Page 49 of The Alien in the Archive (Galactic Librarians #1)

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T he walk back to the cottage feels like wading through water, heavy and slow. I don’t remember unlocking the door, but I must have…

…because now I’m standing in the entryway, staring at the empty couch.

It’s too quiet here without him.

Ashlan chirps from the armrest, hopping down and padding to me. He winds around my ankles, nudging my leg with his head.

I drop my bag and sink to the floor, pulling him into my lap.

The tears I’ve been holding back all day spill over, silent and relentless.

The bond is silent—just gone —like someone ripped half of me away. I keep reaching for it instinctively, for him, but there’s nothing there except empty air.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper into Ashlan’s fur, my voice hoarse. “I’m so sorry.”

The knock on the door doesn’t startle me. I’ve been numb for hours, but it’s enough to make me look up .

I don’t move. Whoever it is, they can go away.

The knock comes again—louder this time. “Page,” Riley’s voice calls out. “I know you’re in there, so open up before I knock the damn door down.”

I let out a shaky breath, wiping my face with the sleeve of my sweater as I stand. My hands fumble with the lock, and when I pull the door open, Riley steps in immediately, eyes scanning me like I might break at any second.

Behind him, Thalara stands with a satchel slung over her shoulder. She doesn’t say anything, but her gaze softens as she takes me in. I know what I must look like—tear-streaked, exhausted, hollowed out. I don’t care.

Riley is the first to speak. “Yeah, okay, this is what I thought,” he mutters. “We’re staying.”

“You don’t need to?—”

“Yes, we do,” Thalara cuts in, her voice gentle but firm. She steps inside, closing the door behind her with deliberate care. “Page, we heard what happened.”

“Everyone heard what happened,” Riley adds, a little softer now. He shrugs out of his jacket and tosses it over a chair. “The entire city’s talking about it.”

I don’t know why that surprises me. Thorne being dragged out in cuffs, me being marched out behind him; it was never going to stay quiet.

Riley watches me for a second, then sighs. “Where’s your food? I’m cooking.”

I blink at him. “What?”

He points toward the kitchen. “Food. Do you have any?”

“I…Riley, I don’t need?—”

“You’re grieving, Page,” Thalara says softly. She comes closer, her voice low and calm. “You’re allowed to grieve. But you don’t need to do it alone.”

Ashlan chirps again, winding his way toward Thalara with the regal confidence of someone who knows he’ll be adored. Riley’s already crouching down with an excited, “Hey, little guy!” as Ashlan brushes against his shins, purring like he’s been reunited with an old friend.

Thalara pauses mid-step, staring at Ashlan with a kind of reverent awe. Her eyes go wide, her satchel slipping from her shoulder to land on the floor with a muffled thud . “Is that… a lumivix ?” she breathes.

Ashlan chirps again, clearly pleased by the attention, and trots over to nuzzle her boot. Thalara crouches to meet him, one hand hovering just above his head like she’s afraid to touch him.

“You can pet him,” I say, a little amused. “He loves the attention.”

She blinks up at me, as if I’ve given her permission to touch a god. “I haven’t seen one since I was a child,” she murmurs, finally scratching just behind Ashlan’s ears. He rewards her with a deep, rumbling purr, pressing into her hand. “They’re so rare. How— where did you find him?”

I hesitate, glancing at Riley, who’s grinning ear to ear as he scratches Ashlan’s back like they’re old pals. “It’s a long story,” I say. “He found Thorne, actually.”

Thalara’s face softens. “Of course he did.” She strokes Ashlan again, this time under his chin, and her voice shifts to Merati—soft and melodic, like she’s murmuring a lullaby. Ashlan tilts his head, clearly enchanted, and I could swear his purring gets louder.

“What are you saying to him?” I ask.

“Just telling him how extraordinary he is,” Thalara replies, still in awe. “And how lucky you are to have him.”

“ We’re lucky,” Riley corrects, grinning as he ruffles Ashlan’s fur. “He’s the perfect little mood booster.”

Thalara stands, gently cradling Ashlan in her arms like he’s some ancient artifact, and looks back at me with an expression that’s somewhere between wonder and warmth. “ I can see why Thorne wouldn’t leave him behind,” she says softly. “He’s special.”

Ashlan chirps again, practically glowing under the attention, and settles into her arms like he’s chosen a new favorite. Thalara laughs under her breath, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Page, but I might be stealing him.”

“Join the club,” Riley says, standing up with a stretch. “He’s got fans everywhere.”

“I’m not joking,” she mutters, still cuddling Ashlan as she heads for the couch. The little lumivix nuzzles under her chin, and I can’t tell who’s happier about the situation—Thalara or him.

I watch them for a moment, some of the tension in my chest loosening despite everything. Thorne might not be here, but Ashlan is, and apparently he’s made himself an emotional support animal for everyone involved.

I can work with that.

She finally gets done petting Ashlan—which, surprisingly, was a welcome reprieve from the morning’s drama—and goes back to her bag.

“I brought research,” she says, lifting the satchel. “Anything I could find about Borean-Merati relations, dissenters, historical records. If we’re going to get Thorne back, we need to make our case now.”

My chest tightens. “Thalara…”

She holds up a hand. “We’ll talk about it in a minute. Sit down first.”

I don’t argue. There’s no point. Riley’s already rifling through my cupboards, muttering under his breath about my “tragically empty pantry,” and Thalara starts pulling books and papers out of her bag.

I sink onto the couch, and Ashlan hops up beside me, curling into my lap. Thalara joins me a moment later, setting a thick book on the coffee table. She hesitates before she speaks.

“I don’t want to push,” she says carefully. “But…can you tell me how this started? How you and Thorne…found each other?”

Her voice isn’t prying. She’s not asking to satisfy her curiosity—she’s asking because she knows it’s part of what we’re fighting for.

I stare down at Ashlan, stroking his fur. “I found him in the Obscuary. He left me a trail of books to follow. Or…maybe I made it myself? We’re really not sure how it happened.”

Thalara’s lips curve faintly. “A trail of books…of course..”

“I didn’t even know what I was looking for,” I continue, the words coming slowly. “I just…found him. And once I did, it was like…I don’t know how to explain it. Like I’d been waiting for him. Like we’d been waiting.”

There’s no pity in her eyes, just understanding. “It sounds like fate,” she says softly.

“Yeah,” I murmur. “It was.”

Riley clatters something in the kitchen, breaking the moment. “Okay, so you’re out of everything useful,” he announces, poking his head into the living room. “But I found pasta and some frozen vegetables, and we’re gonna call it dinner. You’re eating.”

“Riley—”

“Nope,” he says. “Not negotiable. You need food if you’re going to fight for your boyfriend tomorrow.”

I don’t bother arguing.

Thalara watches me closely, her tone even softer now. “You’re strong, Page. You’ve already done more than most people would. But we’re here now, and we’re not going to let you fight alone. ”

The knot in my chest loosens, just slightly. I nod, though I don’t trust myself to speak.

Riley comes back into the room, a wooden spoon in hand like it’s a weapon. “Pasta’s cooking, soup’s simmering,” he says, flopping into the armchair. “Thalara, are you telling Page how much we all love her, or am I supposed to do that?”

Thalara shoots him a look but smiles faintly. “I’m handling it.”

He shrugs, unbothered. “Good. Because I’m really bad at pep talks.”

Ashlan purrs louder as Thalara opens another book, spreading the pages out across the table. She flips to a chapter on Borean dissenters and taps a passage with her finger.

“This is where we start,” she says. “It’s not a lot, but it’s something. We’re going to piece this together, Page.”

For the first time all day, I believe her.

Riley leans back, propping his feet on the coffee table. “And you’re going to eat my terrible soup while we do it,” he adds.

I roll my eyes, but there’s a faint smile tugging at my lips. Ashlan stretches in my lap, content.

The bond is still quiet, but I’m not alone.

Not anymore.