Page 30 of Bound to the Marak

She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I was going to die.”

“You didn’t.”

“You should’ve told me.”

“I should have.”

That surprised her. He saw it in the way her mouth twitched, the brief widening of her eyes.

“I did not know your name,” he said. “That was… careless.”

She lifted her chin. “You think?”

The sharpness in her tone cut through the room like a blade. He accepted it.

“I know it now,” he said again. “Leonie.”

He moved closer—not much, just enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

“I do not want you to be afraid of me.”

She gave a bitter breath. Not quite a laugh. “That’s not really your call to make.”

Karian tilted his head. Considered her words.

“No,” he said. “It is not.”

Her gaze lingered on his face—still wide, still tense. But no longer unreadable. Her fear hadn’t gone. But now, it was mingled with curiosity. Fascination.

She was studying him.

He reached out, slowly. Not to touch her. Just to show hecould, and that hewould not. His hand hovered, then lowered again.

“I protected you the only way I knew,” he said. “Majarin ships do not fall. But war is never certain. And if anything had happened to you...”

He stopped.

He didn’t finish the sentence.

She watched him in silence. Her body relaxed—only slightly—but he noticed it. She rubbed her wrist, still sore from the restraints.

“Why?” she asked. “Why go to all this trouble for a human?”

His voice dropped. “Because you are rare. Because you didn’t break. Because you are not afraid to look at me.”

He leaned in slightly, letting her see the subtle movement of his breath. Letting her feel the raw honesty in what came next.

“Because you stir something in me I do not understand.”

Silence stretched again—but it was no longer hostile.

She looked down, then back up.

“I’m still angry,” she said.

“I do not expect you to forgive me,” he said. “Only to keep speaking.”

He stepped back.

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