Page 40 of On a Barbarian World

Kavon closed his eyes and forced himself to take deep breaths. When he had some semblance of control—and it wasn’t much—he opened his eyes. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

She looked wary.

“Drog now knows for certain you’re here. Before, he would have just suspected, but now his men will report back to him, which was the entire purpose of his asinine attack on my people.”

She swallowed. “It was a recon mission.”

“Exactly. Now he knows what you look like, and that you have technology we do not possess.” Kavon nodded toward the stunner. “And he will come after you.” Anger flared in his veins, agitating his nanami. He thrust his hands on his hips and stared at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry⁠—”

“More of my people will likely die, all because you did not stay where I asked you to stay.”

“You could have explained!” She touched his back. “You didn’t ask. You just tossed me in here and locked the door.”

She might have a small point, but he was too angry to concede it. “There was no time. I had to get to the fight and protect my people.”

She slid in front of him, her cheeks flushed. “There was time for a few words, Kavon. I am not some empty-headed damsel who needs you to protect me every second of the day. I can help you. You just have to talk to me… You know, like I’m a person.”

“Maybe, but this is my world, Aurina. It can be dangerous and dark and lethal. Sometimes, I need you to just do as I ask.”

“But you don’t ask, you order.”

“I am a warlord. That is what I am accustomed to. The end result is the same. Do the words I use really matter?”

She wrapped her arms around herself, her voice lowering. “Yes, they do. But if you don’t realize that, then I guess I’m arguing for no reason. I’m not weak. I don’t need your protection. I may not know your world, but I can take care of myself.”

“Really?” He felt something dark and needy stir in him. Something that was hungry for this woman in ways he’d never hungered before. “You can protect yourself on my world?”

She lifted her chin. “Yes.”

“Then prove it to me.”

She stilled. “How?”

“I challenge you to a fight. Prove to me that you can best me and you don’t need my protection.”

She considered. “And if I win, I get the e-beacon?”

“No, we already have a deal for that. I will start asking and not ordering.”

Her brows rose. “Really? Okay.”

He strode over to his locked wooden chest, and pressed the code into the metal lock. The lid popped open and he stowed the stunner inside. He slammed the chest shut again and locked it. “No weapons.”

He was gratified to see a flare of wariness in her eyes. “I need my weapon. You’re bigger and stronger than I am.”

“Which just proves my point. You won’t always have your weapon. That is one of the first lessons a warrior learns.”

“I spend time sparring with my brother, Rynan. And he’s pretty mean and lethal himself.” She cocked her head. “What do you get if you win?”

“You must kiss me.”

She set her shoulders back. “All right, Warlord Mal Dor. You’re on. I accept your challenge.”

Kavon suppressed a ruthless smile. He strode away and shoved furniture out of the way to clear a space.

“Here?” she said.