Kailani pushed open the heavy door of the lodge and stepped inside before her courage could fade. The fire pit threw orange light across the low benches. The enemy chieftain stood near the flames, tall and still. She had come here to change his mind, to save her people without giving up their freedom. She had no plan. She only had herself. He turned. His eyes locked on her, hard and unreadable. At his hip hung a blade of pale ice, gold tracing its cracked edge. Her gaze kept slipping to it. She forced her chin up and met his stare. His face did not move. Not a smile. Not a sneer. Just that stern, steady look. Kailani's fingers found the sapphire at her throat and pressed the cool stone hard against her skin. Was that interest in his eyes? Contempt? She had never read a man's heart before. She could not tell. So she stopped guessing. "Look at me properly," she said, stepping closer to the fire. "If you mean to take everything from us, you can do it to my face." The chieftain's jaw shifted. Slowly, he pulled out a bench and sat. He gestured for her to do the same. He was listening. That was the change. Now she had to be worth hearing.