“ Just relax,” he said, his tone softening again, though it did nothing to ease my panic. “ You’re only making this harder on yourself.” I glared at him, refusing to give in, even as my body betrayed me. “ I’ll never relax around you.” He chuckled softly, a sound that sent another wave of fear through me. “ We’ll see about that,” he replied, reaching for the rope he had just pulled down. The tension between us was thick, neither of us willing to back down. After what felt like an eternity of staring each other down, a knock came from the door, breaking the standoff. The Barbarian’s gaze flicked to the door as he reached into his trousers, retrieving the key. He unlocked the door, and a young girl with fiery red hair entered, carrying a tray of food. “ Thank you, just place the food on the table,” he ordered, his voice curt. The girl obeyed, setting the tray down without a word. She gave a small bow before quickly exiting the room. The Barbarian locked the door again, th
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