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“You must understand we are quite anxious to determine if this is an alliance from which both of our peoples might benefit.” I kept my voice low and measured. “If it is not, then we would rather spend our time in more fruitful negotiation… with friends who are likely to be our friends for longer than a night. While it may not seem so, from inside yourverybeautiful city, brother Dulgar, there is a war waging outside these walls. One we cannot side-step, and would not, even if we wished it.”

His eyes flickered down my body, focusing on my breasts.

I hardened my voice.

“…Perhaps I am gauging your negotiation tactics unfairly, and you are speaking true sentiment. If so, I would think that the actual terms of our agreement would matter more than such a shallow status marker, respected brother?”

I let the thinly veiled insult hang there.

I never stopped massaging Revik’s thigh.

You just got mereallyfucking hard,Revik sent softly.

It’s for a good cause,I told him.

Is it? Because I really might have to punish you for this later. I mean it, Allie. You’ve already got me imagining?

Don’t go there.I sent a flicker of warning, my light a touch more serious.Not right now. I’m having enough trouble with you as it is.

Pot, Kettle,he sent, softer still. His light exuded a pulse of pain, even as he held it back.Gaos, wife. You’re supposed to be distracting them, not me.

I was still looking at Dulgar.

Now, frowning slightly, I leaned back with a low series of clicks.

Dulgar’s eyes focused intently on my hand still massaging Revik’s thigh.

“We seek alliance towards the betterment of our race.” I took my hand reluctantly off Revik’s leg. Hesitating a beat, I rested it on the leather sofa next to him. “Is this something that interests you? Or would you rather just offer my husband a flat monetary price, to have more access to my light for an evening? I doubt he’ll say yes, but it might save us all some time… if that’s the only business arrangement that interests you.”

There was a more loaded silence.

Dulgar chuckled then, smiling indulgently.

He glanced at Revik before he gestured an assent, looking directly at me.

“Of course, my lovely sister.” He winked, bowing his head. “…And my apologies. I did not wish to imply that our other areas of discussion did not hold import for the Legion of Fire.”

His voice grew so condescending the insult had to be deliberate.

So now he was baiting me.

I made my expression utterly blank.

“You said your interest right now is seers, is it not?” Dulgar queried, still smiling indulgently. “Infiltrators and potential infiltrators in particular, is that not correct? I seem to recall your husband mentioning a desire to look at our most recent shipment. Those we liberated following the purges in nearby lands once controlled by our human oppressors?”

Pausing, Dulgar looked between us.

That condescending smile still stood out on his face.

“Should I address you, Illustrious Sword?” he said sweetly. “Or your wife? It would help me to know who is leading this talk from your end…?”

I heard the implied insult there as well.

That time, I had to fight back my smile.

Revik shifted on the leather next to me, giving me a glance that held a faint thread of anger. I could see him behind the look, but only just, and only because we’d already talked about using me as a distraction in this way, too.

Damn, he was good at this.