“I had no idea you were a Saj, Aleissande,” Josie teased, aiming for unbothered and falling far short of it. She could tell by the way sympathy swam through the ocean of Aleissande’s eyes.
“You should talk to her,” Aleissande said.
“Why?”
“Because that anger you cling to will fester if you do not let it out.”
Josie’s jaw clenched as she looked away from the general. She was right—she knew she was right.
Josie forced out a slow breath, her muscles unclenching as the air seeped from her lips. Then she fixed her gaze on Aleissande, her steps sure and steady as she closed the distance between them.
“There are other ways to find release,” Josie murmured as she came to a stop before the general. Slowly, she reached a hand for the general’s waist, making her intentions clear.
Aleissande stood perfectly still, her eyes darkening as Josie’s hand found her hip.
“There are,” Aleissande agreed, her breath fanning across Josie’s lips.
Josie trailed her fingers down Aleissande’s thigh, her heart hammering as her gaze tracked the bob of the general’s throat. She tilted her head up, leaning in until she could feel the heat from the air leaving Aleissande’s mouth.
“You woo better with a blade in your hand,” Josie whispered. And then she pulled away, the blade sheathed at Aleissande’s thigh in hand. She pressed it to Aleissande’s chest, her lips stretching into a teasing grin as she waited for the general to take it.
Aleissande’s eyes widened, something playful glinting in them as her gaze dropped to the knife.
“Sonowyou think I’m ready?”
She took the blade.
“Since when have you cared what I think?” Josie teased.
Aleissande glanced at her through her lashes. “Far longer than you’re ready to hear, Princess.”
She turned, stepping to the edge of the space Josie had created and rolling her wrists, as if she could shed the tug Josie could still feel between them.
“Shall we?” Aleissande offered as she took up a sparring stance.
Josie grabbed her knife from where it lay on the table. “Let’s.”
***
“Yield.”
Josie grinned down at Aleissande, her knife tip pressed gently against her leathers in the space between her ribs. The general’s cheeks were flushed with exertion, her eyes bright as she stared up at Josie. Her hair had come loose from its bun, wisps of gold framing her face as she panted.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Aleissande tried to buck her hips, but Josie held firm, her body pinning Aleissande’s to the floor.
“You’re not going easy on me because of your injury, are you?” Josie taunted, savoring the way Aleissande’s eyes flashed.
The air rushed from Josie’s lungs as Aleissande wrapped a leg around her waist and slammed her to the ground, her body warm and firm as she rolled on top of her.
“Say that again, Princess,” Aleissande dared her.
A cough sounded from the doorway, and Josie whipped her head to see Natali standing there, their brows raised in amusement.
“Am I interrupting?” they asked. But they stepped into the room anyway, closing the door behind them with a click.
“Josie was just helping me train,” Aleissande explained as she stood. “It seems I’m more battle-ready than she anticipated.” She smirked at Josie as she held out a hand to help her up. Josie batted it away.
If Aleissande wanted to be a brat, Josie would be one, too.
