Page 30 of Rogue's Pawn (Covenant of Thorns 1)

“Is that your proposal?” Lord Falcon pounced, his face clenched.

Okay then.Be careful of the wording.Why didn’t I go to law school?

“Let me rephrase. To cancel all liens created by Lady Healer’s service to me, I will attend magical training under Lord Puck’s direction, perform magical military service for Lord Falcon, and no other services.”

“Agreed,” Falcon said, while Puck nodded enthusiastically.

I didn’t look at Rogue, but I could feel his displeasure. Hey, he was the one who wouldn’t explain what I was up against.

“Now, how do we decide how long a lifetime is?” I asked.

“Until death,” Falcon offered.

“But Lady Healer says she extended my life—shouldn’t I only owe until when I would have reasonably died before her intervention? Wasn’t my life worth fewer years then than it is now? And, if I learn magic, what if I learn to extend my life even more—wouldn’t those years be mine, not owed?”

“Healer,” Pinkie asked, “how long would Lady Gwynn have lived before your work?”

“Seven years,” Healer answered.Seven years?I must have looked shocked, because she added, “There were several conditions progressing that would have led to her death in that time.”

Wow—I guess I really did owe her.

“Lady Gwynn?” Puck prompted me.

“Okay, I propose that the term be seven years.” That didn’t sound like so much now, compared to the rest of my life.And then I go home. Maybe I’d luck out and time would move differently here.

“Given the brevity of service,” Falcon said, “I ask for intensive training.”

“Yes.” Scourge hissed the word, snake-eyes gleaming. “Marquise and I would be most willing. For the usual side-benefits, naturally.”

Without thinking I dug my nails into Rogue’s forearm. “What does that mean?”

“Is that necessary?” Rogue demanded.

Falcon smirked. “You’ll get yours later. Presumably. I’m within rights, here.”

“Agreed,” Pinkie ruled. “The stipulation is within the parameters of Lady Gwynn’s proposal. Continue, lady. How do you propose to satisfy Lord Rogue?”

About ten smart remarks flew through my mind. I restrained myself. “Maybe I could give him something of value and then I go home?”

“Not acceptable.” Rogue pinned me with his stare. “Lady Lillibeth, I put before you that only a firstborn child will satisfy my multiple claims, given that all claimants labored under my aegis.”

Falcon sat up straighter, eyes firing.

“It’s not ideal,” Scourge growled, “but I accept the condition.”

“Agreed,” said Pinkie.

“Wait a minute!” I would have jumped out of my chair if I could. “Thatis not acceptable.”

“Lord Rogue can set his terms,” Puck said and they all nodded.

Well, shit.

“I don’t have a child and don’t plan to.” I drew the line at that.

“It will be arranged.” Rogue smiled at me and placed his hand over mine, thumb rubbing my palm so that the heat flared in me. I yanked my hand away. Unperturbed, he raised his long fingers up to the nape of my neck, lightly tugging the shorn lock that had escaped Blackbird’s braids.

“Oh no,” I gasped. I wasnotsigning up to be impregnated like some brood cow. Though I didn’t like the plummy wine, I grabbed my goblet still sitting mostly full and drank some down.

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