The Ippos King

We live for those we love,” she told him in bast-Kai. “We die for those we love. This is a privilege, Serovek, not a sacrifice.

I don't know how you weak humans ever got this far.” “We're cunning, feral, and afraid of dying.

Some might think her overly cautious. She preferred that to being overly dead.

She shrugged and set to work packing the last of her satchels in preparation for disembarking. “I let him rob me and didn't eat him. That's diplomacy.

Anhuset quickly learned that the conversation between human males worked better than any dream elixir brewed by the most skilled Kai apothecary. It was vapid, shallow, and so utterly uninspired she was in danger of sliding from a light sleep atop her horse into a stupor of boredom.

You learn from your enemy; your enemy learns from you. Surprise them with the unexpected by teaching them to expect the same thing.

Anhuset's eyes narrowed. She had never been, and would never be, a prey animal,

It's just the aftermath of relief at avoiding death, her reason told her turbulent emotions. Her emotions guffawed and told her reason to kindly fuck off.

His half smile held a question and a hope that refused to die no matter how she might scoff. “Decided to share my bed, firefly woman?” “I admire your fortitude,” she said. “And my answer is still no.

This affection burned bright with passion, with desire. There existed between them an unspoken and private language only the two of them understood and shared with no one else.

The shock value of honesty was always greater than that of the most convincing lie.

He might have known that the way to charm Anhuset wasn't with compliments or flowers but the offer to brawl or gamble.