"The joy of the work? How altruistic of you." The wry smile lingers. She's known too many warlords to take what he says at face value, and she's definitely not going to shake his hand, just wary enough of arcane powers to wonder if the simple act of touching would seal the contract.

No. She's been owned before and isn't interested in going through it again.

"But you haven't given me your name yet, and you have mine."