking up with him.

“I promise to behave, Lindy,” he kidded, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Lindy pulled away in surprise. “Eli…I said no,” she told him firmly. “Let’s just enjoy the evening, shall we?”

“Oh, come on! Celebrities like you love to party, right?” he insisted, still grinning. “Let’s have a little fun, Lindy…”

To her astonishment, he had the nerve to wrap her in his arms and plant a kiss on her lips. She gave him a good shove, which made him tumble backward a bit. It was a good thing they were in the back of the room, so the commotion was left unnoticed.

“What’s your problem?” Eli demanded, this time looking angry and embarrassed. He lunged at her then, but somebody blocked his way, moving in front of Lindy.

“What’s your problem, Elixir?” a calm but stern voice said. It was Prince Kristan, coming to protect her. The bluish aura that radiated from his body was darkening.

What was he doing at the servers’ event, anyway?

Lindy could smell his intoxicating scent, making her heart pound harder. He was blocking her view so she couldn’t see what was going on. Eventually, though, Eli backed down, grumbling under his breath and moving away.

“I’m putting that guy on my list of spy suspects,” Kristan said under his breath as he watched Elixir partially walk and partially stumble away.

Lindy sighed in relief. She didn’t want to cause any trouble, especially on such a special evening. And hearing Kristan’s decision to have Elixir investigated too, she thought that maybe it was all for the best. She had a lot of unanswered questions about him.

She was also worried about ruining Kay’s performance. But glancing at the stage, she could that her friend was enjoying herself and was happy to be entertaining everyone present.

“Are you okay, Lindy?” he asked, his face blank but his eyes filled with concern.

She nodded, smiling. “Don’t worry. Eli’s always like that to me, but he was probably pushier today because of the alcohol in his system.”

“He shouldn’t be drinking more than he can handle,” he replied, his look of concern turning to annoyance. “Now that man’s never going to make it as a soldier.”

Lindy nodded in agreement, feeling a little sad for Eli who was often fun to be with when he wasn’t drinking or hitting on her. “Anyway…” she started, changing the subject. “What brings you here?”

“I’m invited to these events every time,” he said nonchalantly. “I decided to come today and see for myself what the fuss is all about.”

“Cool,” Lindy said enthusiastically, suddenly feeling self-conscious. It was a good thing she’d made an extra effort to dress herself up in a nice blue dress that showed off her lean legs and slightly revealed her cleavage. She had worn her blonde hair loose, the waves cascading way below her shoulders.

Then she remembered that the prince could read her mind. She looked up cautiously at him.

He didn’t make any movement or reference to knowing what she’d been thinking. He simply gave her a friendly smile.

“I’ll see you around,” he suddenly said, leaving her standing there and once again feeling disappointed. She watched him mingle with the other servers, who were obviously shocked by his presence. He looked like he was having a good time.

As the night wore on, Lindy forgot about the earlier incident and was having a great time with the community she’d learned to love so much. She eventually had the chance to interact with a group that included Prince Kristan.

“We’re really grateful you’re here, sir,” one of the male singers said, looking awestruck.

“I’m grateful to be here,” the prince responded sincerely. “You are all such amazing musicians. I’m sorry I only found out now. You should definitely perform at the next gathering in the main house!”

“We would be honored!” the male singer said.

An excited chatter started in the crowd gathered around the prince. Lindy smiled, loving the way he was relating with them and even praising them. Maybe he’d realized that forming real relationships with these people was vital for everybody’s wellbeing, and to fulfilling his own goals.

As Prince Kristan answered each question and even told interesting anecdotes, he sometimes glanced in Lindy’s direction. There were moments when their eyes would meet, causing an invisible spark. It was as if there was an unseen string connecting them.

“Tell us, sir…” one lady said casually. They were all warming up to the prince and really treating him as one of them. “What made you decide to come tonight?”

Kristan paused, his brown eyes shining with admiration and warmth. “There’s this friend who made me realize I was being too serious…”

Everybody laughed. His eyes flickered to Lindy, making her heart jump. “This person somehow dug up the old me, a part of me I had buried deep long ago. But now I’m seeing that it’s better this way—to mix the old me with the new me.”

Somebody whistled. “Way to go, friend!” he cried out, making the others laugh, including Lindy.

The party finished late. Prince Kristan said goodbye to everyone and was escorted back to his ride by two soldiers who’d come to pick him up in the modern carriage.

Meanwhile, Lindy was one of those who left the dome last. She wasn’t feeling sleepy yet, her mind churning with thoughts of the prince. Her emotions were a contradicting fusion of hope and frustration. So instead of heading back to the room she shared with Kayraz, she went to her favorite spot on the beach—the secluded sandy area enclosed by large rocks. She laid out a blanket and sat down, quietly listening to the waves crashing onto the shore.

“Hey,” a hoarse whisper came from behind her.

Her heartbeat quickened in fear as she stood up and whipped around, ready to run if there was any danger. As she turned, she was startled to smash her face into the well-built chest of the man she’d been fantasizing about. She breathed in his scent even through the sweater he was wearing.

“You scared me!” she said, giggling nervously and yet feeling her body temperature escalating with desire.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, raising one hand to gently touch her cheek. The electrifying gesture seemed to disperse tingling heat to every portion of her body.

In her mind, she was already imagining him kissing her, and making love to her under the moonlight.

He grinned, the golden sparks in his eyes lighting up brighter. There was also a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Your mind…is way too advanced…” he teased.

She blushed, which no other man had made her do in a long time.

“What are you doing here?” she said to change the topic. Her heart beat even faster. Her mind could not stop picturing him kissing and touching her all over. 

He chuckled softly, taking another step closer to her. “You are one naughty woman…” he noted, his face turning serious. His hands cupped her face as he looked into her eyes with intense desire. “And to answer your question, I couldn’t sleep so I went looking for you.”

“Why?” She tried to shut out the pornographic thoughts in her mind.

He moved his hands from her cheeks to her neck stroking lightly, his eyes never leaving hers. Then he brought his hands to her shoulders and arms, pushing back her flimsy jacket causing it to fall to the ground. Underneath she still had on the same dress that exposed the top of her breasts and enhanced her curves.

He gazed at her with longing, his eyes moving down and lingering on her breasts before shifting back to her face. He was making her wait so long it was killing her. She could feel herself becoming damp between her legs as he seemed to undress her with his eyes.

“You’re getting what you want tonight,” he told her boldly. “And so am I.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and stretched up on her toes as he leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. They met in a passionate kiss, both eager to taste each other and to satisfy their mounting desires.

He pushed his tongue into her mouth and she let him in willingly, her own tongue dancing with his in an erotic fashion that made her want him so badly. His hands moved toward her buttocks, squeezing them and pulling her closer to him.

She gasped as she felt his growing hardness rub against the sensitive area between her legs. She could feel herself getting wetter with yearning.

His lips moved to her neck, kissing her sensually as he helped her to move down to the ground with him. She found herself lying underneath him, her breasts heaving as she breathed deeply and quickly. He then kissed the supple skin on the top of her breasts, making her utter a moan as her desire escalated.

As his lips and tongue pushed back the fabric of her dress to reveal her nipples, she felt his fingers snaking up her inner thigh and making their way beneath her underwear. She was softly panting as two fingers briefly played with her curls before pressing past the tangles and folds and contacting her sweet spot.

She moaned, louder this time, the sound merging with that of the crashing waves.

“Lindy…” he whispered her name sweetly, seductively, as his fingers rubbed her up and down, gently at first and then eventually moving faster.

“Ohhh Kristan…” she moaned, her hips rising to meet the pressure of his fingers as her own fingers clutched the strands of his now messy hair.

He moved his fingers in a circular motion, causing her desire and passion to climb higher and higher until she burst in sexual gratification.

After she came, he removed his fingers and swiftly pulled her panties all the way down. He opened her legs as she was breathing heavily, still recovering from the remnants of her climax. He took his time undoing the button of his pants, his bluish skin emanating a faint light that blended with the dark surroundings.

She had waited so long for this. He lifted her skirt and brought his stiffness to her entrance, sliding inside and filling her completely. His hard shaft rubbed against her delicate walls, increasing her ecstasy once more and moving her towards a second climax.

They moved in unison, moaning and groaning in pure desire and pleasure, until she felt him explode inside her and warm, thick liquid erupted within, warming and tickling her. Some of it trickled down her inner thighs, but she didn’t mind at all. She too was enveloped in sheer sensual rapture.

He rolled to her side and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. The simple gesture filled her with greater bliss. It was nothing like she’d ever felt before.

She smoothed down her skirt and lay peacefully on the crumpled blanket, not caring about the sand that had gotten stuck on her exposed skin. Cuddled in Kristan’s arms, they gazed at the twinkling stars above them, the witness to the start of an unforgettable affair.

 

***

 

It had been a long, tiring day for most of the cleaners, but not for Lindy. She had something to look forward to.

When all the cleaners had packed up in the mansion, she waved goodbye, saying, “I’ll catch up later. I just need to go to the bathroom.”

After they had all gone, she went into one of the huge guest bedrooms on the ground floor. She closed the door behind her, staring at the empty room decorated impressively. Throwing her bag on a nearby chair, she proceeded to the adjoining bathroom to take a shower.

She thoroughly cleaned herself, letting the soap slide across her naked body while the water poured from above. With her eyes closed, she imagined Kristan’s hands stroking her breasts, massaging her back, caressing her legs. She was instantly aroused and was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the bathroom door open or the shower curtains pulled aside.

She felt somebody’s presence behind her, making her pop her eyes open. She smiled widely as her eyes rested on the well-built nude body of Prince Kristan.

With his eyes blazing with never-ending desire for her, he seized her in a fiery kiss, to which she responded with much vigor. Their bodies rubbed against one another, the soap making their skin glide smoothly.

He pushed her gently to the wall, the water of the shower hitting parts of their bodies and slickening their skin. Her hands caressed his back before moving to his waiting rock-hard shaft. She wrapped her fingers around it slowly, careful not to hurt him. Then she made a rolling motion with her hand, making him groan with pleasure as they passionately kissed.

It wasn’t long before he stopped her with his hand and pressed her harder against the wall, lifting one of her legs before adjusting his position to enter her. He shoved hard into her over and over again, making her pleasure shoot up into incredible heights. He devoured her breasts as he kept on pounding harder and faster.

Finally, they came at the same time.

That evening, she didn’t to go home for the first time since they began their affair.

“Kay might come looking for you in the morning when she wakes up…” Prince Kristan said as they lay on the bed after a few more rounds of sex.

“She’ll be worried sick,” Lindy agreed. “But I’ll just have to return very early. I want to spend the night with you…if you don’t mind…” She not only wanted to stay close to him and spend more time with him, but she was worried she would never get to do it if she waited too long.

On top of that, after almost two weeks of sneaking around and having sex in different areas of the house and the island, she was becoming concerned about her growing feelings for him. She always managed to brush them off, though, especially since she knew he could read her mind except when he was too exhausted or feeling ill. She just didn’t want to be the one to complicate things.

As for the prince, he never once made a comment that showed if he’d caught on to her worries. She believed she was having a positive overall effect on him. He was a lot more relaxed and much friendlier now, even though he was still tough with the soldiers’ during their training sessions. He remained determined to make their army the very best in the entire universe.

“How are the investigations progressing?” Lindy asked as she served him dinner in bed. It was also her first time to cook for him, which made her ecstatic. He’d made all the servants go home so they had the house to themselves except for the bodyguards surrounding the structure.

Kristan was seated on the bed, enjoying what she’d cooked for him. “This is really delicious,” he remarked.

“Thanks!” Lindy replied, beaming. She felt like their relationship was moving to a level higher. It made her both worried and excited, but she didn’t want to deal with the confusion at the moment.

“Do you mean the investigations on our suspected spies?” he asked. He was giving her a funny, strange look, probably reading her mind and knowing she was more concerned about their relationship.

“Yes,” she answered, plopping down on the bed beside him and watching him gobble up the meal. “Can’t you just interview them directly and read their minds to see if they’re lying?”

“It’s been more than a week since I have asked some trusted officers to observe them. Nothing odd yet, so far…except…”

“What?” Lindy pressed on, curious.

“Calzone isn’t our spy,” he said with conviction. “He’d been sneaking into the training grounds because he’s been sleeping with several different cleaners.”

“What?! Who?!” Now this was something that Lindy wanted to know.

She was shocked to learn that it involved some of the women she worked with, whom she considered her friends. Well, at least these were females who had never been close to Kay. She suspected that it had already been going on when Calzone and Kay were still together.

“Well, it’s none of our business,” Kristan said, shrugging to show he didn’t really care. “What’s important is that he’s not with Kay anymore and he’s not disrupting anyone’s work. But I’ve already asked someone to warn him not to sneak around in the training building.”

A thought then occurred to Lindy. “But what if…?”

Kristan read her mind before she could finish her sentence. “Yes, it’s a possibility. He may be using this as a cover for something else he’s doing. I have yet to speak with him directly and try to read his mind.”

“And Branzon, the young soldier?” Lindy wondered.

“Off the hook too,” Kristan said. “I actually talked to him and his mind was as clear as day to read! He’s just very ambitious, that’s all.”

“What about Elixir?”

Kristan was thoughtful for a moment. “So far he hasn’t been caught going anywhere else except in the servers’ area. I’ve also spoken with him, and his mind’s clear. Well, lots of other issues there but nothing to do with trying to destroy our chances of winning the war.”

“Okay, I’m glad.”

He threw her a funny look. Was it of jealousy? She ignored it and asked, “You did gather other suspects, right?”

“Yes, and they’re not our spy either,” he said, looking frustrated. “Whoever the spy is, he or she is doing a damn great job of undercover work. This past week, I have talked with almost everyone. I should have detected a dishonest mind by now. This spy must know of my ability.”

Lindy looked thoughtful.

“Anyway, we’re keeping closer watch and the spy probably knows we’ve increased all our security surveillance and even the guards. He’s lying low now.”

“Maybe it will drive him away… But I’ll keep watching out for anything suspicious or out of place,” Lindy offered.

He placed an arm around her and brought her closer to him for a warm hug. “Thank you. I can always count on you.”

 

***

 

On the day of her birthday, Lindy made it a point to wake up earlier than everyone else so she could spend time on the beach doing her favorite thing—watching the sunrise. It always gave her hope that things would sort themselves out, or that there was a beautiful future awaiting her.

Indeed things had been looking up since she’d started seeing Kristan. He’d been treating her well, and they had spent as much time together as they could.

Kristan was the icing on the cake, because she’d really begun to consider the community as her own home. She could no longer imagine her life without these people she had grown to love. And as for the prince, he seemed to fill that emptiness and longing in her heart that she’d always had while growing up.

However, she wasn’t sure where the relationship was headed. Even if she chose never to leave the island, she didn’t know what would happen when the war finally came. If the Vortons won, maybe that would mean Kristan and the others would be heading back to their planet. Would she be able and willing to live there too? She had no answer to that yet.

To top it all off, she also wasn’t certain if there was a real relationship in the first place. Sometimes she could tell that Kristan was reading her mind. She wished he would comment about it, even if it was something she didn’t want to hear. But he never said anything. And when he could sense her steering the conversation to that, he’d immediately change the topic. Maybe he didn’t care as much about her.

Another thing that bothered her was her own fulfillment. Would she be happy living this kind of life for long, even if they could possibly stay on the island forever? She’d been so career-oriented for so long that she somehow knew in her heart she’d soon be looking for that sense of accomplishment again. Though she’d been getting it from her small achievements in cooking and cleaning, she knew she was capable of so much more. But an important role in a Vorton community was probably out of question.

Sighing, Lindy literally shook her head to shake off all the negative and uncertain thoughts and feelings. It was her birthday, after all. She’d gotten so used to big celebrations that this time, she simply wanted to keep it all to herself. For the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to keeping her special day a secret and not being made the center of attention.

As she walked in the direction of the beach, she heard the inviting sound of the waves gently gliding across the ocean, and then collapsing on the shore repeatedly. She smiled, her blue eyes brightening.

Nearing the ocean, she was taken aback by the sight of a gathering on the beach—a group of people were gathered round a bonfire, enjoying a unique barbecue party. The women were all wearing pink and blue flower garlands on their heads while the men had Hawaiian-like leis around their necks.

Lindy’s eyes widened as she began to make out the figures. These were the community servers she was closest to.

They stood up as she approached and began singing a happy chant-like song while dancing around the fire.

Lindy was touched. The huge blaze illuminated something written on the sand with stones. It read, “Happy birthday, Lindy! We love you!”

Her heart constricted, the gesture was so moving. It was so unexpected she became tearful.

Kay came forward and placed a garland on Lindy’s head. “Happy birthday, Lindy!”

“How did you get here?” was all Lindy could blurt out at that moment. “I… I just saw you on your bed!”

Kay laughed. “My trick worked. You had no idea, huh? Those were just pillows under the sheets!”

“You got me!” Lindy laughed. Then she gave her friend a warm hug. “Oh, thank you, thank you…”

The song ended then and everybody shouted, “Surprise! Happy birthday!”

Lindy hugged each of them and couldn’t stop saying thank you. By this time, she could not hold back her tears any longer. It was just moving to see such new friends making an effort like this for her. “You guys!” she cried out. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble. We still have work, and we’re all going to be late!”

“Naaahhh…” Kam, Kay’s sister, answered. “We got special late passes.”

Everybody laughed.

“What do you mean?” Lindy asked.

“From the one who planned this all!” Kay quipped, excitement apparent in her eyes.

Lindy gave her a questioning look.

Their other friends were grinning and hooting.

Suddenly, to her surprise, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, a familiar touch. Her jaw dropped open even before she turned around.

“Hey, you…” Prince Kristan said with a lopsided grin. “Like my little surprise?”

“You planned this?!” Lindy could not believe it.

More tears fell down her cheeks. He reached over to gently wipe them away. “Yup, I’m the culprit,” he admitted.

“Thank you!” Lindy said, hugging him. He surprised her by hugging her back in front of everybody.

Quickly she pulled back, gasping. Then she looked toward the others who were all looking delighted at the scene unfolding in front of them. She turned back to Kristan with an accusing look.

He threw up his hands in the air. “I didn’t do anything!”

She laughed despite herself. “What did you tell them!” she hissed.

“Nothing, I swear!” He was laughing hard by now.

Everybody else had gathered near the bonfire again, gladly munching on their breakfast on sticks as they watched the sun rising on the horizon and painting breathtaking strokes of color onto the sky.

Kristan took Lindy’s hand and squeezed it. He led her to a spot that was more private and there they sat beside each other, watching the sunrise with Lindy’s head leaning on his shoulder. She couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate her 36th birthday.

“How did you know it’s my birthday?” Lindy asked after a while.

“I got some info from my secret source…” he said mysteriously with a smile.

“What! That’s not a good enough answer!” Lindy protested, punching him playfully on the shoulder.

He laughed. “Alright, alright. Someone on the island saw your ID floating on the water… I happened to pass by so he surrendered it to me.”

“Really? What a coincidence!” she exclaimed, sounding suspicious. “Maybe you were really trying to find clues about me!”

“Okay, fine,” he said, giving in.

“But why?” Lindy asked, suddenly bothered. “Don’t you trust me?”

“I completely trust you, Lindy. And I can read your thoughts. I’m telling you they’re just figments of your wild and certainly not-to-be-trusted imagination.” He placed a friendly arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. His voice dropped to a whisper.  “I’m just like that, you know… when somebody becomes special to me…”

Her heart started beating faster again. But before she could react, one of the boys came to offer them food. They joined the others for a fun-filled morning.

The hour passed by quickly and everybody had to head back to prepare for work. Lindy was about to follow them when Kristan stopped her.

“Just because they now know doesn’t mean you can give me special treatment,” Lindy pointed out. “It’s now even more important for me to show them that I’m no different than I was before.”

Kristan smiled, his brown eyes intensifying with admiration and respect for her. “I understand that and I admire that in you, Lindy. But please just stay a bit longer…”

“Okay, what is it?” In her head, she knew she really wanted to be with this man for the rest of the day.

“Hmmm… I can grant that,” he said, referring to her thought. “It’s your birthday, anyway.”

Lindy crossed her arms on her chest and gave him a pretend glare. “Stop reading my mind,” she said.

He only laughed. Then without warning, he pulled her closer to him and started kissing her in broad daylight, with nothing to cover them. He seemed not to care, and she was totally fine with that. They kissed passionately, their hearts soaring together.

She pulled back consciously when the kiss was deepened. “Kristan!” she said playfully. “I don’t want their respect of you to be affected because of this…this…whatever we have.”

“I don’t think their respect will be lessened. They’re going to be very happy for me, I think. And everybody loves you, anyway!”

She smiled haughtily. “Well, I’m certainly lovable, am I not?” she said with confidence, flipping her hair in effect.

He laughed. “Now that’s the real Lindy who washed up on shore and graced us with her presence.”

She suddenly grew serious at the mention of that fateful day. “It’s destiny, maybe,” she whispered, thinking about the purpose behind it all. “Among all of us, why was I the one singled out? Why was I brought here? Perhaps it’s to discover the new Lindy, the real Lindy…”

Kristan nodded in agreement. “The old Lindy was a pain in the ass and was so full of herself. The real Lindy… is just plain beautiful inside and out.”

“Thank you, Kristan.” She was moved by his words. This time, she really felt he was genuinely beginning to care for her. And he was opening up more and more too.

He took her hand and led her toward the far end of the beach that was partially covered by dunes.

“Where are we going? I seriously need to get to work now,” Lindy insisted. “My boss is going to kill me.”

Kristan laughed. “The boss of your boss of your boss is me. And I say you’re spending the rest of the day with me!”

Lindy laughed too, her heart melting. She had to admit she loved the sound of that idea.

They were walking hand in hand on the shore when she spotted a small white yacht docked a little distance from where they were standing on the beach. She stared at it in surprise as she slowed down to a stop. “What’s that?” she asked.

He smiled at her. “That’s my surprise for you,” he said. “That boat can take you home, Lindy.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. Knowing she could finally go back to her old life filled her with a mixture of confusing emotions.

He pulled her gently in the direction of the boat until they were standing almost in front of it. Then he faced her and held both of her hands. “I had to contact several other connections and threatened to contact the US President himself if they didn’t get me that boat in time for your birthday!”

She was beginning to tear up, her heart constricting with a fusion of anxiety and excitement. Yes, she was very eager to see her best friend Belinda and to inform her other friends and colleagues that she was still alive. But somehow, the tinge of sadness that crept in her heart was fast spreading across her entire body, dampening her spirit.

This was the news she’d been waiting for all this time, and now that it was here, it wasn’t such great news to her after all.

“Is this why you want us to spend the day together?” she whispered, her face suddenly draining of color at the thought of having to leave him now that things were going so well between them.

He nodded. “I care about you, Lindy. I want you to be happy.”

“But—”

He placed a finger on her lips. “I know you’re afraid you’ll never see me again. All those racing thoughts in your head are making me dizzy!” he joked.

She made a face at him and gave him a playful slap on the chest. He caught her hand and held it tightly in his. “I don’t know yet how, but I’ll find a way to visit you, Lindy.”

She was doubtful about that. “But the war is so near already.”

“Then it’s even more important for you to go now,” he said with concern. “I don’t want you to be involved in a war, Lindy. It’s not your battle to fight. You have another life that you deserve to live and I want you to have that.”

She nodded, trying to hold back her tears. She wanted to stay longer or at least have the assurance that they would see each other again. But there was nothing else she could do.

“This boat cannot wait long, Lindy,” he told her. “It’s leaving tomorrow morning. You have to be on it.”

A tear finally rolled down her cheek. I want to be with you, Kristan. I love you.

She knew he could read her mind, but at that moment, these were the words that were going through her head. She didn’t care anymore.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then changed his mind and looked away. Then after a few seconds, he faced her once more with a wide smile. “How about, just for the next few hours, let’s just try to have fun together?”

More tears fell from her eyes, but she still nodded and forced a weak smile.

He reached over to wipe her tears away and then leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

That day, they played like little kids on the sand, went swimming, and attempted to do some fishing for their lunch. But since they ended up catching nothing, the prince had to call on a cook to fix a picnic feast for them.

After lunch, they rested for a while before challenging each other to go into the woods on a hunt for fruits. Each of them held a basket that they had to fill up with as many fruits as they could find.

“So, what prize do I get if I win?” asked Lindy with an excited glint in her eye.

 

Kristan grinned at her. “It’s a surprise.”

“But that’s unfair!”

“Well, I’m the prince so I get to decide on the rules,” he said haughtily, to which she laughed heartily as she remembered the first few weeks before she’d gotten to know him.

“And I’m the visitor here, so I have the right to know what prize I’ll get,” Lindy pressed, her eyes narrowing at him.

“Fine,” he said, pulling her closer and gazing into her eyes. “If you win, you can ask me anything and I’ll tell you what’s really on my mind.”

She paused, thinking. “That’s it?” she said in a kidding tone. “I thought it was going to be a piece of your hidden treasures or something!”

He chuckled. “Well, I know you’re already filthy rich where you came from.”

“Hmmm… You have a point!”

They both had a good laugh, then agreed to meet up after thirty minutes to see who the winner was.

 

***

 

Lindy was happily heading back to their meeting place with her basket of fruit, when she heard some voices. She halted and tried to determine where the sound was coming from.

“I only did it for you!” a familiar man’s voice drifted toward her.

She followed the sound of the voice and hid behind a cluster of trees, peeking out to see the familiar figure of Calone with her friend Kayraz.

“I’m tired of your lies,” Kay responded angrily. “Just leave me alone. I am going to tell Prince Kristan and you won’t be able to stop me!”

She turned around to walk away, but Calone grabbed her hand forcefully, his eyes flashing with anger. “Don’t you dare!”

Kay shrugged him off with all her might, surprising him and making him step aside. “Calone, please. Just don’t go through with your plans, okay? Don’t ruin this for the entire community, for the entire planet.”

“I wanted the money so the two of us could go somewhere else and be together,” he answered. “You know I never felt like I belonged to this community. I was never a Vorton at heart.”

They continued to argue while Lindy listened. It took all her resolve not to go out there and confront the big man. She figured Kay had caught him talking to their alien enemies and probably accepting money and other treasures in exchange for information.

She wondered how he’d been able to dodge the mind-reading ability of the prince. Maybe the other aliens had supplied him with a blocking device or something.

Lindy felt badly for her friend. She knew that Kay still had some love for him but had been trying hard to get over him. She should have told her about his rendezvous with the other cleaners.

They eventually moved away, and Lindy went back to the meeting place with her head swimming with possibilities and suspicions and plans.

“Hey, are you okay?” Kristan said when he saw her.

She immediately told him what she’d seen, their basket challenge all forgotten. He contacted some people, but was determined not to ruin their day together.

They went to the main house and decided to make a fruit salad out of the fruits they had gathered. As they worked together, Lindy shook off the uneasy feeling about what she’d heard—just for the time being.

The prince opened up about his past for the first time, telling her about his family and how life had been for him growing up with the pressure of royalty and of leading an entire planet. He told her about his painful experiences and how he’d been struggling to overcome them and be the best prince and leader he could be.

Meanwhile, Lindy also told him stories about her childhood and teenage years, how she’d had to move heaven and earth to become a big star in the entertainment industry.

It was a great bonding moment for them and she felt as if their relationship had moved up several notches. Now she could feel that they were much closer and they understood each other better too.

They spent the afternoon with their friends, enjoying not just the salad they had prepared but other snacks too that the others had brought.

Finally, night fell. Everybody else went home, leaving Lindy and Kristan alone in the back garden of the main house.

“Thank you, Kristan,” Lindy said. “Thank you for everything.” And he knew that she was not only referring to that day, but to the whole time she’d been there on the island.

He was trying not to feel sad about her pending departure. He needed to be brave for her and for his people too. He couldn’t let something like this get in the way of his game plan. There would be time for a real relationship after he won the war.

She stepped forward and kissed him on the lips. He eagerly returned the kiss, their desire building up and spreading across their bodies. He led her to a more private portion of the garden where they would not be seen. Quickly their kisses grew with passion and hunger. Clothes were strewn to the ground.

Kristan’s lips devoured her luscious breasts as she straddled him on the ground. Moaning, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and eased herself down to slide onto his waiting stiffness. He embraced her closely as she moved up and down on top of him.

Soon they were lying on the ground and he rolled her over so that he was now on top. Their bodies swayed in unison, perfectly synchronized.

Lindy could feel herself climbing to an incredibly blissful indulgence. He was going faster too, breathing heavily, and pushing himself further inside her. They reached the climax, the sexual explosion filling them both with amazing delight.

Lindy wanted more, but she knew she had to go and start packing her things. He offered to go with her and help, but she knew that he still had other things to attend to. Besides she could feel herself weakening as each moment passed by with him. If she let him go with her, she may decide to stay for good.

“Please, I’ll just see you early in the morning,” Lindy said. “It’s best we don’t spend the night together. Besides, you should follow up on what they found out about Calone, right? You also need to rest.”

“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly.

It was very difficult to part, but Lindy forced herself to leave. With a heavy heart, she climbed onto the special carriage he’d arranged for her and softly cried the whole way back to her sleeping quarters.

 

***

 

It’s time, Lindy thought upon waking up. Her eyes were a bit puffy from crying, but she knew she couldn’t stay on the island any longer. Besides, this was her only chance to go home.

After taking a quick shower and dressing, she took her duffel bag from the floor, the one she’d packed the night before. That was when she noticed that Kay’s slippers weren’t in their usual place. She glanced at the bed beside hers. It was empty.

I wonder where Kay went to so early today… she thought. She had wanted to say goodbye to Kay who had become her closest Vorton friend, while keeping her departure a secret from everybody else. It would be better that way—no fuss, no sad goodbyes.

On her way to the beach, she recalled Kay’s conversation with Calone. A feeling of dread suddenly came over her. She had a hunch that she just couldn’t shake off. So, even though she knew the boat might leave her if she didn’t make it there on time, she could not very well go without checking if her friend was okay.

She found herself hiking toward the cave. Just a strong hunch.

Quietly she approached the cave, her heart beating fast with rising fear and apprehension. At the entrance, she tried to listen for any sound that might be coming from inside. There was nothing.

She went in, anyway, to be sure. Carefully she groped her way in the dark. When she got to the drop, she went down on her knees and called, “Kay? Are you here?”

No answer.

“Is anyone here?” she asked, her voice echoing against the walls of the cave.

Still no answer.

She stood up then and was about to turn around when the stone she was standing on suddenly gave way, causing her to lose her balance. One leg fell over the side. She screamed.

Strong hands caught her before she tumbled over. She looked up and found herself staring into a face she knew well. It was Elixir, looking alarmed and worried. He pulled her up so quickly that she found herself falling forward and crashing onto his bulky chest. His arms immediately wrapped around her.

“Are you okay, Lindy? What are you doing here?” he asked. His face seemed genuinely concerned, but his eyes seemed to be amiss.

“I might ask you that same question,” she said at once.

His eyes flashed with annoyance. But he remained calm. “I…” he looked down, appearing uncomfortable. “I just… I saw you leaving your room a while ago, carrying a huge bag…” He motioned to the duffel bag on the floor beside her. “I followed you, Lindy. I was afraid you were going to leave.”

She surprised by what he was saying. Was he telling the truth? He did look sincere and terribly affected.

“Why do you have so many things with you? Where are you going, Lindy?”

“I’m going back to my home,” Lindy said truthfully. “There’s a boat waiting for me now. I need to go, Elixir.”

She tried to slide past him, but he suddenly enfolded her in his arms and hugged her tightly. “I’m going to miss you,” he declared, his voice breaking.

She hugged him back. “I’m going to miss you too, Eli. And everyone else here. You guys are my family.” She let go then and was about to step out of the cave when the entrance was blocked by a huge figure—Calone!

“Hey, what’s she doing here?!” Calone demanded, his eyes shifting to Eli who was standing right behind Lindy.

“Don’t worry,” Eli said. “There’s a boat waiting to take her home to her own people. I’ll walk her there myself. She won’t be able to tell anyone.”

“Are you fuckin’ crazy?” Calone said. “There’s probably a human soldier there who’s in contact with the prince! Nobody’s leaving!”

To drive home his point, he stepped forward intimidatingly toward Lindy. She was seriously afraid of him now.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, looking from Calone to Eli, her heart pounding very hard.

Calone just glared at her. “If she doesn’t show up at the boat, the prince will definitely start looking. We need to get the hell out of here!”

“Where is Kay, Calone?” Lindy then demanded. “What did you do to her?”

“That woman is a curse! I don’t know where she is! Probably went off to tell on me!” Calone replied with rage.

Deep inside, Lindy felt relieved. At least she knew her friend was safe and sound.

“Well, we gotta get on that boat now and just get rid of whoever’s operating it,” Eli declared. He grabbed Lindy’s arm, twisting it with the force. She yelped in pain, which made him throw her a look of apology. But he remained quiet.

She wanted to scream for help once they were back in the woods. “Don’t you dare do something stupid,” Eli hissed as he dragged her. “Or else we’re going to send a message to our contact to attack this community right now.”

That definitely shut her up.

When they got to the boat, Calone calmly told the waiting soldier that they had been tasked to ensure Lindy’s safety. “We were asked to go with her, Sir,” he said.

The soldier wasn’t convinced. He asked a lot of questions.

Suddenly, Calone lunged at him, knocking off his gun in one swift motion and then strangling him on the floor. They fought for a long time before Calone gave him a series of punches that knocked him out.

The two men threw the soldier over the side into the ocean and hurried to start the boat’s engine. Lindy stood frozen on the spot, contemplating whether or not to jump onto the water and swim to the shore.

She had just decided to jump when Eli grabbed her by the waist.

“Let me go!” she screamed.

From a distance, she could hear the roaring engine of what she hoped to be a motorboat heading toward their direction. Help was on the way!

Eli yanked her hard into the enclosed cabin. When they were all alone, she cried, “Why are you doing this, Eli? I never thought you were this desperate! And I thought we could truly be friends, you know.”

To her surprise, his eyes were full of sadness. “All my life…” he began quietly. “… I never got what I wanted. I was never looked up to. I didn’t get to be a soldier. I didn’t get to be the person my parents expected me to be, that’s why they sent me to this island. And I didn’t get you.”

“I’m so sorry…” was all Lindy could whisper, not realizing how badly he was broken inside.

“It’s alright,” he spit out. “Those so-called evil aliens were the ones who were kind enough to give me the opportunity—to prove that I’m worthy too. The prince doesn’t know a thing about leading an army!”

She bit her lip to keep from retorting. She could feel the boat moving now, which deeply worried her. I need to get out of here, she thought in panic, her mind working double-time to improvise a way out. Her eyes darted around discreetly, looking for something to use as a weapon. She spotted a flashlight on the bedside table.

He was rattling on about all of the things he had against the Vortons, which pushed him to betray his own people.

Meanwhile, she was trying to come up with a plan on how to get the flashlight fast. She knew Calone would be busy figuring out how to run the boat properly, so she’d most likely be able to run out and jump into the ocean.

“I really, really liked you, Lindy…” Eli suddenly blurted out. “You should have given me a chance.”

It hit her then what she had to do. Without thinking any further, she stepped forward and raised a hand to his cheek, running her fingers seductively across his skin. “I’ve always liked you too, Eli…” she whispered. It caught him by surprise.

She pressed on. “I’m sorry we never got a chance to spend more time together. If I had known all this about you, then I would’ve understood you better.” She was jacking up her acting prowess to the best of her ability now. Her life depended on it. “It’s just that…you sometimes came on too strong…”

He looked very doubtful. But she had his attention now.

She moved closer to him, leaning forward until their faces were inches apart. “It’s my fault too, Eli. I should have made time to listen to you. You were one of my first friends on the island, after all.”

He grunted and looked away.

She mustered up enough courage to place both hands on his cheeks and turn his head toward her. “But we’re here now. And honestly, I feel like I just want to help you. I know you’re only doing this because you feel rejected by the community. But deep inside, I believe you are a good person, Eli. You are.”

She could feel he was beginning to fall for it, so she plunged ahead. “Let’s make a deal, okay? While we’re on the boat, I am willing to get to know you better, to make up for all the time that we should have spent together… But please help me to get home. That’s all I want.”

“What about the prince?” he asked.

“That was just a fling,” she said with a wave of her hand. “You think I’d leave the island if it meant something to me? All I want is to go back to my old life. And if you’ll help me, you can even join me. You can be one of us humans and start anew, you know…”

He was silent, mulling over the possibility.

“Think about it, Eli,” she said, caressing his face, and looking into his eyes. “You and me, away from all the Vortons. I’m not promising you anything but who knows where it will lead us, right?”

“Yeah,” he muttered.

She was definitely getting somewhere! Motivated by his response, she took the leap and kissed him on the lips. At first he was resistant. But she persisted, wrapping her arms around his neck, feeling the stubble on his chin rubbing against her skin.

He began to respond, kissing her back passionately while his hands pulled her closer. As he began groping her body, she pushed away all negative thoughts and feelings and simply pretended it was Kristan she was kissing. This was an acting challenge she knew she needed to win.

His hand snaked its way under her shirt, feeling for her breasts. She fondled his hardening manhood, making him grow even more as she slowly led them to the bed. They fell together to the soft mattress, kissing torridly with their hands on each other.

He was now under her. And in order for her to reach the flashlight, she had to sidle upward. She straddled him, making him groan with desire. He reached for her breasts and she leaned forward to cover his eyes with her chest as she fumbled for the flashlight.

Just as her hands tightened around the weapon, she heard the door swing open. She dropped the flashlight in surprise and broke apart from Eli. He also sat up quickly.

To her shock, Prince Kristan stood at the door with a pained look on his face.

Immediately, she signaled to him in her mind what her plan had been. But he was just looking at her with devastation, shock, and hurt in his eyes. He shook his head in disbelief, then turned to leave.

“Kristan, wait!” Lindy shouted, scrambling to get out of the bed. She followed him outside before Eli could stop her. “Why can’t you read my mind? It wasn’t what it looked like, and I’d never do something like that to you!”

Kristan angrily faced her. “Your thoughts are definitely getting through loud and clear, Lindy! You never changed at all! And you’re actually worse than what I initially thought of you!”

“Lindy was in on the plan all along, Prince!” Eli shouted from behind her. “She made a fool out of you, can you believe that?!”

Lindy threw him a look of fury. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Tell him how you had been playing him so that we could pull this off together,” Eli continued, placing an arm around her shoulders.

“It’s not true!” Lindy screamed. “Why can’t you read my thoughts? Eli’s doing something to change them or block them or—”

Eli grabbed her then and forced her back into the cabin.

“Help me, Kristan! Please!” she cried, sobbing.

“The soldiers are coming,” was all she heard him say. “You’re not going to get away with this!”

A gunshot sounded, making her whip around in time to see Calone pointing a gun into the air. “Stupid prince!” Calone yelled, charging toward Kristan with his gun.

Lindy screamed. “Noooo!” With a burst of adrenaline, she stepped hard on Eli’s foot and kicked him between the legs. He staggered backwards in pain while she ran to push Calone’s hand. The gun went off, fortunately missing them.

Calone grabbed her by the leg. She kicked and grappled, screaming. He slapped her so hard that blood spurted from her mouth. She fell to the deck, sobbing in pain.

Suddenly, she heard a loud crunching sound that made her whip around, afraid of what was going to happen next. It was Kristan who had hurtled himself at Calone, giving the big guy an angry punch in the face. It got him by surprise, which gave the prince the advantage. Calone tumbled to the ground with a loud thud.

Kristan, filled with rage, attacked again and kept punching him until Lindy was able to reach him and pull him back. “Stop it, you’ll kill him!” she cried.

He stopped, his knuckles bleeding.

A commotion on the side of the boat got their attention. Several Vorton soldiers had arrived. Kristan and Lindy stepped back to give way to them.

Calone scuttled to his feet, attempting to get his gun and shoot at them. But one soldier beat him to it, while another soldier had a gun pointed at him already. “Freeze or I’ll shoot!”

Calone could not fight anymore. He was captured and taken away. However, Elixir had escaped.

“He shouldn’t be far from here,” Kristan said. “He won’t be able to swim that fast. Catch him!”

“Yes, sir,” the soldiers replied.

“Kristan, I—” Lindy began to explain.

“Ssshhh…” Kristan stopped her, gazing into her eyes. The gold sparks in his eyes were flashing and dancing around like crazy. “I was wrong not to trust you. Sometimes, my mind can also mislead me. I must learn to follow my heart more.”

He took her in his arms, hugging her with great emotion. “I’m so sorry, Lindy. I should have believed you.”

“It’s okay,” Lindy assured him, hugging him back. “I would have reacted the same way…”

He pulled back gently to face her. Caressing her cheek with one hand he told her, “When I saw you getting hurt like that, it hurt me so much. I knew I couldn’t let anything bad happen to you no matter what.”

She gave him a weak smile despite her aching body. “It’s over, Kristan. But what if they were able to give your enemies enough information to defeat your army?”

“Don’t worry, we’ve been working on other strategies. The officers had devised a way to expose the spies by feeding them misinformation. The real game plan was kept top-secret. We already checked for potential leaks.”

“Thank goodness,” Lindy said, heaving a sigh of relief.

He kissed her on the lips then. “Thank goodness you’re safe now.”

 

***

 

She’d returned to her luxurious penthouse a week ago, sneaking in during the night while the whole city was slumbering.

She remembered waking up to her friend Belinda’s scream.

“Is it really you, Lindy?! I’m not dreaming???” Belinda had repeated over and over.

Lindy had jumped out of bed and hugged her immediately. They’d shed tears of joy for the unexpected reunion.

It was a good thing Belinda had not sold the penthouse because she’d been hoping that Lindy was still alive. The search had been given up months ago, but she had not wanted to move on until she’d actually seen Lindy’s lifeless body.

The past week, Lindy had not gone out of the apartment while Belinda had gotten her everything she needed. She’d told Belinda everything but had sworn her to secrecy.

That afternoon, she faced a room full of media people flashing cameras at her and bombarding her with questions. Dressed in a simple but elegant white jumpsuit with her new shorter hairstyle, Lindy Miles was more than ready to face them and get back to the limelight.

“It had been tough for me living on the island by myself,” she explained patiently. “But I learned so much during those months more than I’d learned in all the years previously. And I will forever treasure the experience.”

“Didn’t you see any other human there?” somebody called out from the crowd.

“Humans?” she repeated thoughtfully. Then she shook her head. “I was the only human on that island.”

“How did you get home?” was the next question.

“I was surprised to find a boat washed up on the beach. It seemed to have been abandoned. Luckily, the radio was working so I was able to reach out for help.”

“Who came to help you?”

“Just some ordinary fishermen who answered my call for help. They helped me get back.”

“Where are they now? Did you give them any reward?”

“I want to thank them with all my heart, wherever they are today. They refused to accept anything from me and preferred to remain anonymous so I never got their names.”

There were several more questions that Lindy answered gracefully without revealing anything about the existence of the Vortons. She knew by then that the island would have no trace of them, which is why she had chosen that date to give the press conference. Even if anyone had the chance to find the mystery island that was on no map, they wouldn’t discover the Vortons. Even the structures would have been cleaned up completely. They had planned for a clean exit, which was part of their deal with the American government for its use.

The war was probably ongoing at that moment. She wondered what Kristan was doing and if he was okay. She prayed they would win and that nobody she knew would get hurt.

Another week came and went. Still no word from the Vortons.

Despite Lindy’s busy schedule with all the photo shoots, commercial endorsements, TV guesting, and movie shooting, she could not help missing and worrying about Kristan and the others.

More weeks passed and she still hadn’t heard from them. She didn’t want to take a break from work because she would go insane. Had they just forgotten about her, or had their planet been wiped out? She hoped it wasn’t the latter.

One evening, she’d just come home from work when she saw the bouquet of red roses resting on the coffee table. It wasn’t really anything out of the ordinary because she often received flowers and other gifts from admirers, fans, and suitors.

However, when she came nearer, she saw the card with the familiar emblem of the Vorton royal family. Her heart jumped and began to race. With trembling fingers, she eagerly opened the card. It read, You’re thinking about me again. I can read your mind.

A tear fell down her cheek as her heart soared. Holding the bouquet in her hands, she looked around in hope of seeing Prince Kristan. “Are you here?” she whispered to the enormous room.

There was no answer. She sighed, feeling disappointed yet elated to hear from him. At least she knew that he was still okay and that he’d remembered her.

She was about to head to her room to rest when she noticed red rose petals on the floor leading to her balcony. Excited, she rushed to open the sliding doors hiding behind thick curtains. The cool evening breeze greeted her.

She scanned the area. And from one dark corner, a muscular figure emerged, walking toward her with a smirk on his lips. “Think you’d get rid of me that easily?” he asked.

Smiling, she nodded. “I guess I was wrong,” she said with a laugh. She wanted to cry and celebrate at the same time upon seeing the love of her life—the only man who had ever made her heart beat like that.

He sauntered toward her slowly, his smirk turning into a wide smile. When he was right in front of her, he scooped her in his arms and lifted her off the ground.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Lindy told him as he brought her into an embrace.

“We won the war, Lindy,” he said proudly. “My father has never been prouder of me and of course the entire Vorton community on the island!”

“I’m so happy for you, Kristan!” Lindy gushed.

“And now that things are back to normal on my planet, I had to come back to the woman who had taught me to use my heart again, to become a real person again…” he whispered, his eyes twinkling with admiration, respect, and ardor for her.

“I feel bad that I couldn’t be there for you or help you in any way because I am only a human…” she started to say.

He shushed her, chuckling. “You’re human, which is precisely the reason you were able to bring out that fun, relaxed, friendly part of me again. It was instrumental in building the community, strengthening our collaborative efforts, and a lot more. Besides, if you hadn’t taken me to that cave, we wouldn’t have been aware that there were spies in our midst.”

“Hmmm… I guess I did play a major role, huh?” Lindy said thoughtfully in a teasing tone. “So, that means I get a prize!”

Kristan laughed. “You want my treasures?”

“No, I want your heart,” Lindy said boldly, moving her face closer to his.

He smiled, touching her cheek with his fingers. “You already stole it, which is what I have come back for.

“Ahh, I see,” she replied. His words warmed her heart. “Try and get it back then.” With intense eyes, he smiled and leaned forward. Their lips met in a passionate, lingering kiss. 

When they pulled back, Kristan looked into her eyes. “You are the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me, Lindy. I love you so much.”

“You have no idea how long I waited to hear those words!” Lindy exclaimed, playfully hitting him on the shoulder. “But wait, you knew all along because you could read my mind! And you still made me wait so long!”

He laughed. “I’m going to stick around here for a while, if it’s okay with you. I told my father that he needed to run the planet while I spend some time with a very special someone.”

“What did he say?” Lindy asked with great interest.

“He told me, ‘Go to your princess and don’t come back until you can bring her with you!’”

Lindy laughed, her heart bursting with happiness. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like. But I’d love to meet your father soon too.”

“That would be perfect,” he said, grinning.

“I love you, Prince Kristan,” Lindy told him, her blue eyes shining with tears of joy.

“And I love you, Princess Lindy,” he whispered before kissing her again.

 

THE END