Aria maintained her unwavering gaze as she faced Dante. In a strange world, with a strange man, she needed to find a weakness, or at least a path to survival. She knew her own allure, and in this situation, it could be a double-edged sword.
"I possess knowledge," Aria began, her voice steady, though she was mentally translating each word for Dante to understand. "Of medicine. Of strategy. Of things your era has never known." She looked directly into his deep, dark eyes, which held both skepticism and a thirst for power. "I can help you achieve victory. Make your army stronger."
Dante remained in his lowered posture, his gaze sweeping over her face, lingering on her slightly parted lips. A knowing smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Medicine? I already have military physicians. Strategy? Do you, a fragile woman, truly dare to speak of warfare?" His voice was laced with mockery, but his eyes held no contempt.
"Can your military physicians save a man dying from a small infected wound? Do they know how to properly bandage a wound to prevent gangrene?" Aria countered, pressing hard on a weakness. "And as for warfare, have you ever considered tactics your enemies would never anticipate? Or weapons that could change the tide of battle in an instant?"
Dante straightened up, turned his back, took a few steps, then stopped. He seemed to be weighing his options. Aria knew she had struck a chord with a military man constantly seeking an advantage.
"What do you want?" he asked, without turning around.
"A deal," Aria replied instantly. "My safety. And a position. Not a prisoner. But an advisor."
Dante suddenly whirled around, his eyes as sharp as daggers fixed on her. He advanced, quick as a predator, closing the distance. His hand gripped her chin, squeezing lightly, forcing her to look up.
"An advisor?" He scoffed, but his smile held no amusement, only challenge and possessiveness. "What do you think you can do without me? In my camp, your life is in my hands. Do you think you have the right to demand anything?"
Aria's eyes flashed fire. "I'm not selling myself! I'm making an offer. You need me. And I... need to survive." She didn't back down, even as his breath fanned her face, and the threat radiated from his muscular body.
Dante stared deep into her eyes, as if trying to penetrate her soul. One second, two seconds... the tension was unbearable. Suddenly, he let go, but didn't move away. He placed his large hand on her shoulder, then slid it down her arm, caressing slowly, full of unspoken meaning.
"Very well," Dante murmured, his voice a low growl like a hunting beast. "I will give you a chance. But remember, Aria. In my world, the price of knowledge isn't always power. Sometimes, it's surrender. And I... always claim what I desire."
His gaze locked onto hers, filled with an undeniable possessiveness. A promise, or a threat? Aria knew she had just stepped into a dangerous game, where she would have to use her intellect and her body to survive.