Page 5 of The Gathering Storm

“You could try.”

“And now you challenge me.” She lifted her chin and met his gaze evenly. “I’ll know every detail of your young life within half an hour of leaving The Omega.”

Every emotion she’d stirred drained out of him. Fat chance of that. If she didn’t know his name by now, no way in hell would she bother digging into his life. He’d overheard her direct one too many callous remarks at the men she’d discarded one by one over her long, long life to believe otherwise.

“Are you ready for an apology now?” he asked.

“Moira and I were spoiling for a fight. You diffused a tense situation in a way that harmed no one. Unless you regret your actions, an apology is unnecessary.”

“Fair enough.”

Her eyes narrowed into blue slits. “Half an hour.”

He managed a small smile. “Yeah, right. Go on, now. Tell Casey to get you another lager before you go, on the house.”

“Perhaps tomorrow.” She dipped her head in a respectful bow. “Well met, barkeep.”

He returned her bow. “Well met, Sigrid Deathknell, daughter of Glyvyn the Ice Warrior, of the line of Bagda.”

She studied him solemnly for a long moment, then pivoted sharply and marched out of his office. Will leaned a hip against the edge of his desk and admired her fluid gait. By Ki, she was beautiful, but it was past time for him to let go of the crush he had on her and move on. There had to be another woman out there who was eager for his love. He’d just have to work harder at finding her, and maybe he would. Just as soon as he forgot how good it’d felt to kiss the woman of his dreams.

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