Page 93 of War

War closes his eyes and moves a hand over mine, pinning my palm to his chest.

“It’s a good offer.” The horseman opens his eyes. “I’m as tempted as I’ll ever be—”

I feel my hope expanding …

“—but no, Miriam, I will not agree to this.”

… then plummeting.

My cheeks flush at the rejection.

I was a fool to think I could persuade him so easily. Or to think that my body has that high of a price tag on it. And then there’s also the petty humiliation I feel. It was debasing enough to offer up myservices—but to then have them turned down anyway?

All at once I’m angry—mostly at myself, but at War as well.

I begin to pull my hand away, but he holds it prisoner.

“So quick to leave?” he says.

I openly glare at the horseman, and the look causes him to laugh menacingly.

“Yes, hate me, savage woman; your anger makes you come alive.”

He still has my hand pinned.

“This is where we bargain,” he says.

“This is non-negotiable,” I say. “You can take my offer or leave it and let me go.”

War ignores my words. “What if we camped a little longer between cities?” he says. “I could buy your people some extra time.”

A few days? If I’m going to screw this horseman when and how he asks for it, I want to be buying years—decades even—of someone’s life. Notdays.

“That’s not good enough.”

He flashes me a cruel smile. “You’re quick to jump from trades to demands.”

“And you’re quick to shoot them down,” I snap.

The horseman releases my hand, but only so he can run his thumb across my lower lip.

The warlord leans in. “You will give yourself to me anyway. You are marked for me, my war prize.”

Now it’s my turn to give him a cruel smile. “Maybe,” I say. “Maybe you’ll get me, maybe you won’t. But it won’t be tonight—and it could’ve been.”

War’s eyes seem to darken.

Oh, touched on something he wanted now, didn’t I?

Too bad.

I turn and head for the door.

I’m nearly to the tent flaps when he says, “The aviaries.”

My brows furrow, and I glance over my shoulder at him. “What?”

He takes a step forward. “I won’t burn the aviaries.”

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