Steel Dominance Read Online Free PDF Page A

taller than her, but they were both fit and well muscled. Sten had the physical dimensions of a statue of an ancient hero, even if he was dressed in khaki overalls. The presence of these two massive men with her in this small room made her want to shrink into the wall.
    “I don’t like slavery,” Sten muttered. “You know that, don’t you, man?”
    The darkness in his blue eyes made her cringe and shuffle back.
    Dankyo gestured downward with his palm—the signal he’d taught Sofia for kneeling. “Behind me.”
    She slipped to her knees, grateful to no longer be the focus of Sten.
    “I gathered that when we boarded. I apologize if this offends you, but we will be disembarking soon.”
    As if Dankyo had said nothing, Sten continued. “I was a slave once. So you see, I was planning on tossing you overboard if I found out she was one.”
    Sofia let out a frightened gasp and trembled. Oh Lord! He’s planning to kill Dankyo! What did he intend to do to her?
    “You’d find that difficult to achieve.” Though his tone of voice was as steady as that of a man discussing the time of day, Dankyo shifted his leg until his trouser cloth brushed Sofia’s shoulder. His fingers casually touched her head.
    Calmness settled in her. She was trusting Dankyo? Internally she shrugged at herself. Then his fingers moved slowly on her hair. Between her legs tingled. Like an invisible ocean current, desire surfaced.
    She shut her eyes. Here I am, kneeling on the floor, with two men discussing killing one another, and I’m getting wet? What is wrong with me?
    Something about the kneeling position next to Dankyo, as if he truly owned her and protected her, gave a deeper significance to what had seemed a pointless exercise. Yet she couldn’t quite understand why.
    “Guess I would. Stand down. I like you even if I haven’t the foggiest what you two are planning.” Sten chuckled. “If she’s a slave, I’ll eat my ship.”
    Silence hung in the air for a moment.
    “You’ve scared Sofia.”
    “Oh. Damn. Hey, I ain’t planning to do it, little Sofia. I was joking. Sorry, sometimes I get carried away.”
    Little? She looked up at him and caught a wink. Little Sofia? She’d have spat out a smart and biting comment only yesterday. Today, though, she held her tongue, and almost held back the frown. With her knowledge of Arabic, Greek, and Ottoman, nothing at the court would slip past her. There would be worse said in Byzantium. I can do this.
    Dankyo grunted. “Then I can’t see why you bothered suggesting it.”
    “Just testing you. Being sure. Now.” He gestured at the open sky behind Sofia. “You said you wanted some target practice. There you go. I have to stay and watch, though. That cannon’s too lethal for me to leave you here alone.”
    After a few seconds, Dankyo spoke. “Very well. Understandable. Sofia, rise and tell me if you can use this revolver.”
    “Ha!” Sten leaned against the wall. “Knew it. No owner sets a gun in the hands of a little bed slave like she looks to be.” He jerked his head at her when she hesitated. “Keep going. I’m just watching from here on. Kaysana could likely shoot circles around this one, though.”
    “Oh?” Dankyo steered her to a place to the left of the cannon’s handgrips and triggers. This gun was double barreled, and each barrel was a yard and a half of blue-and-gray metal with a fat green glass tube running along the underside.
    “Here.” He dragged his revolver from inside his black coat. The metal clunked heavily when he placed the weapon on the timber edge of the cupola. “See if you can hit that out there.”
    From an anchor point on the timber, a thin rope trailed out about ten yards, and at the other end, a small green balloon wobbled in the winds.
    “Twenty drachma says she misses,” Sten declared.
    What?
    Dankyo regarded her thoughtfully and tapped his fingers beside the revolver. “You’re on.”
    Something snapped. Damn them both, toying with me. I’m a