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Kesta wiped another trace of blood from her mouth and regretted it when the cut stung. His eyes followed the movement, and whatever faint amusement had touched them disappeared.

“I’ve had a difficult introduction to it.”

One corner of his mouth moved. “So I gathered.”

The brief expression transformed his face enough that Kesta found herself wondering what he looked like when he actually smiled.

She shut that thought down immediately.

The raider leader spread his arms. “Ash does not want war over one female.”

“One healer,” the commander corrected.

The raider’s nostril slits widened. “Then her value is known.”

The Ash commander looked toward Lina again before returning his attention to the leader. “Release both humans.”

“For water rights through the south cut.”

“No.”

“One season.”

“No.”

The raider’s face hardened. “Then challenge.”

He drew a serrated blade.

The commander handed his own weapon to the one-horned male behind him.

Kesta stared at the empty hand, then at the knife the raider was already turning into a fighting grip. “You might want to keep that.”

The commander glanced at her.

His mouth curved again, very slightly. “He would like that.”

Before Kesta could decide whether that was arrogance or humor, movement appeared on the eastern ridge.

Another group descended toward the basin. Red cloth wrapped their upper arms, and their weapons were assembled from what looked like scavenged imperial rifle parts. Their leader was another Kharovian male, somewhat shorter than the Ash commander, with one horn carved into rings from base to tip. He carried a battered optical recorder instead of a drawn weapon.

“Red Basin witnesses,” he called. “A claim made under threat is challengeable.”

The raider leader smiled. “Rath’s law agrees.”

The Ash commander’s face tightened with unmistakable irritation. “Rath’s law agrees with whatever benefits Rath.”

The Red Basin leader’s teeth showed in a grin. “Still law.”

Kesta slowly looked around the basin. She was surrounded by armed men representing at least three groups, and every one of them seemed to regard her future as an interesting legal problem.

“Does anyone intend to ask what I want?”

The Red Basin witness turned the recorder toward her, his expression openly curious. “Speak.”

“I do not consent to being claimed.”

His brow ridges rose. “Then you remain unclaimed.”