Arion opened both eyes and looked up at Dean with the calm that indicated he had, as expected, already thought about this more than Dean wanted.
"First," he said, "you stop calling it pay as if I'm extorting you for access to my bad decisions."
"That is exactly what you're doing."
"No," Arion said. "I'm setting conditions for mine and your continued survival."
Dean stared at him. "Do you ever hear yourself?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"And I continue to approve."
Dean almost laughed at that, but not enough to give him the satisfaction.
"Fine," he said. "What are the conditions?"
Arion's gaze held his for one beat longer, then shifted slightly, as if ordering the terms in his head one last time before speaking them aloud.
"First," he said, "you train for the field, not for pride."
Dean's mouth flattened. "That was insulting."
"It was accurate."
"That word is doing exhausting work in this room."
