“So, how long are you going to be gone, again?” I planted a sultry kiss on Kadic’s sexy lips.

“Not long, a couple days.” He took my hands in his and gently kissed my fingers.

“Well, have a safe trip,” I said, feeling a little awkward.

Kadic must have sensed this, because his eyes grew sad. “There’s plenty for you to do around the palace. Why don’t you take a look around and see if you can find anything that interests you?” He gave me a warm smile.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good plan to me.” I chuckled as we embraced for one final hug before he went off to take care of some ruler-related business that I didn’t really understand.

It was still a complicated situation, but I was rooting for him nonetheless, and still dreaming of a time where I could plant my feet back on Earth’s soil.

“I know a great place where you can start,” Kadic spun around one last time. “We have a fantastic library here.”

My heart leapt. “I love books,” I said and gave him an extra kiss. “Thank you. If I’m missing when you return, it’s probably because I’m still in the library with my nose buried under one,” I joked and he chortled lightheartedly.

As I walked away, I went down a long hallway toward the palace library. The hall had a warm aura and gave me a fuzzy comfort feeling in my bones. The hallway was lit by cozy lanterns that hung on the walls and flickered with dancing flames that looked like they were powered with electricity.

I opened the large wooden door leading to the entrance of the grand library. It creaked in old protest when I pushed it. I felt like I was in some enchanted movie or something.

“Damn, this place is huge,” I whispered as I glanced around the enormous room. It was stunning and I couldn’t wait to explore.

I edged my way slowly down one of the aisles, reveling in the texture of the old book spines on my fingertips. There was so much history here.

I popped a few out of their places and thumbed through them. A good number of the books were in a variety of languages. Some of the languages I recognized, some I did not.

I thought about how cultured Kadic must be to have this scope of books and wondered whether he understood any of these languages. I made a mental note to ask him when he returned.

There was a cozy reading nook complete with a brown leather couch, fireplace, and oriental-style warm-looking blanket spread across the top of the couch. It looked like a good place to sit down and read the book I’d retrieved from off one of the shelves.

I must have become completely immersed and engrossed after a few minutes, because I startled when I heard something squeaking behind me.

I spun around and noticed an old male alien was being wheeled into the library by what looked like his female alien nurse. I immediately dropped the book and stood up, feeling self-conscious and out of place.

“Hello.” The old man gave a feeble wave and I could see how wrinkly his blue skin was.

I gave a tiny attempt at a wave back to him.

“You must be Marissa.” He smiled warmly at me as the nurse wheeled him closer.

Once we were only a few feet apart from each other, he thanked the young nurse and she bowed and scampered off, out of the library.

“I’m Marissa,” I said. “I’m sorry, and you are?” I held out a hand to shake with him.

“I’m King Faetar.”

It took me a moment to connect the dots in my brain. “King Faetar? Are you Kadic’s father?” I asked the obvious question even though I already knew the answer.

“Indeed I am,” he said as he nodded at me. He pointed to the book I had tossed beside me on the couch. “What are you reading there?”

I turned around and glanced at the book. “Oh, that? Nothing really. This library is very impressive.”

“Thank you,” he said as he gazed into my eyes as if he were trying to figure me out.

I shifted my weight uncomfortably while he stared at me.

“I’m very happy to finally meet the woman who has stolen my son’s heart and will soon become his wife.”

My face flushed with nervousness. I mentally wondered whether I should break the news to this soft spoken, wheelchair-bound father of Kadic’s that I didn’t have any intention of marrying Kadic.

I sighed. I might as well go with the truth. “Well, you see, there’s been a slight mix-up.”

“Mix-up?” He furrowed his wrinkly brows.

“Yes, um…well, actually, the dating agency, Celestial Mates, that set me up with Kadic tricked me. I can’t actually stay on Alpazon. I need to go back to Earth because I was only told by them that I’d be traveling to meet a prince who wanted to date me. I thought that prince actually lived on Earth.” I chuckled anxiously.

He stared at me for a moment, apparently digesting this plot twist of events. “And how exactly do you expect to leave Alpazon to go back to Earth?”

His voice had an edge of condescension now that threw me off balance. “Um, you know—by the spaceship, when it returns.”

King Faetar laughed. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, dear, but that spaceship won’t be returning to Alpazon for another six weeks.”

It was as if he’d just plunged my head under the water and I was struggling to breathe as he held me there.

“No, it can’t be. You’re mistaken.” I shook my head, but it was numb.

“I’m sorry, dear, I’m not mistaken. I think I know the schedule of when my spaceships run back and forth between the planets.”

Did he? He seemed kind of elderly. Perhaps he was senile?

If only I could be so lucky.

“But Kadic told me—”

“Wait a moment.” He held up a hand to interrupt me. “There is a warping of space-time between Alpazon and Earth. Because of this, time moves slower here.”

“What exactly do you mean?” Panic pounded my heart against my chest like a drum.

“Well, it’s hard to explain the mathematics of it, but in simple terms, seven days on Earth is really seven weeks on Alpazon. I’m guessing Kadic told you the next ship would be returning in seven days?”

“He did.” I nodded and stared blankly into the air. The books were all becoming a blur.

“My son can be forgetful sometimes.” The king shook his head and laughed. “He left out the part about the time slippage between the planets. I’m sorry, dear.”

His voice sounded hollow and far away. I erupted into fits of manic laughter on the brink of utter hysteria.

“That’s a good joke, but I’m not buying it,” I said as I wagged a finger at him.

He stared at me in confusion, with a frown building on his features.

“Oh shit. You’re not kidding.” I stopped laughing as tears welled in my eyes.

Anger boiled my blood and I could have spit nails. I began to stomp out of the room, probably leaving trails of fury in my wake.

“Where are you going off to?” he called from his wheelchair.

“To find your liar of a son,” I yelled without even a glance back at the old man. I was determined not to stay trapped on this planet forever.