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“Iwanted to trust you.”

His gaze softened a little. “Me too, Lannahi. I also wanted to trust you. But every now and then you surprise me. I’m never sure what to expect from you. You appeared in my way like a lightning bolt in the sky, but I still don’t know whether you are going to light up my life or burn me into ash.”

For some reason, her throat tightened. “Taking Goldfrost was the only time I attacked first. You know this. I don’t want a war. Neither does my father. I told you.”

Ashared was silent, searching for the truth in her eyes. “And me?” he asked quietly. “What do youwantfrom me?”

Lannahi looked away, suddenly embarrassed. The last time she’d spoken to a man about her desires, she was mocked and cursed.

“And what can you give me?” she asked, still not meeting his eyes.

Ashared chuckled softly. “A reasonable question,” he said. “Though I didn’t necessarily want to hear it.”

When he said nothing more, she looked at him, unsure how to interpret his behavior.

This time it was he who looked away. He released his hold on her arm. “I don’t have much, Lannahi. I will give you my loyalty if you give me yours. I would also give you my love, but it won’t be as useful to you as Sezar’s influence… or Amaruk’s warriors.”

Ashared was always so sure of himself and his words and his sudden hesitation surprised her. Then she noticed the sweat on his forehead and the rigidness of his body, and from the chaos in her head emerged one thought.

“You need to rest,” she said, leaping to her feet.

A bleak smile flashed across Ashared’s face before it fell and disappeared behind a blank mask. “I will.”

When she realized that he took her reaction as rejection, she cupped his face with her hands. “I want your body, mind, and soul,” she said in a commanding tone, “so be kind to take good care of them for me. After you rest, we will exchange loyalty oaths.”

For a moment, Ashared looked as if he didn’t understand her words. Then hope awoke in him. Then his gaze rested on her lips and anger reappeared in his eyes. “You’ve broken a promise you made to me once. How can I be sure you will keep another?”

Lannahi was speechless. How did he dare reproach her after she’d accepted his confession?

Then she was embarrassed. He was right. She’d broken her promise.

“After what I overheard in the Black Arena, I thought…” She broke off, feeling the warmth on her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I…”

“You were angry?” Ashared suggested. “At me?”

When she nodded again, a satisfied smile curved on his lips. “That’s what I thought.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “When you kissed Amaruk, did you think of me?”

“Yes.”

“Kiss me,” he ordered. “Like you kissed him.”

“You need to rest.”

“Later.”

His impatience brought back the memory of her own irritation. She slid her fingers into his hair and kissed him firmly, angrily, punishingly, pouring out every ounce of her anger into her kiss. She pulled away only when she tasted something metallic on her tongue.

Ashared raised his hand and casually wiped away the blood that flowed from the reopened wound on his lip. “The next time you are angry with me, come tome.” He rubbed her lip with his thumb. “Promise me.”

“I’ll promise when you lie down.”

He let her out of his embrace. She gently pushed him down onto the bed and promised that the next time he upset her, she would tell him outright what she thought about him. He smiled satisfied.

When she turned to leave, he grabbed her hand. “Stay with me,” he said. “Sing for me.”

She was struck by the contrast between his current fatigue and the fierceness with which he’d previously fought. Then she thought that after all, contrasts were his specialty. She lay down next to him and sang:

I have claws sharp as a sword