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Why couldn’t I be Bonded tothistriad?

These three are so noble – so strong and powerful, yet without any of the bad qualities of other Aurelians.

However, I guess life would be too easy if that were so.

I can hear Sawoot’s snores through the door to her room. Garrick and his triad must be able to hear them too. She’s never admitted she snores, and she’s slapped a couple of guys who insisted she sounds like a ship’s engine when she sleeps, but I know the truth.

I knock on the door three times before it opens.

Sawoot is bleary-eyed and completely naked in bed. The doors close behind me as I step inside.

“What time is it?” Sawoot yawns. I can’t believe she’s so relaxed – especially when we’re going to have the escape of our lives tonight. My own sleep was fitful, and my dreams were filled with the bodies of the three men who torment my fevered mind.

Sawoot yawns, stretching, and then her eyes widen. She starts laughing. “Whatare you wearing?”

“Captain Aelon has a sense of humor – but you’d better stop laughing, unless you want to get back into your sweaty clothes from yesterday. I’ve got a couple dresses for you to choose from.”

I throw the bag of clothes towards her. Sawoot opens the bag eagerly, picking out a blue dress that is just as sheer as mine. “Oooh. This is going to lookgoodon me.”

“Really? You go from making fun of me, to wanting to wear something similar?”

She shrugs. “Thesearenice dresses. I just know you feel like a fraud wearing them, so I had to tease you.” Then, she looks up. “Aelon might be annoyed you’re giving me one.”

“Well, Aelon can choke on that when we’re safely away from him.”

Even though she’s the same size as me, Sawoot looks so much better in the dress than I do. She was always made to wear fancy things.

As she examines herself in the mirror, Sawoot warns me: “A guy doesn’t just give you dresses for nothing. So, you slept with him last night, didn’t you?”

I want to throw up. I can’t meet her eyes.

“I’m… I’mBondedto them.”

She gasps, spinning around. “You lucky bitch!”

“Sawoot!”

“Sorry! Sorry, I just…Wow!” She steps over, grabbing my hands. “You’re going to live thousands of years, Tasha! Oh, my God, that’s… What does it feel like? I can’t even imagine.”

Tears fill my eyes, and Sawoot suddenly realizes she’s said the wrong thing.

“It means I can never love, Sawoot,” I sniff. “How could I? How could I watch the man I love grow old and die? My children? My grandchildren?”

Sawoot cringes. “Shit – I never considered that. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

I shake my head, forcing out the bleak thoughts. They’re just distractions, after all.

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change anything tonight. The plan is still on.”

“You’re strong enough to be able to leave when Bonded?” Sawoot’s eyes narrow. “Shit, maybe I’m Bonded to Garrick.” Then, she shakes her head. “No, that would be too much to hope for.”

I snort. “I wish I was. He’s a good guy. Not like…mytriad.”

“Yourtriad? If you think of them that way, it’s going to be even harder to leave them behind.” Sawoot steps closer. “So, what’s it like? Being Bonded? I’ve always wondered.”

I sit down at the foot of the bed, then jump back up. My bottom still doesn’t liking sitting yet.

“That’s the other thing. I canfeelthem in my mind. It’s like they have apresencein there. I can feel all three of them. I’ve never felt suchangerbefore.”