“Are you legally married at this time?”
“No.”
“Children? Biological or legal?”
“No.”
“Do you accept the match of the Interstellar Brides Program? Do you agree that you have been matched to an Atlan, have the thirty days to agree to the computer’s mate selection or be claimed by him? Do you understand that you will not be returning to Earth?”
“Yes,” I replied, for the first time with not much enthusiasm.
Warden Egara nodded, then stood. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”
“You haven’t gone back. Is it because you know something I don’t?” I asked warily.
She came over to me, swiped her tablet until I heard a whirring in the wall behind me. I angled my head to see the wall had opened and a blue glow was coming from within.
“Yes,” she said.
I looked up at her.
“I know how true love feels. What it can be between mates. Hopefully, you will find what I lost.”
“But…”
The chair silently slid backward into the wall and lowered into a warm pool of water. Clearly, Warden Egara was done speaking on that topic.
“Now? I’m not ready!” I wasn’t. I needed more time. This wasn’t part of the plan. I was leaving. Right now?
She didn’t even look at me. “Your processing will begin in three…two…one.”