about this.” One Match was bad enough. He didn’t want to think of the stress that two would bring. Maybe he should have lied to get her to go away, but he wouldn’t be a coward.
She made a frustrated sound from deep in her throat, and the emotion behind it caused something to stir within him. From what he’d seen of her, she didn’t let her emotions show, didn’t like to give anything away. Was she showing him her reactions because she felt safe? Or did he bring them out for another reason?
Her fingers curled around the edge of her seat, as if she was holding tight to keep from pressing up and pacing. “I’m not proposing marriage,” she insisted. “I want to do something, and fighting, protecting people is what I’m good at. If we’re Matched, I can do that.” Her deep brown eyes implored him to see her side of this. And Solan could. He sympathized. It must have been difficult to end up so far from home, with few friends, and nothing to do. But he wasn’t going to be some rash decision she regretted because she was desperate.
“You don’t need to be Matched to fight.” There were a dozen ways to enter the military or the civilian defense forces. If he put in a bit of effort he could probably get her the contacts she needed, and no one would have to know about a potential bond.
Simple.
“Maybe you don’t, but opportunities for us haven’t exactly been plentiful.” Her words countered his offer before he could make it. “They’re treating us like victims. I’m fine. No serious trauma, none of that. And whatever issues I have will be resolved by kicking serious Apsyn ass.” Now those eyes of hers had a fire deep within, and the Apsyns were lucky she was far away. He’d seen her fight and he didn’t want to be her enemy.
“I’m not saying yes.” He couldn’t look directly at her as he said it, and still he saw her deflate. How had this become his fault? His anger tried to bubble to the surface. First his mother was insisting he find a Match or a spouse, now Lena was here telling him they were compatible. He wasn’t ready for it. He didn’t want it.
He had a life of his own to live.
“But I’m not saying no,” he found himself adding. He didn’t know he was going to say it until the words came out, but there they were, and now that he’d said them he couldn’t take them back.
He was being an ass. Ten asses. Thinking he couldn’t Match with Lena because she was human? He wasn’t an Apsyn, and he knew Oz would end their friendship on the spot if he spouted off like that. And Solan would deserve it. The stress of life and his responsibilities on Aorsa were getting to him, but he couldn’t use it as an excuse.
“Let’s get to know each other first.” He wasn’t ready to bond after only a single meeting. He wanted a better idea of what he could expect from Lena, and she deserved to see what she would get from him. “Let me escort you to Oz’s bonding ceremony so we can spend some time together. And we’ll train. I can’t jump into this. And there are things about me that may make you...”
Lena glanced around the atrium. “Rich families always have their issues. All families, I guess, but you all think you’re more special.” Her expression told him she harbored no kind thoughts for the wealthy.
Solan couldn’t blame her. He had his own complaints. “If this doesn’t work out, I’ll do my best to find you work.” Even if he had to bribe the correct officials to make it happen.
“It’s going to work,” and the gleam in her eyes was enough to make Solan nervous, not that he showed it. “I’ll see you at the ceremony.” She stood and left, not ever pausing to look back. Solan watched her go, his eyes taking in her retreating form from head to foot.
He was in danger.
But he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
CHAPTER FIVE
OZ’S FINGERS TRAILED down the open space on his arm. Solan’s own tattoos tingled in response. It was Synnr custom to share a mark with a Match, and after today, Oz and Emily would wear their devotion on their skin. Apparently there had been a bit of resistance from Emily at first, but she was on another part of the