The Alien's Captive by Ruth Anne Scott Page A

to hold Menlo for ransom.”
    Penelope Ann pulled her hand away. “I don’t know. I should tell Aquilla about this. I shouldn’t keep this a secret from him.”
    Anna leaned forward, but she dared not touch Penelope Ann again. “At least wait a few more days before you tell him. Give me a chance to figure out what to do about Menlo.”
    “You don’t have to do anything about Menlo,” Penelope Ann replied. “Aquilla will handle him.”
    Anna stood up and faced the woman she once considered a friend. “Don’t tell him. Search your heart. You know he’s out of his mind, and helping Menlo is the right thing to do.”
    Penelope Ann shook her head one last time and turned away. “I don’t know.” She walked across the room and vanished into her bedroom.

Chapter 8
    Anna sat on the couch and listened. The sounds of the village died away into the dark. Aquilla’s voice answering Penelope Ann in the next room faded and died, too. Was Penelope Ann in there right now, telling Aquilla that Anna brought Menlo those skidhopper eggs to eat?
    How much longer did she have before Aquilla barged out of the room to confront her? The light changed from golden to green to royal blue, and the brilliant yellow Angondran aurora lit up the sky. Then the soft buzz of Aquilla’s snoring reverberated through the wall. He wasn’t coming to confront her any time soon. Penelope Ann must have kept the eggs secret.
    Anna let out a long breath, but she couldn’t relax. She paced around the room, but she only wound up pacing toward the store room. Was Menlo asleep? She paced around again and stopped by the door again. What harm could it do if she just looked in to check on him? Then she had an idea. She stuffed a box from under the counter into her pocket, took up the lamp in one hand, and ducked out the door.
    She lifted the bar off the store room door as quietly as she could. Lamplight flooded the store room, and Menlo squinted up into it. “It’s only me. It’s Anna.”
    He slumped back on the floor. His composure vanished from his face, and the despair he hid so well in front of Aquilla darkened his eye. “I’m not hungry.”
    Anna’s heart melted. She shut the door behind her and thanked heaven the store room had no windows. She set the lamp on the floor and sat down in front of Menlo. “I didn’t bring you any more food. I don’t know when I’ll be able to find any more, but I’ll keep looking. But I brought you something else.”
    He didn’t look up. “Is it a weapon of some kind?”
    She smiled. “I’m afraid not.”
    “Then it’s no good to me,” he grumbled. “You better go back inside and go to bed.”
    She pulled the box out of her pocket. “You might find this useful. It’s a medicinal salve. It will kill the pain in your wounds so you can get some sleep.”
    He turned away. “I won’t be able to sleep with my hands tied like this.”
    Anna set the box down. “Come here and I’ll untie you.”
    “Don’t bother,” he snapped. “You’ll only have to tie me up again before you leave, and I’ll be in the same predicament as before. Why don’t you leave me alone? I can handle this by myself.”
    She sighed. “Come on, Menlo. Let me help you. I’ll untie you now, and you can rest your hands until I leave. The salve will make you feel better, and if you like, I can stay while you get some sleep.”
    He grunted and turned away.
    She studied him. “You’re exhausted. That’s why your patience is wearing thin.”
    She got up on her knees and untied him. Then she opened the box. He jerked his head away when she tried to rub the salve on his forehead, but she persisted until he gave up and let her do it.
    “There.” She sat down and scraped the remaining salve off her finger. “Doesn’t that feel better?”
    He stole a glance at her. “You’re right. It kills the pain.”
    She burst into a smile. “What about your wrists? Would you like to rub some on them?”
    He hesitated. Then he held out his