The question drew her attention no more than to say, “I was considering it.”
There was a silence while she sensed him moving across the room to the table where food and wine awaited him. “I know you dislike the water. Come out.”
“Is that an order, master? If it is, I will certainly obey it. If not …”
She deliberately scooped up two handfuls of water and only cringed a little as the slippery stuff poured over her breasts. But one scoop was enough to get her point across—if he was watching. She wasn’t going to look to find out.
“It was no order, woman. You may do as you please.”
“Well, aren’t we accommodating tonight,” she replied dryly. “In that case, I’ll get out. I’m not one for making subtle statements anyway, or spiting myself to make them. I much prefer spelling things right out.”
“You are welcome to do so.”
Thatgot her attention, swinging her around so fast, a wave of water hit the side of the sunken tub to splash back at her. “And get myself punished again if I do? No, thank you.”
She watched him warily as he came forward then, but it was only to pick up one of the waiting drying cloths to hand to her. She took it as she stepped out of the tub, damning the fact that she wouldn’t be able to keep the cloth once she was dry. Prancing around naked in front of the barbarian was not her idea of fun, Kystran-style fun, anyway. Now, if it would get him wanting some Sha-ka’ani fun, that’d be another story, worth a little revenge when he found out she didn’t want the same anymore. But he’d proved beyond a doubt last night that her nakedness didn’t affect him. All it was doing was giving her further punishment by the means of embarrassment.
That embarrassment was extreme just now, with Challen simply standing there watching her. And the way he watched her, with an alertness that seemed anticipatory, as if he were waiting for something in particular to happen.
That annoyed the hell out of her. He’d as much as said she could be frank, but she wasn’t buying that. Her frankness would sear his ears off, and she wasn’t forgetting for a minute what such disrespect to warriors would get her. His offer had to be a trap, and that suggested that he’d had such a good time punishing her last night, he was now going to hunt for excuses so he could do it again.
She wouldn’t help him toward that end. She’d keep a lid on her temper if it killed her. But it made her absolutely furious that she had to, enough to throw the drying cloth down before she was completely dry. She walked away, heading toward the closet, refusing to remain in the same room with him unless he ordered her to.
His voice came before she was halfway there. “You will join me for the meal.”
Thank Heaven’s Stars she could say to that, “I’ve already eaten.”
“Then you will sit with me while I do.”
She turned, forcing mere inquiry in her expression. “Is that an order, master?”
His jaw clenched, hearing her call him that again. “It is a request.”
“Then I decline.”
“Then it becomes an order,” he gritted out.
“Then certainly I will obey.”
No matter how sweetly agreeable she sounded, her movements told another story. Stiff and stomping, she stalked to the table. Challen got there first, swinging her around to face him.
“If you are so wishful of obeying, woman, then speak to me your thoughts. I have given you permission to do so.”
Was that frustration in his expression? If it was, it was nothing compared with her own.
“Permission to do so? Very well, you asked for it, warrior, and I’ll start with that. I shouldn’t need permission to speak my mind. Freedom to say what I think and feel has always been mine—until I came here. I don’t even curb my opinions with my boss, and he’s got power over a job which is very important to me. Here all a woman can say is whatyouwant to hear. Well, you can stuff that where the sun won’t reach it, warrior. I’ll never say only what you want me to.”
“I would not ask that of you.”
“Wouldn’t you? Haven’t you? What the farden hell do you call your demand for respect at all times, if not that? Has it never occurred to you beef-witted louts that you can’t force respect, that it has to be earned or it’s worthless?”
“What you say is well known, woman. What is also known is what happens if a woman so angers a warrior with her careless tongue that he loses all control and strikes her to silence. Thus do they both suffer, she with serious hurt, he with the guilt of causing it. Respect demanded of women is for their own protection.”
She wasn’t interested in the sound logic behind that bit of reasoning. “Lose control? Get angry? You’ve got to be joking,” she sneered derisively. “You people have control down to a science. You’ve got about as much emotion as robots, and I speak from experience.”
“Warriorscanlose control. They strive not to, but the loss is not beyond their capabilities.”
He was grinning when he said that. And that was all Tedra needed to see for her own control to snap.
