Oret (The Chieftains of the Majuri #7)

Prologue

It was a hard, dirty job, but like every job she'd had, she was good at it. She'd hired trained miners who needed only encouragement to meet her standards and reassigned those who couldn't. The mine's success earned her a bonus—the best air bike she'd ever seen.

With things going well, she gave bonuses to workers based on their jobs, even rewarding some marginal performers.

Amid all this, she didn't want a warrior's attention, but he persisted, doing everything right.

Just yesterday, he brought her lunch and wine, though she set the wine aside to work in the mine.

Victoria didn't know who prepared the meal, but it matched her own cooking, likely indicating a relative. Still, it was impressive, so she ate with him and saved the wine for later. Dessert was memorable, something she'd never had but wanted again.

Oret worked hard to win the woman he knew was meant for him.

He saw progress, even if she denied it. Her family supported him, and she knew it because she was smart.

She was everything he wanted, though she resisted him.

Winning her would be sweeter because it was a hard-won battle, and he was a warrior.

He enjoyed their lunch together, and they got along well as leaders who understood heavy responsibilities. Oret wished Radvar hadn't put her in charge of the mine, but maybe Radvar thought she needed a challenge to stay busy, letting Fenwik and Sara run the planet.