They reached the foothills at dusk, and Sabre chose a campsite in a clump of trees. He dumped the bags and went in search of firewood, returning with two rabbits as well. The prospect of fresh meat delighted Tassin, but her smile faded when he held the carcasses out to her.
“Here, you clean them while I light the fire.”
“No!” She shrank away. “That is your job!”
He shook the rabbits at her, making her scramble away from the splatter of blood. “Up until now, everything’s been my job. But I’m not a mindless cyber anymore, so now it’s your job.”
“I will not!” She stood up. “Queens do not soil their hands with rabbit offal!”
Sabre smiled. “It’s time you did your share of the chores. If you want to eat, you clean them.”
“You have to eat too!”
“Then I’ll clean one, and you can go hungry.”
She spluttered, “How dare you? You have no respect! After all I did for you when you were sick. I could have left you there to die!”
His eyes narrowed. “Yes, I suppose you could have. But you need me to help you escape from Torrian, don’t you? Rest assured, if you were as sick now as I was then, I wouldn’t ask you to help. I’ve agreed to help you escape of my own free will, which I actually have now, something you take for granted. I didn’t have to go hunting, nor do I have to light the fire. I have a choice now.” His voice softened. “All I’m asking is for you to help a little bit.”
“I am a queen, not some kitchen maid to filthy my hands with muck!”
His brows drew together, but his voice remained soft. “You’re a spoilt little cow, that’s what you are. I hope I don’t regret offering to help you.”
“You are a commoner. You will do it. That is an order!”
The brow band sparkled with red lights, and Sabre staggered back, raising a hand to his head. The diagonal line of seven lights flashed in unison three times, then the band went black again. He lowered his hand, scowling. He flung the rabbits at her feet and strode off into the gathering gloom.
Tassin huddled on a rock, staring after him. She had not meant to hurt him. She had not known her words would spark a reaction from the cyber. His unexpected demand had surprised and dismayed her. No one had ever tried to make her do menial chores before. She longed to go after him and apologise, but pride kept her glued to the rock while stubbornness stilled her tongue. Her eyes flinched from the rabbits’ corpses. She could not bring herself to touch them.