‘Every man has his breaking point. We will find his. And once broken, once he is a slave in here –’ he tapped his temple – ‘then he may be of some use to me.’

‘He will never break,’ she said sadly, because she knew she was right. ‘He’ll be nothing but trouble for you. Trouble and expense.’

‘He’s no trouble to me at all. Until he learns what he is – a slave entirely under my will – he can stay where he is.’

Lilla felt her temper rising. ‘You’ll have to kill him first. I tell you, he will never break.’

‘I’ll not kill him because I paid good money for him. If I destroy my own property, who loses out but me?’

‘He’s not property.’ She could hear the tremor in her own voice. She expelled a long breath to draw the heat from her temper. ‘He’s a man honoured as high as any among my people. But,’ she added, ‘I will still pay you for him. So I say again, name your price.’

Arbasdos gave a condescending snort. ‘My lady, look around you. Do I look like I need your money?’ There was no crack in the armour of this man’s arrogance, that was clear. She felt suddenly ashamed at the blithe way she had treated the thralls amongst her own people. It had never occurred to her what it must feel like, to be owned by another. To be nothing better than a milking cow or a prized axe.

This Arbasdos didn’t look like a man to treat his slaves well. She could only imagine what cruelty Erlan had already suffered. But if the general would take no money and the emperor would not force his hand, what could she do? She had crossed half the world. . .

‘You’ll waste this man’s life. I know him. He will never fight for you.’

‘Is our business concluded then?’

‘If you will not take gold or silver—’

‘No.’

‘Then I suppose it is.’ She put down her cup. Her mind was already working, feeling blindly for the edges of this perfumed wall of muscle in her way. Perhaps there were others within his household whose purses were not so full.

‘Why not stay a little?’ A sly smile crept over his melancholy face. ‘Have another cup.’ He topped up her chalice, which was full enough already, and handed it to her. Then he dismissed the servants.

‘You know, I’d always heard the people of the north were canny traders,’ he said when they were alone.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, if you came here to trade with me, you should have understood what I want, or at least what I might value.’

‘I’ve not yet met a man who didn’t value more gold.’

‘Well, now you have, Lady. And what I value is a little more. . . subtle.’

‘Go on.’

‘Do I have to?’