by T. A. White
CHAPTER TWELVE
"You should go," Caden said, his voice quiet and gentle in the darkness. "You won't want to see this next part."
Eva hesitated, tempted to listen. She had enough nightmares. Did she really want to add to them?
A glance at Sebastian stopped her. He stood ramrod still, not even his tail twitching as he breathed hard, staring at the man on the ground. A pinprick of the faintest red flared deep in his eyes. Shivers snaked down her back at the grim reminder that humans were far from the top of the food chain up here.
"I'll stay," Eva finally said. "I have a feeling these men had something to do with Sebastian's wounds when I found him. It's important to know all I can."
"Eva, go. I'll tell you everything you need to know later," Caden urged. There was only kindness in his words.
She shook her head, knowing he couldn't see her.
"I may be just a Lowlander, weak in your eyes, but I can do this. I can hear what he has to say and bear witness." It might not be much, but it was all she had to give.
She wasn't a warrior. That didn't matter. Each person had their own skills and could contribute in some way.
She could hear Sebastian’s plight. She could stand with him during this. That would have to be enough for now.
Sebastian's approval was a caress against her mind as she steeled herself for what was to come.
She glanced at Caden, feeling his eyes on her in the dark. "Do what you need to do. I won't interfere."
Brave words, full of resolve. She hoped she could keep them.
Caden nodded, respect in his expression. Eva straightened her shoulders, her mouth firming.
He bent down. "What is your name?"
The other man glared, not answering.
Caden picked up his hand, breaking a finger without a hint of remorse. Eva's stomach jolted at the easy violence.
"It's much too soon to be so stubborn. A wise man would pick his battles," Caden advised over the man's whimpers of pain. He jerked the man back to a sitting position. "Now, let's try again. What's your name?"
There was a long stubborn silence. Caden let out a sigh, reaching for the man's hand.
The man broke. "Mathias."
Caden settled back. "Very good, Mathias. You saw what I did to your companions. Do you want me to do the same to you?"
"You're going to do it anyway," Mathias said, huddling over his injured hand.
"Perhaps," Caden agreed. "But your willingness to answer my questions dictates how long it will take you to die."
There was a soft cruelty to Caden's voice that made the threat utterly believable.
A small, fearful whimper escaped Mathias and he nodded quickly.
"Good, we understand each other," Caden said, right before he sank his fist into the man's stomach.
The man groaned, bending forward and dry heaving. "You haven't asked me anything yet."
"I wanted to remind you what the consequences will be if you don’t do what I want," Caden explained.
Eva blinked and gave Caden a sideways look, her expression filled with disbelief.
"Why were you following us?" Caden asked.
"We weren't following you," Mathias said, pushing himself upright.
Eva leaned forward. "You were following Sebastian."
"Who?"
She sighed. Of course, he wouldn't know Sebastian's name. To him, Sebastian was a beast. Unimportant except for what he could give them. He wouldn’t see the Kyren as a thinking, feeling being. "The winged horse."
The man’s expression was cagey.
"That's who you were looking for at the lake last night, too," she offered.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mathias snarled. Even Eva could hear the lie that time.
There was a crack of bone breaking and then a cry of pain from Mathias that was quickly cut off as Caden slammed his hand over the man’s mouth to muffle the sound. A smart move considering what could still be waiting for them out there, hiding in the dark.
"What did I tell you about lying?" Caden's voice was filled with dark promise. He sounded like a completely different person than the quiet man she knew. Yes, she'd always been aware of the monster lurking inside on some level, but knowing something was different than coming face to face with it.
"Why are you after the Kyren?" Caden asked harshly.
Mathias whimpered and Caden's lips curved.
"Look at him," Mathias gasped when Caden reached for his hand. "Whoever rules that creature controls the rest of the Broken Lands."
"How many of you are there?" Caden asked. "How many of you are working towards unseating the Hawkvale?"
Mathias shook his head. "I'm not telling you that. You might as well kill me."
"Don't tempt me, boy," Caden threatened, leaning close.
There was a small yip as the fox creature appeared. A picture of dozens of faceless humans, their forms tall and terrifying, inserted itself into her mind.
"We have to go," she said.
"I'm not done. If this is making you queasy walk a hundred yards in any direction," he said impatiently.
"That's not what this is about." Well, not all of it. "There are more men out there, and they're closing in on our position."
Caden straightened. "How do you know that?"
Eva hesitated. Whatever he’d guessed, whatever he thought he knew, she doubted it was even close to the truth. Revealing her secrets could lead to the exact same thing as what had happened with her village. She didn’t want to be driven from the Trateri and have to start all over again.
She steeled herself to speak. Now wasn’t the time for secrets. The only way to get him to believe her was by revealing a little of what she could do. Not everything, but enough so he wouldn’t question her.
"The fox showed me a picture of the men.” Eva’s stomach was tight as she waited for his reaction. Suspicion or fear. She braced for both.
Caden was silent as he watched her with a thoughtful expression. Her hands and lips felt numb. The closeness and camaraderie the campfire chat had instilled in her felt far away. It was a nice dream while it lasted.
"I could think of several ways such an ability would come in handy," Caden said.
Eva blinked and gazed at him in disbelief. That was it? That was all he had to say?
“If you’d told me sooner, I could have factored that into our strategy,” he continued.
“I’ve never gotten pictures or words before. Just feelings,” she said slowly, still stunned he hadn’t declared her a witch or treated her like she was crazy. “It’s a relatively new development and won’t help if we’re dead.”
“I suppose not,” Caden said with a slight grin.
A blade flashed and there was a gurgle of sound as Mathias slumped.
"Did you kill him?" Eva asked on a quavering breath. The magnitude of what she’d just shared now paled at the quick way Caden had ended the other man.
"I couldn't leave him alive to reunite with the rest of his people," Caden explained, striding toward her.
"So, you killed him?" she asked, unable to get past that one point.
"Yes, yes. I'm a murderer. I kill when convenient. Hate me for it if that makes things easier for you. Then move past it because you need to survive what's coming," he said impatiently. "Did the fox say where they're coming from?"
Eva's attention swung toward the fox, but it was Sebastian who answered. The north and east.
"You knew?" she asked. "Why didn't you say anything?"
“I take it you can speak to him now too,” Caden said, seeming unsurprised.
Eva ignored him as Sebastian began to speak again.
The information the human obtained could prove useful.
"That wasn't for you to decide," she hissed.
“I take it he had more to say," Caden said.
"He knew they were coming and didn't tell us because he wanted to hear what Mathias knew," she said, the confession making her angry all over again.
"Good decision. I would have done the same," Caden told Sebastian.
Eva felt Sebastian's pride as he preened at the compliment.
Get on my back, Sebastian ordered. I can carry you to safety.
"We can't leave Nell behind out here," Eva said. Beasts would eat him if the people following them didn’t catch him first.
Impatience pushed at her. The human male can stay behind to care for the wingless one.
"We're not leaving him either," Eva said.
Fool.
Eva didn't respond to the insult. If the Kyren thought she was the type to abandon someone in a situation like this, he was wrong. Eva had already done that once and had to live with the consequences of the decision. She wouldn't do that again.
"What's the plan?" she asked Caden.
Hard fingers wrapped around her arm as he pulled her to Sebastian. "You're going to take the Kyren and go."
She shook her head and kept shaking it. "I'm not leaving you behind."
His hand was warm when it cupped her cheek. Firm lips met hers in a kiss that was as surprising as it was heated.
He drew back as a slow smile dawned. His next words snapped her out of the stupor his kiss had sent her into.
"I'm an Anateri warrior. The best Fallon has to offer. You'll only hold me back if I have to worry about keeping you alive. Alone, we each stand a chance. Together, we’ll likely die."
Stung, Eva jerked back, her face wiped clean of all expression. "I told you how I felt about leaving people behind."
"Sometimes we do what we must. There is no shame in that. Get Darius and his warriors. It's our best chance," he advised her, his words hard but the touch against her neck gentle.
For the first time, she wished she was a warrior. Then perhaps she could stay and fight by his side instead of being sent away like a child.
"Stay alive or I'll never forgive you for dying," she warned.
"The terror your disappointment should spawn fails somewhat when coming from a Lowlander," he returned.
He cupped his hands. She stepped into them, allowing him to lift her up before swinging her leg over Sebastian's back.
Once there, she bent down, grabbing his arm before he could turn away. Her mouth opened but no words left her. She didn't know what to say.
His hand reached up to grasp hers. "Fly fast, fly far."
"I am coming back for you," she promised him.
He didn't respond, stepping back and slapping Sebastian on his withers. The Kyren jolted under her, lurching upward as the fox sprang into her lap, seeming to fly for just a moment.
He looked up at her.
"I don't want to leave him alone," Eva confessed.
His presence in her mind turned quizzical.
"Only if it doesn't endanger you," she said.
It felt wrong to ask the fox to interfere in the affairs of humans, but so did leaving Caden to face those men on his own. He might be Anateri, and an elite warrior, but he was still just one man. A human one at that.
Even a warrior as talented as Caden had his limits.
She sensed an assent and then the fox leapt off her lap in midair. His tails spread, the air under his paws lighting up as he seemed to run over it.
Sebastian carried her higher as the fox raced toward Caden below.
Eva craned to keep the fox in view, fascinated. What an interesting time she lived in, where she could communicate with animals in ways she'd only dreamed of before, and where small two-tailed foxes could run on air as easily as if they were on the ground.
Eva pulled the jacket tighter around her to keep the sudden chill at bay, only then realizing Caden had left it with her.
She caressed its leather. "You'd better not die, you stupid man."
*
The hours passed by in a tension-fraught haze, going too slow and too fast at the same time. A minute could easily stretch into an eternity while ten would feel like they passed in the blink of an eye.
Thoughts of what Caden faced tortured her.
She had no way of controlling Sebastian's direction and could only trust the Kyren was heading back toward camp.
Every moment that passed made her despair a little more. The further they flew, the further Darius would have to travel to reach Caden.
Finally, she spotted a flicker of yellow light below.
"There," she shouted.
Sebastian's head shifted, his powerful body flexing as he changed course. The wind whistled in her ears as they banked.
Eva looked intently at the ground. As much as she wanted to hurry and land, she knew that would be a mistake. Those below could as easily be the enemy as her people.
Right now, Eva and Sebastian had the element of surprise, but as soon as they landed, they'd be vulnerable.
There were a lot of people down there. To her uneducated eyes it seemed like the right number for Darius's company.
Still, they didn't know much about those hunting Sebastian. Perhaps she was wrong. Distinguishing people and places was different from this height. She'd never had to know what someone looked like from above, and it wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.
Several campfires had been lit and the people below didn't look like they were asleep. She caught the slightest shift of darkness along the perimeter to suggest there were sentries.
Eva decided to risk it. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted, "The wise never bait their hooks."
There was a pause as those below looked up.
"They get someone else to do it for them," someone shouted back.
Relief made Eva lightheaded.
"Sebastian, it's them," she said, leaning over his neck.
Sebastian touched down outside the perimeter of camp. Despite her assurances, Eva's stomach was tight. Caden was counting on her to get this right.
A man darted out of the dark. He grabbed her arm, yanking her off Sebastian. The Kyren screamed and faced the man. Seconds later a net was thrown over his wings even as Eva struggled to escape.
Darius moved into view, his expression cold and severe, the easy humor he was known for absent. This was the face of the general, unrelenting and cruel—someone who had conquered the Lowlands at Fallon's side.
Eva's gaze went to those beside him, noting the grimness on their faces. Even Hanna was difficult to read, her expression a blank mask.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong, but Eva didn't know what. Only that people she'd been starting to consider friends weren't acting like she expected.
"What are you doing?" she asked, struggling to resist the Trateri's hold.
Sebastian tried to rear, a piercing screech escaping him. Those holding the netting were lifted partially off their feet as others tackled them, their combined strength keeping him grounded.
"Let him go," she shouted. "You're hurting him."
"I'd be more worried about what we're going to do to you," Darius said. "The Trateri aren't forgiving of traitors."
"Traitor? What are you talking about?" Eva asked in disbelief.
Darius didn't answer, flicking a glance at the men behind her. "Secure her. We'll take her back with us."
"Wait, you can't. Caden needs your help," Eva said desperately.
She didn't know what had happened in her absence or why they seemed convinced of her guilt, but they were Caden's only hope.
Darius turned with a snarl. "You're not to say his name. You're the reason he's dead."
"He's not dead," she fired back. "I don't know why you think that or what idiotic notion is in your brain, but he's alive. At least for the moment. I can't guarantee that state of being will last."
He scoffed. "I won’t believe the lies of one who is proven a traitor."
Eva growled. "Don't be an idiot. Why would I betray you? It makes no sense and you're not a stupid man."
Darius's eyes narrowed. Sensing an opening, Eva stopped struggling. "Sebastian saved me during the fight and then got scared and flew away. Ollie can tell you. He was there when I nearly drowne
d."
"Ollie was injured." Jason's quiet voice came from the edge of the crowd.
Eva felt her heart stop and she looked frantically around trying to spot him. "Is he alright?"
Jason hesitated before starting to answer.
Darius cut him off. "It doesn't matter."
"It damn well matters to me," Eva snapped. He was her friend. With the way things were looking, perhaps her only friend. Family in every way that counted.
"He's healing, but he got pretty banged up," Jason rushed to say before the general could put her in her place.
Eva took a deep breath, calming. That was good then.
"I want to see him," she said.
"Not yet," Darius said, still looking like he'd gladly murder Eva with his own hands.
Eva nodded. He was right. She needed to finish what she'd come here to do. "Caden followed Sebastian and found me. We were making our way back when we were attacked by the same men who’d captured Sebastian. Caden thought there was a better chance of each of us surviving if he sent me ahead to find you. He stayed behind, but there are too many for him to fight alone. He'll die unless you help."
The suspicion in Darius's expression didn't relent.
"Perhaps we should check her story out," Fiona suggested, appearing from the darkness.
She spared a brief glance for Eva before focusing on the general.
"You believe her?" he asked.
Eva felt hope leap inside.
Fiona lifted one shoulder as she scratched her cheek, her expression closed-off and uncertain. "I don't know what to believe. She didn't seem the sort to do what the throwaways insisted she did, but then how well do we ever know a person?"
Eva spun to face Darius again. “Vincent? You’re taking Vincent’s word over mine? Are you idiots?”
Those around them winced slightly and shifted uneasily.
“He’s had it out for me since we started,” Eva continued.
“Are you saying he lied?” Drake asked sharply.
Eva’s eyes were wide and disbelieving as she faced Caden’s Anateri. She hadn’t noticed him and Jane at the fringes of the group until now. “Yes. A million times yes.”
Jane’s lips twitched but the expression was gone almost before Eva was sure she’d seen it.
“She does have a point,” Jane said.
