The offering

Lena

"I was sold to the enemy."

Those words echoed in my mind, as if they were the only sound in a world subdued by the silence of fear. The dense, suffocating air of the alien ship enveloped my senses, as I stood still, trying to accept what was about to happen. The dim, greenish lights inside the ship seemed to absorb any hope, leaving only darkness to comfort me.

I was pushed out of the cramped cell by guards who didn’t even look in my direction. There was no need for force; I was exhausted, my resistance drained from the moment my parents, with tears in their eyes, handed me over to the invaders. Their reasoning was clear: my life for theirs. A terrible bargain, but one that seemed to make sense amidst the destruction Earth had become.

The ship trembled slightly as it landed, and the guards led me outside. My bare feet touched the soil of a planet that wasn’t mine. The atmosphere was strangely heavy, as if the very air was aware of the invasion, of the violence that had brought these creatures here. The sky above me was a deep red, a color that reminded me of fresh blood, and in the distance, enormous metallic towers rose, creating an alien landscape that seemed straight out of a nightmare.

I was led through long corridors, each colder and more sterile than the last. Finally, the guards stopped in front of an immense door. The metal gleamed under the pale light, and when it opened, I was pushed inside.

My heart raced as my eyes scanned the room before me. It was large and cold, with walls covered in symbols and screens displaying images and data I couldn’t comprehend. And then, in the center, seated on a throne carved from some kind of black crystal, he was there.

Kael.

The leader of the invaders.

He was different from anything I had ever seen. His skin was a silvery tone, almost translucent, and his eyes—deep, a blue that nearly glowed—stared at me with an intensity that made me shiver. His body, covered in armor that seemed to meld with his skin, emanated an aura of unshakable power. But what surprised me most was the expression on his face. There was no cruelty, only a cold curiosity, as if I were a puzzle he was determined to solve.

“You are the human,” he said, his voice low and soft, almost a whisper, but it carried a weight that made my legs tremble. “The one who was offered in exchange for protection.”

I wanted to speak, to scream, to ask why this was happening, but the words wouldn’t come. All I could do was nod, my eyes fixed on the ground, unable to meet his again.

Kael rose slowly, every movement fluid and calculated. He walked toward me, stopping a few steps away. When he spoke again, his voice was even closer, as if it was inside my mind.

“I should treat you as a slave, as an object that belongs to me now. But…”

He stepped closer, and I could feel the warmth radiating from him, a strange and comforting sensation, even though I didn’t want to admit it.

“But you are not what I expected.”

I lifted my gaze, finally meeting his eyes. There was something there that unsettled me, something that seemed to contradict everything I had learned to fear. Before I could process what was happening, Kael raised his hand and, with an almost delicate gesture, touched my face. A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn’t from fear—it was something deeper, more primal.

“I offer you protection,” he said, his words wrapping around me like a promise. “You will not be treated as a slave here, Lena. As long as you are by my side, you will be safe. But in return, I expect your loyalty.”

My emotions were in turmoil. Safety? Amidst all this chaos? Part of me wanted to believe him, wanted to accept the protection offered, but another part, a part that refused to be subdued, screamed that this wasn’t right. I was being bought, sold, and now he expected me to follow him like a loyal dog.

But, looking into Kael’s eyes, something told me that refusing was not an option.

“Why?” The question escaped before I could stop it. My voice came out weak, almost a whisper, but it carried all the confusion and fear I felt. “Why offer me protection?”

Kael tilted his head, as if pondering the answer. For a moment, the room seemed quieter than ever, and then he smiled—a small, enigmatic smile that only deepened my doubts.

“Because you are different,” he said, simply. “And I do not destroy what is different. I keep it close.”

Those words stayed etched in my mind as I was led to my quarters—a simple but comfortable room, far from what I expected for a slave. I lay on the bed, the weight of the day finally hitting me, and tried to process everything that had happened. I should have felt relieved, maybe even grateful, but instead, a new emotion took hold of me.

Curiosity.

Who was Kael? And why had he, the leader of the invaders, chosen me for this special protection? These questions hovered over me like shadows as sleep overtook me. I knew this was only the beginning, and that the answers I sought could lead me to even more dangerous places.

But one thing was certain: my life had changed forever, and whatever Kael was planning, I was determined to find out. Even if it meant getting closer than I should to the man who should be my enemy.