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I walk to Brennan, squeezing his shoulder.

“Thank you. Thank you for convincing my father.”

Lazar laughs. “You’re the one who did it, Ms. You’ll-Be-the-Patriarch-of-a-Dynasty. You played your father like a violin.” He laughs. “Gods,Iwas used to being the smart one in this triad.”

Otho booms in laughter, filling the Reaver with the comforting sound of his mirth.

“AndIwas used to being the pretty one,” he scoffs, rubbing the scar across his head.

I step up on my tippy toes to kiss Otho’s scar.

“You’ll always be the pretty one.” Then, I turn to the hallway. “Now, I’m going to go to the bedroom to relax while you guys take me…”

The words ‘take me’ linger like an invitation in the air.

“…wherever you’re going to take me.”

I walk into the bedroom of the Reaver, which is small. This isn’t a barebones attack ship, but it’s not a pleasure cruiser, either – and it’s not used to housing more than a single triad of Aurelians and maybe a few prisoners.

I stare out through the viewport – gazing out across endless, empty space.

While these quarters may be cramped for an Aurelian, they’re immense for somebody like me – of human proportions. I flop out onto the big, Aurelian-sized bed and instantly fall asleep.

After a few hours, I awaken to see a huge, white space station approaching in the viewport. I have no idea what it is, or where we are.

We eventually dock at the mysterious station, and Otho comes to the door to collect me.

“We’re here,” he says, offering me a sly grin.

“And where exactly ishere?”

He laughs and steps into the room, throwing me playfully over his shoulder. I giggle as he lifts me up so effortlessly – carrying me out of the Reaver and into the private docking bay of what appears to be one of the luxurious lodgings on this enormous, gleaming space station.

Otho carries me through a set of huge, sliding doors into a massive hotel room – one that’s even bigger than their penthouse on Marn.

Brennan winks at me. “They unfroze our accounts – we can live like civilized creatures again.”

Immensely wealthy creatures, I think. This hotel suite is beyond the means of all but those as wealthy as my father is set to become.

Otho sets me down on the bed.

“It’s beautiful in here,” I grin.

He laughs. “You haven’t seen anything – yet.”

Suddenly, the Orb-Ring on my finger blinks. My heart pounds. The time-lock is finally lifted.

But, if I take this ring off, these men won’t be joking and laughing with me any longer. They’ve so far held back their mating rage – but they won’t be able to hold it back when the Bond sets in.

I remember the cruelty lurking in Brennan’s mind – am I ready for that? Forthis?

Nevertheless, I press the little button on the Orb-Ring, and mercifully pull it off – throwing it across the hotel suite with disgust.

Instantly, the three auras of my Bonded triad flood my mind.

There’s no more laughter or jokes – no more light-hearted quips. The three men instantly change as they feel my aura within their minds again - and I change just as instantly as I feel theirs.

They flood me with their aura – their masculinity and power. Meanwhile, the influence of the Bond – which had been dormant for only days – suddenly comes back with a vengeance.