Kringl (Rescued by the Alien)

Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

K ringl awoke with a start, immediately aware that Joy was no longer beside him. He patted the cold bed next to him, and his heart slammed into overdrive. Had she left, overcome with regrets? Or worse, had she been taken?

"But they would have taken me too," he mumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep.

Then he heard it-–the low murmur of conversation coming from beyond the bedroom. Peering through the crack in the door, he spotted Joy and Tami seated at the kitchen table. Kringl sank back onto the bed, his heartbeat returning to normal as he took a deep breath. Had he really thought that sharing the human’s bed would not affect him? Had he believed that he could spend the night with her in his arms and not feel bound to her?

Kringl closed his eyes as reality crashed around him. His feelings for Joy had deepened, but his situation and his destiny had not changed. As he lay on the bed an unfamiliar, pungent aroma tickled his nose and mingled with a scent he did know—the comforting smell of toasting bread.

Pulling on his pants and pushing aside thoughts of the future, Kringl walked out to join them. As Joy caught sight of him, a warm smile crossed her face and eased some of his tension.

“Joy said you took the bed since you’re so much bigger,” Tami said before he could even sit.

Joy popped up and waved him into her chair as she busied herself at the stove.

“That’s right,” Kringl managed to say without acting too surprised. “She was kind enough to give up her bed.”

"Coffee?" Joy offered, spinning around and holding out a steaming mug.

Kringl glanced at her flushed cheeks and then eyed the cup as he accepted it. “I don't know coffee.”

Joy's eyes widened in surprise. "Coffee is one of the few things Velsnickel hasn't ruined. Maybe because there isn't really a holiday version. At least not one that he knows about." She paused, a wicked glint in her eye. "Don't ever tell him about peppermint."

No danger of that, since Kringl wasn’t familiar with peppermint either.

Kringl took a cautious sip, startled by the strong flavor. But as the warmth traveled down his throat and into his belly, he found himself taking another, larger gulp. He eagerly accepted a piece of buttery toast from the plate in the center of the round table.

"Joy explained your plan," Tami said, all questions about their sleeping arrangements forgotten. "I want to help. I'm small enough to sneak into places and sabotage them."

Joy frowned, and Kringl found himself voicing her concern. "We don't want you to be in danger.”

Tami jutted out her chin. "I won't get caught."

Kringl suspected that there was little point in arguing with the girl, just as there was little point in telling Joy that they should wait for a rescue. Joy did not only want to leave the planet now, but she also wanted to destroy Velsnickel’s rule over her people.

Despite his reservation about provoking the scary elves, he began to review what he and Joy had brainstormed. They’d decided on their primary objectives—infiltrate the workshop to sabotage whatever Velsnickel was using to shield the planet from detection. That way, the planet would no longer be a haven for the escaped elves. They could not keep it from being discovered and the humans from being rescued.

As they discussed the plan, Kringl couldn't help but notice Joy's demeanor. She acted as if nothing had happened between them, treating him with the same friendly camaraderie as before. He wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not. Maybe last night had meant more to him than it had to her.

The happy glow that had suffused him when he’d walked out and seen Joy began to waver. What if she still viewed him as her rescue and nothing else? What if he was nothing more than a distraction as she waited to leave the planet?

Despite the responsibilities of his position, Kringl didn’t know if he could go back to the way things were before. The thought of searching for a suitable mate among his own people seemed hollow and meaningless. His gut told him he’d found the perfect female in Joy, but did she want him?

As Joy laughed at something Tami said, Kringl’s heart squeezed. He wanted to pull her aside, to ask what last night had meant to her, to ask what he meant to her, but he knew now wasn't the time. They had a mission to focus on, a village to save.

"Kringl?" Joy's voice snapped him back. "What do you think?"

He blinked, refocusing on the conversation. "I think we need to start with reconnaissance—observing the workshop, noting patterns and potential entry points."

Joy nodded. "Tami, you can help with that. Your size will make it easier for you to hide and watch without being noticed."

The girl beamed, clearly thrilled to be included.

Then Kringl swung his head around to encompass the entire small home. “Where is Snowball?”

Joy smirked at him. “The little guy has grown on you, hasn’t he? Don’t worry about him. He’s out on his morning jaunt around the woods.”

“We should wait for him to start,” Tami said. “If anyone is good at sneaking into small spaces, it’s him.”

Kringl drained the last of his coffee, wondering how his successful military and diplomatic mission had devolved into having a snow squirrel as an integral part of his team.

Joy reached out to take his empty mug, her hand briefly touching his. The contact sent a tingle up his arm, and for a moment, their eyes met. In that brief exchange, Kringl saw something that rekindled his hope—a warmth, a heat, a connection that went beyond mere camaraderie.

But was it enough to change both their destinies?