James really should have known better. Finding any form of vehicle on the roads in the early hours of the morning was impossible, no one in their right mind was awake at that hour, and so they had ended up half-walking, half-running all the way to his home.

By the time they arrived, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon and Eamazyn was at the end of his very short fuse. But James didn’t care, as soon as he’d seen his house, despite being completely exhausted and no doubt malnourished, he had an overwhelming urge run up to the front door, throw it open and announce loudly to the empty house how happy he was to be home.

Eamazyn stopped him just outside the yard and stared at the dark house for a moment, before sighing heavily. “This is your house?”

“Yeh,” James grinned at the house. He’d always loved his little house, but now he truly appreciated it for what it was; home.

“The entire thing is glass!” Eamazyn exclaimed in exasperation. “How in the name of the Spirits are we supposed to hide in a glass house?!”

“In the name of the what?” James turned his head to frown at the Prince.


“Is there no part of the building that does not have windows?” he snapped, turning his angry gaze down on James.

“Umm … the basement?” James offered uncertainly. “It’s underground, so no windows.”

“What is down there?” the Prince looked back at the house thoughtfully.

“I had it set up a while ago as a sort of self-contained unit,” James explained. “My younger brother had nowhere else to go and he lived down there for a while but he’s gone now and I just kind of use it as a studio.”

“It will have to do,” Eamazyn growled and moved out from behind the hedge.

“Do for what?” James frowned after him.

“To hide in,” the prince snapped impatiently as he stalked towards the front door. “Come.”

James grabbed the spare key from under the mat and opened the door. Eamazyn instantly ordered him to leave the lights off the second he stepped through the door, apparently they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves.

James stopped at the entrance to the dining room and stared around. Everything was just as he left it the day he’d been taken. Even the bowl he’d left on the table after hurriedly eating cereal that morning before rushing off to the art class he was late for. The damn thing must smell awful by now.



“Hurry up and get what you need,” the prince snapped from behind him.

“Need for what?” James asked, still looking around.

“Clothing, food, essentials only,” Eamazyn said matter-of-factly. “We will stay in the basement during the day and if anything is needed I will come back up during the night to retrieve it. You will stay in the basement at all times.”

“What?!” James turned and gaped at the alien prince. “You freed me from that hell hole just to lock me up in another hole?!”

“For your own protection!” Eamazyn shot back, baring his teeth angrily. “I will explain everything but not here, we need to get out of sight before they get here!”

James desperately wanted to argue about the fact that he was going to be locked up again, but the mention of the other aliens coming any minute now stopped him. He wasn’t sure he trusted the Prince, but he was absolutely positive he didn’t trust the others.


As quickly and quietly as he could he collected some clean clothes from his bedroom and some food from the kitchen. He could feel the Prince’s eyes on him the whole time and when he turned back towards him, he found Eamazyn watching him steadily from the top of the stairs that lead to the basement. He didn’t say a word as he led the alien down to the basement.


“Am I allowed to switch the light on down here?” James rolled his eyes at having to even ask as he waited for the prince to walk through the basement door and then closed it behind him.

“Yes,” Eamazyn said absently as he looked around the small room. “Does that door lock?”

“I think so,” James flicked the light on and looked down at the door handle. “Yep, but does it really need to be locked?”

“It won’t stop them but it will slow them down,” Eamazyn said as he turned back around to face him and scowled. “Is this it?”

“Expecting something bigger?” James rolled his eyes again. “Sorry your highness but it’s just a basement.”
The prince narrowed his eyes at him for a moment before snapping; “Maze.”

“No, basement,” James frowned, thoroughly confused.


“Are all humans this dense?” Eamazyn growled. “My name is Eamazyn Ge’en. I would prefer if you called me Maze. Never your highness, or prince.”

“So you’re not a prince then?” James raised his eyebrows. He could have sworn the purple ones were calling him a prince.

“Not any more,” Maze muttered as he turned to face the wall. After a few minutes silence he spoke again. “Shower.”

“I beg your pardon?” James asked in confusion. This guy was all over the place and never spoke in full sentences, it was infuriating.

“Shower,” Maze said again in the same monotone. “As in have one. You stink.”

“And you’re an arse,” James snapped but headed for the bathroom anyway, dropping the food off in the kitchen on the way.

He didn’t need the alien to tell him he stunk, he knew he did. That’s what happened when you were locked up for weeks. As he opened the bathroom door he heard Maze sigh heavily from the other side of the room. It was going to be a long wait.