Chapter 16As Axel approached Sela, the woman tensed, poised on the defensive. When she spotted him, she relaxed. And he did, too. Although Axel won their struggle back on Sarras, the intervention of the guards brought their disagreement to a halt, not his skill. In a true fight, he believed them evenly matched.
“I want a word with you.” He beckoned her toward his stateroom. Inside, he questioned her for almost an hour, every answer she gave, clear, concise…though she declined to reply sometimes, without breaking her stride, tone clipped, steady, expression blank. Few remained calm during one of his investigations. Granted, this was no physical interrogation, but many broke or became confused by his endless questioning, his perpetual mode of speech, his habit of interrupting a reply not to
