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I have no reason to lie about what my intentions were.“I was going to find a way to go back to Earth.”

He pins me with a dark look.“How?”

I take a seat on the opposite bench so that my breasts are submerged under the water.Being naked makes me feel more vulnerable, especially while having this conversation.

“At first, I just flew.I have no idea for how long or how far Betty and I went, but eventually, I recognized the lake where you intervened when the Phaelix had taken me.Then I saw smoke and followed it to a Phaelix settlement.I reckoned as they’d brought me to Zerra, they’d be able to take me back to Earth.But then I saw the human slaves.”

“Let me guess.”His voice is devoid of emotion, but I can feel his anger.“You decided to free them.”

“I couldn’t just leave them.”

He inhales with flaring nostrils, taking a moment before continuing.“What happened then?”

“I brought in the prawns that chopped the Phaelix into small pieces.”I shudder at the memory.“And then the Phaelix descended from the trees and caught me unawares.Next thing I knew, I woke up in a prison cell.The following morning, they took us to the slave market, and then you arrived on the scene.”

He leans over and grips my chin between a thumb and a forefinger.“Taking the Phaelix on alone was an unwise and dangerous thing to do.”

“I handled it, didn’t I?”At the look of calculation that comes over his face, I add, “Although I admit I shouldn’t have been so quick to lower my guard.”

“You’re never to take such a risk again.”His gaze drills into mine.“Do you have any idea what could’ve happened to you?”

I want to argue, but I remember the last thought that went through my mind at the slave market only too well.When I realized I’d been sold, all I wanted was to be back here in the safety of Aruan’s arms.More than that, I missed Aruan.I just didn’t want to admit that to myself at the time.

“Did I make myself clear?”he asks, his eyes tightening in the corners.

I promised not to resist his advances and to do my best to please him in bed, which I did just a few minutes ago.Although, honestly, I was doing that more for my own pleasure than for his, seeing that my knees go weak whenever his clothes come off, and I can’t seem to help myself.I even promised that I’d stay where Aruan believes I belong—in his bed.But I never said I wouldn’t try to escape again, and I’m not going to lie to him.For some reason, I can’t bring myself to do that.The thought of deceiving him hurts me.My stupid weakness for this man won’t allow me to do anything that will cause him concern or pain.Which is really inconvenient because escaping will do just that.

Shit, I’m so fucked.

He loosens his grip on my chin and traces my jaw with his thumb.“Why are you running so hard from a destiny neither of us can change?”

“I was angry,” I admit.“I felt cheated, as if I didn’t have a choice because of the damn mating heat.”

Letting me go, he gives me a strangely sympathetic look.“We don’t have a choice.Nature decided for us.How we deal with it is up to us.I told you already, you don’t have to make this difficult for yourself.”

“I didn’t like the way you treated me.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“But you’re still disappointed.”

“Not in you or in our physical bonding.”

The tightness in my chest gives a little.So he didn’t hate the sex.In that case… “You really want our bond to be complete, don’t you?”

He doesn’t reply, which makes me realize something.

“You think it’s my fault,” I say, watching him intently.

“I don’t know why our mating is unsuccessful.To the best of my knowledge, a similar case doesn’t exist.”His expression turns blank.“It doesn’t matter.Nothing will change the fact that we’re mates.”

But it does matter.It matters to him.He can’t hide that from me, regardless of how hard he’s trying.

He stands and holds out his hand.“We’d better go see how your friends are doing.”

Ashamed that I didn’t give them even a fleeting thought while my brain was drugged with lust, I put my hand in his and let him pull me to my feet.He leads me to a bench where bath sheets and clothes are put out and uses one of the sheets to pat me dry.I wonder why he doesn’t just use an evaporation trick.I suspect it’s just an excuse to touch me, but I’m not complaining.His broad, warm palms on my body are soothing, and the subtle vibration of his power that’s like a static hum in the air calms me.

When we’ve dressed—I in a pale-yellow gown with matching slippers and Aruan in a white tunic with black pants—he guides me to the room adjoining to his bedroom.