Korrev glared at her. "Do you want a spanking?"
"No," she mumbled as she looked at her lap. "But I would like to know things. I don't like being kept in the dark, Korrev. Just tell me what's going to happen after I'm fully healed?"
For a second, he did not speak, which only made her more nervous. Maybe he was planning on dumping her somewhere else because she was so disobedient.
"It's up to you," he simply said.
"What? What does that mean?"
"Did you hear me when you were asleep? Before you awoke completely?"
"Obviously not," she answered tensely.
Korrev almost smiled. "I promised you if you woke up, which you did, I would give you your freedom."
Karin blinked at him, waiting for the punchline, obviously not believing him. Why would this tyrant give her freedom, just like that, after making her life difficult for months? He kept her as his pet, looked for her for months, then suddenly, he would just let her go?
"You seem surprised, Pet. I thought you would be jumping for joy." He didn't sound amused. In fact, he sounded almost a bit sad.
"I just never thought you would give me my freedom. You said I would be your pet always. You're not someone who changes your mind."
"That was before your desperation caused you to be foolish, Karin. You nearly died. I will not have you risking your life because you want to leave." He grimaced. "I would rather let you leave on your own, than be the one responsible for your death."
Karin didn't say anything. She just stared at her lap. This was what she had been wanting all along. Then, why wasn't she happy?
"What's wrong, Pet?" he asked with a wry smile. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"Don't be silly. I've been wanting to leave." Karin couldn't hide the crack in her voice. "How would you do it? Would you just plop me back on Earth?"
"Not exactly. We would have to erase your memories before we do."
Erase her memories? "Why?"
Korrev gave her a wry smile. "We can't have you exposing our secrets to the humans. Not that they would believe you. Believe me, it's quite painless. We'll drop you off on Earth. It would be like waking up after a bad dream."
A bad dream?
If they had asked her at the very beginning of her abduction, she would have described the entire ordeal as a very bad dream. However, now, she wasn't so sure.
She should jump at the chance at being free, but strangely, she was having second thoughts. If her memory was erased, she would forget about her time in Krotev. About Alice, Kyvan, and Azis. She would even forget about Korrev.
She would forget about the blond king who was sometimes sweet and other times harsh. Who would sometimes stroke her hair until she fell asleep. Who would punish her if she was bratty and who would praise her when she behaved well.
The answer was obvious. She should return home to the life she once led. A life where she was a successful lawyer, living in her glamorous penthouse in New York. But then she remembered her life back then. Had she been happy? The answer was no. She had been overworked and spent more time at work than at home. She had also been lonely. Karin couldn't remember the last time she had a friend or been somewhere not work related.
Life in Krotev was far from perfect, but at least she had formed somewhat of a family here. She and Alice were friends.She got along with Kyvan and Azis. And Korrev? Korrev was complicated.
She did not hate him as much as she had when he had first made her his pet. In fact, dare she say she had even grown attached to him? When Karin had been stranded, he had taken over her thoughts. Her desires. To the point that, at night when she had been alone, Korrev had consumed her every thought.
Once or twice, she had admitted to herself she would do anything to see him again. When she had woken up and found him staring at her, she had thought it was a dream, not a nightmare. The first word that had come to her mind had been joy. Joy, because she had been reunited with Korrev.
Now, he was giving her her freedom. Suddenly, she didn't want it.
As if sensing her turmoil, he chuckled. "Are you having second thoughts, Pet? Perhaps you are a glutton for punishment."
Karin didn't laugh. "I wouldn't remember anyone? Not even you?"
"Correct." Korrev gave her a wry smile. "It would be as if you and I had never existed together. That is what you wanted, didn't you?"