I wasn't sure if it was my newfound sexual frustration or if it was just frustration-frustration that led to me cleaning the lounge, but I made every surface shine. Honestly, I think it was more the fact that I just didn't know what to do with myself. One invitation—a totally inappropriate one, mind you—and I was so flushed there were still unsightly red splotches on my neck. I'd nearly managed to convince myself it was because I'd worked so hard polishing the bar. It wasn't.

I tugged my collar down and inspected the damage with a grimace. The evidence of my embarrassment went all the way down to my chest. I couldn't shake it. The flush was reinvigorated each time I thought back to that moment in the doorway. The way Talys had seemed so sure I would give in. I wasn't even sure how someone could ever get to be that confident. Lots and lots of experience, an evil part of my mind whispered. Warmth flooded my cheeks once more and I let out a quiet curse.

"I'm a walking embarrassment," I sang to myself, doing a little twirl in place, head still tucked into my shirt as I continued my terrible song, "It's a miracle I can function . . . at all . . . or ever."

It was then that the lounge doors whooshed open. My head shot up and I slapped my shirt against my chest, still clutching the fabric as I met a pair of silver eyes. Eyes that didn't belong to Talys. This must be the guard Talys had mentioned. He was dressed in that ugly navy-colored uniform all guards on Korystus wore. But he didn't seem all that threatening. In fact, he averted his eyes.

He cleared his throat a few times too many and asked, "Am I, by chance, interrupting something . . .?"

I quickly let go of my shirt. "No, you're not interrupting. I was just—I was just cleaning."

The guard gave me a look like he wasn't sure what to say. "Fascinating. You're Vera, correct?"

"How did you know?"

"I was just informed, with the help of several explicit words, that you snuck onto our ship."

I grimaced. "Are you going to put me in the brig or something?"

"The . . . what?"

"The ship's prison or whatever."

"We don't have one of those. I only came to introduce myself." He furrowed his brow, looked off to the side, then back at me. "Why? Would you like to be locked up? Would it make you feel more comfortable?"

I blinked at him, at a loss for words. Did he really just ask me that? What sort of guard is this guy?

"I'll take that as a no." He cleared his throat again and gave me an awkward wave. "Well then, I should introduce myself. I'm Artos, and you can come to me for anything you need during our journey."

"Artos?" I thought back to Talys crying out that very name when we took off. "Wait, so, you're the pilot? Why're you in a guard's uniform?"

"Oh, well . . ." He scratched the back of his neck, then shrugged. "I'm both. I'm Talys's assistant in many ways."

"You're the pilot, guard, and the assistant?" I gave him a funny look, unsure I understood him correctly. Or rather, I understood him, but I didn't understand what Talys had going on here.

He'd made it sound like he had himself a little crew here. It was weird enough when it was him and only one guard, plus a pilot, but it's actually just him and this guy. What if I had been someone who meant him harm?

Why wasn't he paranoid like the rest of Korystus with their massive armies guarding their little palaces? I mean, he was an ambassador, after all. They seemed like the sort of people that needed protection. There was something almost frightening about the fact that Talys didn’t seem to think he needed it.

I turned my gaze to the depths of space flying by through the window. If Talys was some sort of unstable person and I'd gotten myself into even worse trouble than I thought, I couldn't exactly escape quickly, could I?

"On a scale from one to ten, how screwed do you think I am?" I asked in a thoughtful tone.

"You don't need to worry." Artos moved to stand beside me and placed a light purple hand on my shoulder. "Talys isn't cruel, but he's only kind to those who earn his trust."

"What do you think my chances are of earning it?"

"Absolutely terrible."

My stomach sank but I managed to give him a tight smile. "You're an honest guy, Artos. I like that."

"Oh, thank you," he replied brightly. "I try."

"While we're being honest . . . " I looked up at him with an arch to my brow. "Do you think I don't stand a chance because I snuck onto his ship—on accident, mind you—or because I won't sleep with him?"

"Oh, you probably will join him in his bed. Not that he'd be angry if you didn't. You just will." He said that sentence like he was reading a nutrition label and telling me that peanut butter may contain peanuts. Just a simple matter of fact that's a little amusing to point out.

"Um, what makes you think that's so likely?"

Artos gave me a matter-of-fact look. "He's very good at getting what he wants."

"And he wants to sleep with me?"

Why did I even ask? Talys had made it pretty clear. Maybe I just wanted to hear it again, even if I didn't plan on acting on his proposal. But surely I couldn't be that desperate. Just kidding, I totally was, even if it was wholly inappropriate.

"He most certainly intends for that to happen." Artos furrowed his brow. "He asked me to put in a good word. I'll warn you instead."

"Warn me? Some wingman you are."

"Well, you should know that Talys has no intentions of ever taking on a partner." He shook his head and sighed. "I've seen him crush many a young lady's heart. So, please, be careful with yours."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, smiling stiffly. I'd had nothing but awkward conversations on this ship. I was starting to think it was cursed. "Anyway, if you're not going to lock me up, should I just stay here in the lounge for the rest of the trip, or . . .?"

He looked around the room, then gave me an odd look. "If you'd like to stay here, you may. I imagine you'll get quite stiff sleeping in a chair for that long, though."

"How long exactly?"

"A few cycles."

"Seriously?" I flopped into an armchair with a groan. "Where in the universe is he going?"

"To a meeting on Nexion 6."

I perked up. "Nexion 6?"

That was where Ambassador Elyos was supposed to be taking me. Which, of course, meant Elyos would probably be there, too. If I could just avoid getting in trouble until then, I could run and go find him when we landed. Break out of the ship while they're getting off, and race for freedom. Simple. It wasn't like Talys had any guards to stop me. I grinned to myself. This might still work out.

"Are you planning something nefarious by any chance?" Artos asked suddenly.

I dropped the grin and shook my head. "Nope."

"Talys doesn't take kindly to underhanded behavior. If, perchance, you were considering doing something along those lines, I would caution against it."

"I told you I'm not," I replied with a shrug. I hoped it came across as cool and unaffected but it probably didn't. I mean, what was Talys going to do to me if I tried something? Take me back to Korystus? Oh, wait, he already planned on doing that. That meant I had nothing to lose by trying to run for it. The only thing I could lose was my chance at a new life if I didn't do something.

Artos nodded. Slowly. "That's very good to hear. I hope you'll soon convince yourself that's the right choice as well."

My eyes widened. Clearly he saw right through me. But, hey, they didn't know what I knew about Elyos, so as long as I kept it quiet, there wouldn't be any problems. I winced internally at the thought. As long as I keep quiet . . .

It meant I was going to have to avoid Talys as much as possible. He'd managed to pry too much out of me already. And when I say pry, I mean he barely had to try. It was scary to think what he could do if he really wanted to, especially when it came to someone as bad at secret-keeping as me.

Artos clapped his hands together. "Well then, I should show you to your room."

"I get a room?" I asked in surprise.

"What sort of barbarians do you take us for?"

I shrugged a shoulder. "The type of people who enslave other people?"

He gasped. "Enslave?! I'll admit what my people have done wasn't very nice, but—"

"Wasn't very nice? C'mon, man . . ."

"It's not like everyone thought it was a good idea, you know." He sniffed. "There are layers to this sort of thing."

"Look, I really don't give a hoot. Humans aren't perfect either."

Artos titled his head to the side and mouthed what I had just said, fiddling with the translation disc in his ear. "Give a . . . what? You're not making any sense."

I sighed. "I'm just trying to tell you that I don't care about all that. Y'know, it's just whatever. It's been done. Can't be taken back. I just want to go live my life."

Artos nodded. "That's understandable. But you know the ambassador can't take such risks, don't you? If it were ever found out that he facilitated a human's unlawful exit . . ."

"Sure, I understand. No risk-taking for the ambassador."

I was lying through my teeth. Ulyr had taken a risk, too, and I wasn't going to let it be in vain. He wanted me to live the life I'd never had, or thought I would. That dream forever nestled in the back of my mind.

After sneaking onto the ship, I'd been put to work as a janitor (hence my fantastic closet-room for the first six months) to pay for the crime of wanting not to be left behind with the Adrax. No shame in cleaning for a living—or, well, under threat of being shoved out of the airlock into the endless void of outer space—but that wasn't my dream.

Maybe I was forever stuck in the idealistic mindset of my fourteen-year-old self, but I wanted to sing. Ulyr told me Nexion 6 was the perfect place for an alien girl to get noticed for that sort of thing. It was a big, bustling planet filled with visitors from all over the universe. Just the sort of people who would want to see new things.

The thought filled me with excitement, but I feigned casual, looking around the lounge. "So, what about that room?"

Artos's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, right. I nearly forgot. This way."

As he made his way to the door Talys had left through earlier, I let out a sigh of relief. I was glad we were done talking about the possibility of me escaping. It was a topic best avoided at all costs. I needed them to not be actively thinking about the possibility. It was my only chance of blindsiding them when the time came.

Artos led me a short ways down the hallway, stopping in front of a massively wide door and holding out a hand.

I eyed it in surprise. "I'm staying in there?"

He furrowed his brow as he followed my line of sight. "No, definitely not there. Here." He pointed again and I realized he was actually gesturing toward a slim, nearly invisible door nestled alongside the large one.

"Is that a closet?" I asked in a flat voice.

"I barely managed to steer him away from that option. But this is still close."

"What is it?" There was a hint of caution in my voice, as if I could make this worse by asking.

"The servant’s quarters."

“Servant?” I frowned. "Wait, I'm staying in your room?"

Artos laughed. "Of course not. Talys would never put me in there."

I stared at him, my lips pressed into a thin line.

He scratched at the back of his neck. "Oh, right, I suppose that isn't very funny for you."

My grimace turned into a smile. "Ehh, it kind of is."

It was. If I were looking at it from the outside in, I would laugh. I mean, what are the chances, right? It was kinda funny. Yes, Talys was a beautiful, smug jerk who wouldn't just do me a solid and let me run free, but as long as I didn't let him get under my skin, I was good.

"You're very strange," Artos replied with a thoughtful tilt to his head. "I'd think you'd be more upset, considering your situation."

"I'm upset, sure, but throwing a fit isn't going to get me anywhere, is it?"

"With Talys? No." Artos folded his arms and leaned against the wall beside my door, looking decidedly relaxed. "There was once a woman on one of the Versix planets who clung to the ship and claimed that she would hold on when we took off."

"Why would she do that?"

"Her undying love for Talys, of course." He rolled his eyes, then his smile gave way to a sigh. "I warn them all not to fall for him, and yet . . ."

"He's that bad, huh?"

"Oh, yes." Artos nodded grimly. "Talys told her he'd be watching to see how long she could hold on."

I wrinkled my nose. "That's pretty messed up on both sides. Does that sort of thing happen to him a lot?"

"Far too often for my liking. Mostly because I end up dealing with them." Artos gave me a half-smile and pressed his hand to the screen outside my door. "Promise me you won't be another one?"

"I don't even have to promise you, I can guarantee . . ." My voice faded as I watched as the door slid open to reveal a room slightly more wide than the door. There was a thin excuse for a bed and that was it. I pressed my lips into a thin line. "I can guarantee Talys won't be on my good side anytime soon."

Surprisingly, though, I'd had worse. I wouldn't have been surprised if it'd been a closet because I'd been put in one before. After we fled Earth, my first six months on the ship were spent in one. The janitor's closet, in fact. I slept on a bed of boxed hazardous chemicals with thin blankets and pillows. Finally, my fellow humans had decided to act human again and they magically found a room for me.

"Well, I guess I'll retire to my palace for now." I eyed the slim door and smiled wryly at Artos. "I'll try not to enjoy it too much."

Artos's eyes squinted with a wide, boyish smile. "Trust me when I say this is better than what Talys originally had planned for you."

"How nice," I said with a tone that implied the opposite. "Dare I even ask what his other plans were?"

"I wouldn't tell you if you did. All chances of civilized conversation between you two would be lost. Now—" He pointed down the hallway at a much more normal-sized door. "—if you need anything, I'm in that room there."

I pursed my lips, eyes narrowed. "Showing off your big room, huh?"

He looked a little flustered. "I didn't mean to—"

"Relax," I said with a laugh, "I was just kidding."

"Oh. Yes, of course."

I stepped inside my temporary quarters and turned around. "Thanks for saving me from whatever terrible fate Talys had planned."

Artos waved a hand in the air. "It's the least I could do. I know you're in an unfortunate position. I think, on some level, Talys realizes that, too."

I twisted my expression into one of disbelief. "Something tells me that might not be true."

"He's not as terrible as he may seem." Artos made a face. "Aside from his relationships with women, that is."

I laughed. "So, what, he just wants people to think he's full of himself?"

Artos held his hands out, shrugged, and began walking down the hallway. "Remember, I'm here if you need anything. Try not to wander. I can't guarantee that'll end well for you."

"I think I can handle myself."

He looked over his shoulder with both brows raised high. "But can you handle Talys?"

I rolled my eyes. "Definitely."

"Good. Just remember my warning."

I laughed his words off and touched a hand to the screen that controlled my door. It slid shut and the room's one light, glowing a pale blue, flared a little brighter to accommodate the newfound darkness. Taking in the whole space only took one turn, standing in place.

The one thing I'd missed from the hallway was a closet opposite the bed. An empty closet that was the same length and half the width of the room. It had a mirrored surface, so I was basically forced to constantly see myself out of the corner of my eyes.

I sat down on the bed and stared at myself. I did look a little silly in the robe. I slid it off and folded it on the bed. I ran my hand over the fabric with a sigh, quietly hoping that Ulyr wasn't in any trouble. He told me he was willing to take the risk but now that it was all so real, and the possibility was definitely there because of my big mouth blabbing to Talys, I wasn't sure I was okay with it. I wouldn't go back, of course, not without a fight, but my excitement was dampened by the thought.

Wanting a distraction from my thoughts, I absently gravitated toward the door and out into the hallway. I'd only made it a few steps before I froze, remembering Artos's words. I looked from side to side and shrugged. I would just make my way to the bathroom and back. No big deal. I mean, sure, I didn't know where the bathroom was, but how hard could it be to find it?

The answer was a surprisingly long time. Nothing was labelled like it had been on my ship—but then again, the ship we fled Earth on had been built for carrying around tourists. By the time I'd used the bathroom and washed up a little, I was antsy to get back to my room. I was nearly there when I noticed something . . . different.

The massive door to the room next to mine was wide open, and the hall's air had been overtaken by a familiar scent—Talys's. I slowed as I approached the room, hugging close to the wall. From my hidden position, I slowly craned my head to look inside and the sight made me mutter a surprised curse underneath my breath. I'd just figured out where all my room's missing space had gone. This room was huge.

The lighting was dim and moody—how fitting—but it was bright enough that I could make out the massive bed in the center of the room. Glimmering, jewel-toned pillows were piled on the lush, deep maroon fabric covering the bed, and matching pillows of a larger size were spread out all around the room.

The walls of the room were hidden by shelves upon shelves of . . . books. Actual, human-style books. I jolted forward toward them, all senses of manners fleeing from me. My eyes widened as I approached a shelf and saw most of the books were written in English. Where did he get those?

I was reaching for a book that looked strangely familiar when the silence of the room was suddenly broken by the sound of the doors whooshing shut. I inhaled sharply and froze, my arm still hovering in the air. I could feel the eyes staring hard into my back before he even spoke.

"The trap snapped shut without the prey ever realizing it was there," Talys said from behind me, amusement coloring his voice. "Such a pity."

I clenched my eyes shut and bit down on a groan. Why, oh why, didn't I stop myself from coming in here?