It dawned on Rose that forcing a parley in a town named Shallowgrave was perhaps not the most auspicious of omens, but that was where they were. Neutral ground between her territory and whatever the blooded had left. A ghost town, devoid of life and drowning in dust. There were places just like it all over the Wilds, abandoned settlements turned to ruin. It was hard to make any sort of living out on the plains when outlaws and tax collectors took everything you owned, and then came back for more three days later.

Soldiers lined up either side of the main street. Some stood out in the open and others worked their way through buildings, setting up in windows with bows at the ready. Rose spotted men and women wearing Crucible blacks and knew at least one of the blooded lords had turned up. Niles Brekovich rarely left his impregnable city for anything. Perhaps that meant he was worried.

Betrim leaned against a signpost nearby. It had the town’s name written on it, not that the Black Thorn seemed to care. Chances were he couldn’t read it anyway. Still, Rose felt better having her husband nearby. They were in this situation together and up to their necks.

Rose fought the urge to check the pockets of her riding leathers for her knives. They were there, always close by in case she needed them. It was reassuring to know, even though she knew she couldn’t use them. Any sort of bloodshed now and Shallowgrave would soon turn into a bloody open grave. Soldiers on both sides of the street killing each other.

Two figures appeared out of an old tavern from across the street. One was Niles Brekovich without a doubt, his waxed moustache and intense stare gave him away. Dressed in chain armour and armed with a long sword he looked every bit the warrior the stories claimed him to be. Beside him stood a tall man wearing robes the colour of bleached bone. Rose didn’t recognise him, but his yellow eyes had an unnerving quality to them.

With arrows and sharp steel on both sides of the conflict, all it would take now was a twitchy finger and the whole thing would end in bloodshed. Neither side wanted that. No one would make it out alive.

Niles Brekovich stepped off the wooden walkway outside the tavern and into the dust. He crossed into the centre of the street and waited. Rose closed the distance between them.

“What do you want, Black Thorn?” Niles Brekovich said, ignoring Rose and staring towards her husband. He didn’t raise his voice but it carried all the same.

“I’m the one who summoned you here, Lord Brekovich,” Rose said with a vicious smile.

“Whore!” Niles Brekovich spat the word and spared Rose only a glance before turning his attention back to Betrim. “You’ve carved yourself out a portion of land from those you’ve killed. Well done. A city under your rule and a few villages maybe, nothing of any real value. But it will take more than a couple of blooded families in the ground for you to hold onto your prize. You’ll never be anything more than savage warlord without the backing of myself and the other families. So, what is it you want? A legitimate claim on the city of Chade? A title?”

Rose let out a chuckle. “He really doesn’t care. The Black Thorn is only here in case he gets to put his axe in something. You’re dealing with me.”

Again Niles Brekovich turned a dismissive stare on Rose. “A woman’s place is on her back or on her knees.”

Rose bit back an insult and forced her words out through clenched teeth. She promised herself she’d use diplomacy this time. “I’m here to discuss terms of your surrender, Lord Brekovich. My armies are already larger than yours’, and I now own more land than any one blooded family. Maybe you should be begging me for legitimacy.”

“Be silent, woman!” Niles Brekovich hissed. “You insult me, Black Thorn. I have come here on good faith, against the advice of some, to talk terms of bringing you into a position of real power. I am prepared to offer you something you cannot gain with the swing of an axe. Now stop hiding behind your bitch and treat with me like a man.”

Betrim rasped out a laugh and shook his head. Rose let out a sigh. “Lord Brekovich, my husband knows where the power lies here…”

Niles Brekovich turned furious eyes her way. “Must I teach you your place myself?”

“My place,” Rose hissed, her patience snapping. “Is on a throne, ruling over the Wilds, and your blood staining the ground behind me.”

Niles Brekovich scoffed. “See how quickly negotiations turn to threats when a woman is involved. This is your last chance, Black Thorn.”

“Negotiations are nothing but demands with threats to back them up,” Rose said, taking a step forward and fixing Niles Brekovich with a stony glare. “And here are my demands. Leave. Exile. Every member of every surviving blooded family. I’ll even ship you out myself. Your regime is over. The Wilds belong to me.”

The blooded lord turned his intense stare on Rose once more. “Whore! Bring whatever pitiful armies you can muster. Bring your cut-throats and sellswords. Turn coats and traitors who should know their true masters. The blooded stand united against you. We will crush you as we have so many others before. And as your husband is fitted for a noose, I will teach you your place. And then you will die with my cock in your mouth like the whore you were born to be!” With that, Niles Brekovich turned and started away.

Rose ground her teeth together, patience and frustration warring within. “This is your last chance, Lord Brekovich. I offer you exile. A peaceful way out of this. A last chance to save your family and your line. Please, don’t be stupid. Take the deal I’m offering, because I won’t offer it again. Walk away now and it can only end in blood.”

Niles Brekovich stopped and glanced over his shoulder, but he was not looking at Rose. “What a waste. You are a coward, Black Thorn. You should have negotiated with me like a man, not sent a woman to beg for you.” With that he walked away, the man in the white robe joining him.

Betrim sauntered up from behind and spat into the dust of the street. “War then, is it?”

Rose nodded. She’d known it would end this way, but she’d had to try. At least now no one could say she hadn’t tried to do things differently.

Betrim sniffed and scratched at the burned side of his face. “Up ta you, love. You say march an’ we do. Say kill an’ we ask who. We’re all behind ya. Whole Wilds is, I reckon.”

Rose grinned at that and turned savage, hungry eyes on her husband.