Enticed by the Alien Warrior by Hope Hart (spiritual books to read .TXT) 📕

though, we’re heading back to the marketplace. According to Sarissa, there’s a high chance the guy who sells the part we need will be returning in the next few days.

I wince as Cauri pulls the comb through a knot in my hair, and she rolls her eyes, muttering about fragile human females.

Cauri was unimpressed when Arix left my rooms, scowling and declaring me a trollop. I pointed at the door and told her she could leave unless she was going to apologize for that remark. I may be scared of her—not that I’d ever admit such a thing to Sarissa—but that doesn’t mean she gets to slut-shame me.

Cauri gaped at me, stunned, but I stared at her, waiting her out. Finally, she muttered an apology, then ordered me into the bath so she could arrange for my sheets to be changed if the king was going to be visiting them again.

I ground my teeth until I worried there would be only nubs left.

God forbid Arix roll around in the same sheets he left his spunk in.

Thankfully, he kept his word, and last night, a servant brought a tonic with my dinner. Surprisingly, Cauri nodded in approval, muttering that I may be a trollop, but at least I’m not stupid.

I let that one go.

Unfortunately, now that she knows I’m banging the king, Cauri’s obsession with my appearance has reached new heights. The one good thing about the way she does my hair, however, is I no longer have flashbacks to my mother yanking on my blonde strands when I was a child. No, Cauri is worse than my mother ever was, so the dread in my stomach when I sit down at my pretty, carved vanity is entirely thanks to the maid.

It’s almost ironic that Cauri’s disapproving frown reminds me so much of my mother.

When I hit puberty, it quickly became evident I wasn’t going to be modeling for Chanel anytime in the future unless I had a breast reduction.

My mother bemoaned the fact I was curvier than her—eyeballing every scrap of food I put in my mouth and blaming my father’s side of the family for my genes.

I actually considered it—the breast reduction. But ultimately, choosing not to go under the knife was a giant fuck-you to my mother who had been having yearly “tune-ups” since before I was born.

So I’m never going to be on the cover of Vogue. I have my own career, which mostly includes lingerie and swimsuit modeling. And if I occasionally wonder what it would’ve been like if I’d stood up to my mother and chosen my own career path…

That’s no one’s business but mine.

“Aren’t you ready yet?”

I jolt in my seat, making Cauri curse at me. Sarissa catches my eye in the mirror, smirking, and I narrow my eyes at her.

“Almost.”

“She doesn’t need to look like she’s going to a ball,” Sarissa tells Cauri. “We’re only going to the marketplace.”

Cauri sniffs, sliding a jeweled pin into my hair. “Need I remind you that you are both—”

“Representing the king.” Sarissa nods. “So our appearance is of utmost importance.”

She says it solemnly, but her lips twitch, and Cauri frowns at her, her gaze lingering on Sarissa’s hair, which is in a simple braid.

“Obviously, you haven’t taken this advice seriously,” she murmurs.

Sarissa nods. “I’m not the best at taking advice. Just ask my cousin. Come on, surely she’s ready now?”

Cauri sighs, poking one last pin along my scalp. I grit my teeth, well aware that complaining will just make the torture last longer.

“Fine,” Cauri says with a huff, and I raise my eyebrows. Sarissa has succeeded, while my complaints seem to only piss her off.

“Have you considered switching with Hesa?” I ask Cauri. “I think you’d enjoy fixing Sarissa up every day.”

Sarissa smirks, and Cauri narrows her eyes at me. “Someone has to keep you in line,” she says, turning to walk away. “Wear the gray shoes,” she orders over her shoulder.

I linger over my shoe choices, Sarissa watching as I pick up a black pair, hesitating. Finally, I go for the gray shoes, ignoring Sarissa’s snort.

“They look best with the dress.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not afraid of her.”

“Then why are you whispering?”

“In case she’s still around. Duh.”

The guards are waiting outside our rooms, and they murmur amongst themselves as we get into the hydro and travel down the river. The sun is still low in the sky, the air fresh, and we compete with other hydros for space as we head toward the marketplace.

“Let’s see if the replacement part has arrived first, and then we can look around,” Sarissa says. I nod, and we follow the path through the trees, both of us pausing as we take in the large marketplace.

Sarissa links her arm through mine. “Whatever happens, I’m glad I got to experience this stuff with you, V.”

I grin at her, my eyes suddenly hot. There’s no way Sarissa would be this open on Earth. An alien abduction has taught both of us that life is short.

“I’m glad too.”

Sarissa smiles at me and moves toward the marketplace, but I stop her.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What happened when I disappeared? Did they file a missing persons report? Did they even notice?”

Sarissa’s expression turns agonized, and I stare at her.

“They didn’t, did they?”

“I did,” she whispers. “I went to the police when I didn’t hear from you. Your mom insisted you were probably partying overseas somewhere, and refused to get involved.”

I laugh, but it comes out like a sob. “A missing daughter would be a scandal.”

Sarissa sighs. “The police were looking for you, V. Your phone, wallet, and everything else were in your apartment. None of your credit cards had been used, so it was obvious you hadn’t run from your life. But there was no sign of a struggle. I hired a private investigator, and I was using every contact I had to find you.” Her smile is sad. “But then I woke up on that ship.”

Other than our brief chat the other day when she admitted to