by Zara Zenia
When I woke up this morning, I never could have dreamed that I would have been sharing a fabulously decadent dinner with a Trilyn prince while hovering above the city. It was a bit daunting, but thrilling and fascinating at the same time.
As the trees whirred past me on the ride home, I kept reliving those little priceless moments. I giggled when I remembered something funny that Prince Darbnix said, or a way he gazed into my eyes and made me feel melty on the inside.
I remembered how the floor of the palace gave the appearance of being bottomless, scattered with windows that spread across the surface so that you could see how tiny the city looked from up in the sky.
Rooms had disappeared into each other instead of through doorways. Passageways became something different everywhere we walked. It was exhilarating to be a part of that experience, even if it was just for one night.
That was the problem. It was just for one night. I’d gone to the floating palace on a mission. I’d been invited because I needed to save Prince Darbnix’s watch-lizard. I’d fulfilled my duty, and he’d invited me to stay for dinner. It was a black and white issue. Sure, we’d had a lovely time getting to know each other, but what was going to happen next?
I knew about those little scanners they had to use in order to find mates. He hadn’t used it on me, claiming his annoyance with the process. The gnawing issue was that in the end, he’d have no choice but to trust it as reliable. If I wasn’t a match for him, which hadn’t been determined yet, then our friendship couldn’t blossom into anything more.
I didn’t want to go down that path of disappointment, especially since I’d had such an enjoyable time looking into his dreamy eyes. He was so dark and mysterious, almost ethereal.
I pulled into my driveway a few minutes later, home at last. I vowed to learn everything I could about watch-lizards in the event that he might call me back. You never knew what could happen. Perhaps the lizard would need a follow-up visit, or maybe I’d even use that as an excuse to go back to the palace just to have even a few more minutes of quality time with the prince.
Walking into my house, I scraped my hand across the motion sensors to flicker on the lamps. In an instant, they brightened up my living room. I looked around. Everything was perfectly pristine and in the same condition I’d left it this morning when I had left for work.
I relished in keeping a tidy home. I didn’t have room in my life for clutter. I was too busy. When I came home from a hard day on my feet caring for sick animals, I wanted to be able to relax. My home was my haven.
My house was simple and humble compared to Darbnix’s floating palace. I couldn’t even imagine how amazing and gigantic his real one must be back on his home planet. He had mentioned at dinner that he was the ruler over a continent on Trilynia called Noor.
Apparently, it was covered in farmland and bountiful rivers and streams. It sounded like a peaceful, serene, and magical place. I sagged into my couch with a dreamy sigh. I imagined myself on Noor with Darbnix. I knew it was a fanatical and ridiculous assumption to imagine that I could ever be in that situation, but my mind wanted to wander tonight.
Darbnix and his chiseled muscles would be leading us on Abromeets. Abromeets are like giant horse-type animals that hail from Trilynia. We would be perched on top of the animals, walking as the sun sets. I pictured the soft breeze tickling my cheek. I would smile and gaze over at Darbnix who would be giving me a stare of adoration.
I could get lost for days in his pale aqua-colored eyes. I shivered with pleasure as I squeezed my eyes shut and imagined us hand in hand, walking through his lush farmland. It had to be a sign of some sort. We were both raised in the plains. We both loved livestock and the lifestyle of caring for animals.
Prince Darbnix even bred and raised his own watch-lizards. My eyes jolted open. I sat up in a flurry and jogged over to my computer, switching it on. The overhead lamps in my private office were off. The only light was the bluish glow coming from the monitor screen.
I had promised myself to prepare and learn as much as I could by researching watch-lizards. I wanted to know everything about the beloved pets of Prince Darbnix. Did I have some underlying reason for doing so?
Maybe because I wanted to impress him? It wasn’t likely that I would come across an opportunity to care for another watch-lizard unless it belonged to him. They were a rare breed. I found them fascinating, much like the prince. He was charming and charismatic and had me under some kind of infatuation spell. I never wanted to pop the gleeful bubble I was drifting in.
I shook my head and sighed, rubbing my temples. It was late. I needed to snap out of it. I could always start my research on the lizards tomorrow. I needed rest. Reality could come crashing back down on me under the light of a fresh new day.
The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed as I stretched and tumbled out of bed. The morning sunlight spilled into the room, giving the day a healthy glow. I walked to the bathroom and began twisting my hair into the same signature braid I liked to wear. It was easy to maintain. With the lifestyle I had, I didn’t have time to nurse a mop of hair on my shoulders that weighed me down.
My thoughts drifted back to Prince Darbnix. His handsome smile lurked in the private corners of my mind. I couldn’t eliminate the idea of laughing with him over another lavish meal. It was official. I was crushing hard on the prince from another planet.
How could this be happening to me so quickly? I wasn’t naïve. I had a good head on my shoulders and I’d been independent all my life. I didn’t understand why I was suddenly so enthralled and wrapped up in a prince, who up until a day ago, didn’t even know I existed. It was simply infatuation.
I walked to my kitchen and prepared myself a cup of coffee, enjoying the glorious scent of the ground beans wafting through the air. I leaned up against the side of the counter, waiting for the timer to beep so that I could pour myself a cup. Coffee was my drug, the one way I could awaken my senses and be able to function throughout the day.
I turned on my computer, remembering that I was excited to leap into broadening my knowledge of watch-lizards. I pulled up the wealth of information I had at my disposal, one of the perks of being an exo-livestock veterinarian.
Through a little curious digging, I determined that watch-lizards were common on Darbnix’s planet. Most of them were smaller than Slith. He was apparently an exception. Most were the size of birds or small rodents. They came in an array of different colors, with scaly lizard-like leathery skin that glistened like gems.
They were omnivorous, which I already knew. They mainly ate fruit, plants, and rodents, but I did come across a few studies that showed they also enjoyed non-consumable products like couch cushions, pizza boxes, and the like, which would explain the problem Darbnix had with Slith. Their main purpose was for patrolling royal palaces. If they sensed the threat of a predator, they would begin roaring and screeching loudly to alert their owners.
The species was generally friendly and curious, but Slith was significantly larger than most of them.
My phone rang, causing me to jump at least an inch in the air. The sound was shrill and alarming. I fumbled on the desk to find it. My heart pounded when I noticed whose number was displayed across the receiver.
Prince Darbnix was calling me.
This could only mean one of two things. Maybe he missed me and wanted to hear my voice again. Or there must be a problem with Slith. Why else would a prince waste time out of his valuable and precious day to call me? It just didn’t make sense.
“Hello?” I breathed into the receiver expectantly. “This is Dr. Rose Rand.”
Why was I talking so formally? I knew it was him. We’d exchanged numbers last night. It was probably one of his staff members calling me to discuss the bill or something.
“Hello, Dr. Rose Rand.” His saucy voice was already deep, powerful, and full of zesty flirtation.
My heart leaped in my chest again. “Prince Darbnix? Is everything okay with Slith?”
“He’s
a resilient, tough little guy.” The prince laughed into the phone. “Thanks to you, he is en route to a speedy recovery.”
“That’s great news,” I said as I sighed with relief. “What can I do for you then?” I was confused, yet hopeful.
“I was calling because I have a proposal for you,” he chimed excitedly. There was no sense of faltering confidence in his voice.
“Oh?” I perked. I wondered if the word proposal would have the word marriage attached to the front of it, but I kept that part to myself.
“If you will entertain the idea of being a part of my company,” he added, “this dull prince from a faraway land?”
I laughed. “Of course. I’d love to. And you aren’t dull in the slightest.”
“Thank you. That’s a relief to hear.” I knew he was only appeasing me. It was a hilarious assumption to think that a prince would ever care what a lowly commoner’s opinion of him might be.
“Are you kidding?” I played along. I twirled my hair around my finger and propped myself up against the wall like a giddy teenage girl. “You have a floating house with a see-through floor.”
“I aim to impress,” he retorted with a chuckle.
“That much is certain.”
“So, one more time for assurance—you are saying yes to breakfast, am I right?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” My lips formed a wide smile that stretched across my face. “You can count me in for sure.”
“Wonderful.” He sounded genuinely happy at my declaration.
“On Earth, we call Sunday breakfast brunch, depending on the time of day,” I mentioned just as a casual afterthought.
“That’s very interesting,” he said with a chuckle. “I feel like I’m learning more and more about your culture every day.”
“Well, I am also immersing myself in things of your world,” I admitted. “For instance, right before you called, I was researching information about watch-lizards.”
“Were you?” He sounded impressed.
“Yep.” I nodded and smiled, now moving about my house as if I were floating. “They are interesting creatures for sure.”
“I sure have a soft spot for them,” Darbnix admitted.
“I’m really relieved to know that Slith is on the mend,” I said.
“Thanks to you,” Darbnix said in an affectionate tone.
“Just make sure to keep him away from couch cushions and pizza boxes,” I teased.
Darbnix erupted into laughter. “I’ll be sure to do that. I’m actually going to spend the next several days attempting to train him not to eat packaging and other inedible items.”
“I wish you the best of luck in your attempts.” I giggled. “Let me know if you need any help. I am a trained veterinarian, after all.”
“Ah. You speak the truth,” Darbnix said humbly. “I would welcome any help I could get with the little rascal.”
The way he spoke about Slith was pure. I knew it was an affectionate love between a man and his pet, almost like a dog and a person. Man’s best friend. It radiated from Darbnix in the gleeful way he spoke of his eight-year-old watch-lizard.
The more I talked to Darbnix, the more enticing he was. I was certainly attracted to him and his ocean-blue eyes. Every time he laughed, a current of pleasure rippled through me. It was something undeniable. The chemistry had already been sealed, but I still was unsure of how to move forward with him.
What if I wasn’t his match? Then all this effort and flirtatious banter would be for nothing. I needed to keep my wits about me and always have perspective at the front and center of my thoughts. The last thing I wanted to do was set myself up for disappointment.
I’d been in relationships before. Since I was still single, I tried not to wear my heart on my sleeve or expect too much out of a partner. I was busy all the time, going out there to make something of myself. My career was important to me, and I rarely allowed hurtles to get in my way.
But with Prince Darbnix, all my cares disappeared. I forgot everything except for the two of us engulfed in charming conversation. He made me feel more special than I probably was, and that was alluring. He was tempting, and I was eating from forbidden fruit by humoring him with attention. I couldn’t bring myself to cut our ties completely. I was thirsty for him and needed to quench it immediately.
That’s why I said yes to breakfast on Sunday. I craved his attention, his eyes searching mine. I wanted to see him again in the flesh, to stare at his darkened skin and solid muscles.
“Well, I wish you good luck, and I can’t wait for breakfast on Sunday,” I told him. “I can’t imagine the spread of food your staff will have waiting for us to devour,” I joked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said with a laugh, “but I can assure you it will be profoundly delicious.”
“That much is a certainty.” I smiled as I walked up and down the hallway between my bedroom and living room. “What time should I be ready?”
“My shuttle servants will be at your house at nine AM sharp to pick you up,” he explained.
I nodded. “I’ll be ready.”
“I can’t wait to see you again,” Darbnix squeezed in.
My heart flipped. A wavy sensation began to rise in my belly and spread to my limbs. “Yeah,” I whispered as I nibbled on my bottom lip. “Me too.”
We hung up, and the euphoria continued to dazzle me for a few minutes. His masculine voice lingered in my eardrums. Was I dwelling too much on a superficial crush? I owed it to myself to be cautious, but I wanted to live in the protective bubble of my fantasy too.
I walked to the sink and began absentmindedly washing out my coffee cup, lathering the sponge beyond what was necessary. My hands were full of soap and suds as I stared out the window.
My mind lingered on my parents, wondering whether they would have been impressed by the down-to-earth rancher prince from a different planet. Would they have liked him? I wanted to imagine that much to be true.
I giggled, daydreaming of introducing my humble farmer father to the prince with the giant pet lizard. Much like myself, my parents had been animal lovers all their lives. I was a Kansas girl at heart, and my roots and background ran deep and would always be a part of my personality.
I believed I could bring something to the table and would make a favorable match for Prince Darbnix, but unfortunately, the decision wasn’t up to me. I sighed and shook my head. I couldn’t dwell on the past or the future. I needed to live in the present. The future would iron itself out, eventually. In an attempt to get on with my day and submerge myself in distractions, I took a shower and headed to the veterinary hospital. I would undoubtedly have a schedule packed with animals in need. That was the name of the game. I had responsibilities to live up to, and being starry-eyed with lust for a farming prince wasn’t going to keep me focused on my tasks.
It sure was fun, though, to imagine a world completely built on fantasy and the preposterous hope that one day, Prince Darbnix might be mine.
Chapter 5
Darbnix
I sat in my office, my mind still reverting to Rose every now and then. I had completely forgotten about the letter from Davon, but as I glanced around, I found it sitting on a stack of other papers. I had been so completely wrapped up in my new friendship with Rose that my obligations and responsibilities had temporarily vanished from my mind.
I glanced at the letter. It was the same one I had ignored after being distracted earlier when things went awry with Slith’s health. Whatever was inside this letter would need immediate attention. He was our computer crimes expert. He worked with the planetary governments’ intercontinental law enforcement division and he was the best in the business at his job.
I knew that whatever material resided within the unopened envelope would be pertinent, probably something I didn’t want to hear, see, or deal with. Davon was smart, bordering genius. He was nerdy, and we liked to poke fun of him on occasion, but it was all playful and never malevolent.
He was lanky
and scrawny and had jet-black hair that was always a sloppy mess on top of his head. I knew that I couldn’t put off whatever information he had to relay. I had to bite the bullet and rip open the envelope. With a sigh and a prayer, I did just that.
If Davon were aware of some kind of central intelligence to brief me on, then I would need to be fully aware of the risks at stake. Ever since the incident with my brother Gardax and how his scanner had been compromised, we’d had to take every precaution and safety measure to protect our computers.
My eyes drifted over the contents in the letter, absorbing the information. Davon needed to reach me to discus a possible hacking attempt of the Trilyn computer system. I groaned and rubbed my aching temples.
I plucked my phone from the desk in my private office quarters and dialed Davon immediately.
“Its me,” I said gruffly once he answered. “What do you have for me?”
“Hello, Prince Darbnix,” he said pleasantly. “Is there somewhere we can meet to discuss my findings?” His voice came out robotic. He had worked with computers for so long, he was beginning to sound like one too.
I looked up to see what time it was. “Is it not something that we can just discuss over the phone?” I asked.
There was a brief hesitation from Davon on the other end, but he finally relented to my request. “Certainly, Prince Darbnix.”
I plopped down into my office chair, allowing my body to sag into the cushion. “So,” I began. “What do you have for me?”
Davon was wired with the training of a special agent. He was able to pick out even the faintest trait of something being amiss with our computer system far before anyone else would notice a problem.
My brothers and I respected him, but more importantly, we trusted him. If there were an issue, he would be the first one to sniff it out and hunt down the source.
“I have reason to believe that a local high-profile computer criminal may be targeting the Trilyn system,” Davon began.
“In other words, you think a hacker is in our midst?” I asked.