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assessing look. “You should probably know that according to recent polls, Commander Gendovi is fast becoming a fan favorite on the Bride Games. Vos is looking for footage that will encourage that impression of him.”

And thereby improve the Bride Games’ ratings. Right.

“So you’re suggesting that I should play up to Eldron if I want to make Vos less suspicious of me?” Could it be that even without knowing what I wanted, Thorvid was on my side?

Yes. The Poltien really was trying to help me, I decided—not as in help me land a husband, but as in help me obtain what it was that I most wanted.

No matter what that might be.

I had to blink back tears. It had been so long since anyone but Becca had truly cared about me. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a friend.

“That is exactly what I mean. Whatever you are planning, you need to be prepared for a variety of outcomes.”

That was certainly true. I’d learned not to plan too far ahead as I had gone on the run from Frank. Get everything in order and be prepared to take whatever opportunity presented itself.

“I’ve grown to like you,” Thorvid said. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but the Poltien continued speaking. “That said, Commander Gendovi is a good Khanavai male. Whatever it is that you’re afraid of, I feel certain he can help. I strongly encourage you to tell him whatever it is that’s bothering you. The Khanavai protect their mates. He will make sure that nothing ever harms you.”

Oh, God. Part of me longed to do exactly that—go straight to the commander and tell him about Frank, about Josiah, and beg him to save us.

Don’t be foolish, I admonished myself. You can’t afford to be weak. You cannot risk your life or Josiah’s in that way.

“Thank you,” I said to Thorvid, not committing to anything. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll shower now.”

With a long, final look at me, the Poltien exited the lav.

My handler had at least one thing right. I wasn’t going to be figuring out how to get off the station by hiding in my room.

I might as well get dressed.

As I stepped into the shower, I decided to take at least part of Thorvid’s advice.

I would go on a date with Commander Eldron Gendovi. I would play it up for the vidglobes that were sure to be floating around us, filming our every move.

But I would also be using that time to watch for some way out of my predicament. Preferably some way that I could arrange myself. One that didn’t rely on anyone else.

There were parts of South America that were still remote by Earth standards. If I could get back to Earth, maybe Josiah and I could disappear there.

I knew, though, as I moved into my room and prepared to allow Thorvid to help me dress, that spending more time with Eldron was going to cause at least one problem.

The longer I was around him, the more I liked him.

Being around him made me feel safe and comfortable—and that was dangerous.

Falling in love with him would be the stupidest thing I could possibly do.

I just didn’t know if I could keep myself from it.

But it didn’t matter how I felt about the gorgeous, muscular red alien.

As soon as I could, I was getting out of here.

Chapter Twelve

Eldron

“The Alveron Horde is tracking Amelia Rivers on Earth.”

I spun around from where I’d been examining the latest readouts. “How did they get past our scans?”

Lieutenant Drais, Wex’s replacement, gave me a sheepish glance. “We weren’t scanning that part of the sky—we have been focusing all our attention on the quarter that you directed us to scan.”

Simply because we focused on one area didn’t mean we should ignore the others. I had to fight back an urge to reprimand Drais.

“We need to scramble help to them,” I ordered. “Send down two squadrons for direct combat. And while you’re at it, put together enough of a force to create a scanning net around Earth. We are going to need to protect our bride-source planet more carefully from now on, I believe.”

“Yes, sir.” The lieutenant spun around and began snapping out orders.

I paced back and forth in the command center.

There was something more to this strange move on the Horde’s part. I knew, somehow, that this was connected to the creeping feeling I’d been having that the Alveron Horde was planning something.

Why would they go after one person on Earth?

She was one of our brides—and the Horde had poisoned our DNA so that we could no longer breed with our own kind. Maybe they wanted to keep us from mating with humans, too. But that wasn’t all that was going on here. I was certain of it.

And speaking of brides, Mia and I were supposed to meet for our first date. I checked my com, relieved to find I still had time before I was supposed to meet her for dinner in the station’s common area.

“Our forces have been deployed,” Drais reported sometime later. “There is nothing more to be done here at the moment.” He shot a glance at me out of the corner of his eye.

Looks like everyone on board the station knows I’m supposed to have a date.

Not surprising, I supposed. I had not intended to find a mate on this trip—but I also had not realized how intrusive it would be to have every move of my courtship broadcast to the entire galaxy.

I had tried to convince Vos to cancel our participation in the games altogether, saying, “Surely the bride hunt on Earth will give you enough material for this year.”

But the Games Director had refused, even after General Clovad had given him a call. “These are the most-watched Bride Games of all time,” Vos declared. “Your participation will only enhance those numbers.”

“Keep me apprised of any news,” I now ordered Drais as I prepared to leave