by T. A. White
He let out a snicker that quickly trailed off as he shifted in pain. "You're so quick to judge. You did it with the Anateri commander; you do it with everyone. You let first impressions rule you too much. One misstep and you write them off."
"I don't do that," she protested.
He fixed her with a hard look and her shoulders slumped. Maybe she did.
"Once people let you down, you never give them a second chance. I think you're missing a lot of great things because of it," he said softly.
She looked down at her hands and didn't answer him immediately.
He nudged her. "I'm not saying you don't have reason, but maybe take a second look every once in a while. You might be surprised by what you find."
She lifted her gaze and gave him a small nod. She'd think about his words. That was all she could promise. The scars of her past weren't so easily healed or ignored.
Ollie settled back further, his eyes closing. "Now, tell me about your adventures in the short time you've been gone. Maybe they'll distract me from the pain."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"Was he really alive when you left him?" Jane asked. It was the first words the Anateri had spoken to her since her return the night before.
Eva glanced at her, noting the attentive expressions on Jane and Drake’s faces. There was a cautious hope in both their eyes.
Eva realized she wasn't the only one feeling his absence. These two had a much longer history with him than Eva did. They were Caden's soldiers, men and women he'd handpicked for the greatest honor a warrior could ask for—serving at the side of their warlord.
They had a loyalty to their commander that was bedrock deep. They'd do anything for him, she'd wager.
Their stern expressions concealed concern and a hope so tentative they dared not dream it.
Eva jerked her chin down in a nod. "He was."
"Why did he send you back alone?" Jane questioned.
"He said it was our best chance of survival."
Drake raised an eyebrow as his lips twisted with skepticism.
Eva glared at them. She'd hoped to keep this next part to herself, but she saw that wasn't a possibility given their doubt. "He might also have insinuated I'd only get in his way if I remained."
The two grinned.
"That sounds more like him," Drake said.
"Don't worry about the commander, lady," Jane added. "He has a way of surprising you."
"I'd wager we get there and he'll frown and ask what took us so long," Drake said.
Jane chuckled. "Do you remember the town near that marsh? I thought for sure he was dead when he ended up at the bottom of that pile of revenants. Instead, when we pulled them off him, he glared and said he had it handled."
"Or when we got caught in that flash flood and all nearly died. Somehow, he was the only one who managed to end up two miles away from everyone else," Drake said.
The two shook their heads before Jane slapped Eva on the shoulder. "Don't frown so. Caden will likely outlive us all. He has more lives than a cat."
Eva blinked, wondering whether their stories were actually meant to make her feel better. They didn't—especially given Caden’s habit of referring to her as a trouble magnet. Seemed like he had his own talent for attracting interesting situations.
A small smile touched her face. Either way, it was a kindness they offered her, trying to allay her concern when they didn't have to.
Jason approached, leading Caia, his expression hesitant. "I thought you might want to ride her for today."
She took the reins, surprised. This was the second nice thing he'd done for her in as many days. She wouldn't soon forget he'd been the one who told her Ollie had survived. "I do, thank you."
He jerked up a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. "It's not a big deal. You'd have had to ride something, and she's been a pain in the ass ever since you left."
There was a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks though he didn't meet her eyes.
His careless kindness warmed her—especially when she’d thought her time with the Trateri was nearing its end. Perhaps she'd done the same as Darius and the other Trateri, jumped to conclusions during a heightened situation where emotions were running high.
"Jason.” Eva stopped him as he started to walk away. "Darius thinks it best I keep my distance from Sebastian for now. Can you keep an eye on him today?"
She dug in her pouch and offered him a comb. "He likes having his mane brushed. If you scratch the side of his neck, he'll pretend he doesn't like it, but he really does."
Jason stared at her in surprise, taking the brush carefully as if she'd offered him a priceless treasure.
"Really?" he asked.
She nodded. "He also likes the fatty bits of meat best."
Happiness and pleasure filled Jason's expression, transforming it from the sour frown she was used to seeing.
"I won't let you down," he promised.
"I know you won't. You're very skilled with the horses. You'll make a fine herd master one day," she told him.
He hesitated, before stepping forward and clasping her in a one arm hug, shoulder pressed against hers like the hugs she'd seen Trateri of the same clan give each other, before he stepped back and jerked a nod in her direction.
There was a low whistle from Drake. "That's a change."
"It was a thank you, that’s all,” Eva said, feeling slightly embarrassed. “He's wanted to be in charge of Sebastian's care from the beginning."
Drake slid her a look. "That was a clan greeting. We only give them to those in our own clan or those who we consider our blade brothers or sisters. He essentially accepted you as one of his own. Don't discount it's meaning. Someone like him has likely offered it to a rare few."
Eva was silent as she considered Drake’s words. She glanced Jason's way as he hurried through the camp.
Perhaps Ollie had been right, and she had misjudged him, dwelling upon the bad impression he'd left on her during their first meeting and attributing all his actions since to that.
Eva mounted with the rest, guiding Caia into line as the small group Darius had picked for this journey set out.
Reece and two Trateri scouts had already left, scouting ahead to make sure the way was safe.
Eva and Caia fell in behind Darius, Jane and Drake taking up position around her as Sebastian took to the sky.
Eva looked for Ajari but didn't see him on any of the horses. He wasn't on Sebastian either. Come to think of it, she'd never seen the mythological ride the Kyren.
"Where is Ajari?" she asked.
Darius nodded to the ridge.
She glanced up, spotting the dark shape loping along it. His figure was a blur, his movement graceful but inhuman. The bright sun peeking over the horizon made it difficult to see details, but she knew it was him. His mind was a bright light in hers.
"Talented bastard," Ghost muttered.
Eva couldn't help but nod in agreement. If she'd tried something like that, she would have broken a leg before toppling down the side.
"I could do a lot if I had that ability," Fiona said admiringly. "No place would be closed to me."
"Yeah, but then you'd have to run all the time," Hanna pointed out.
Fiona shrugged. "Worth it."
"I'd rather have a Kyren." Laurell thought a moment, then shrugged. "Or wings."
Fiona leaned over her horse to get a better glance at Eva. "What was flying like?"
Eva shuddered. "Terrifying."
Beautiful, awe-inspiring, but terrifying. Especially without a harness or saddle. One wrong move and you're dead.
She'd give a lot to never do it again.
"Enough chatter," Drake cautioned. "We're picking up the pace."
The women fell silent as Darius's horse broke into a gallop, the rest of them quickly following suit.
They traveled at that pace until the hills grew steep and they were forced to slow. They went single file down the paths Reece led them to, the pathfinder appearing and disappeari
ng with little warning.
Some paths were little more than trampled grass and shrubs, game paths if Eva had to guess. Others were hard packed dirt or slabs of stone.
Tension stole into Eva as the morning deepened. Darius had been right to hold off from attempting the journey last night. They most likely would have fallen into one of the numerous ravines or broken a horse's leg.
That didn't make her feel much better as she considered Caden's chances of survival.
They'd been traveling for several hours when Darius gestured Eva forward. "Does any of this look familiar?"
She hesitated. She thought it looked familiar, but what if she was wrong? The Highlands, for all their beauty, could be monotonous. One hill and valley often resembled the next.
"I think so," she said.
"Where to next?" he asked.
She glanced around. So much counted on her getting this right. Yet, finding her way was more difficult than she’d anticipated. It'd been dark last night, and she'd been exhausted.
If she could climb on Sebastian's back for a bird's eye view, maybe something would jog her memory. She knew without asking that wasn't a possibility.
Sebastian circled overhead, waiting for her to notice him, before darting in a direction that took him north and to the west.
Eva pointed. "That way."
Darius didn't seem convinced even as he lifted a hand, signaling the rest.
"If you're wrong—" he started.
"Yes, yes, you'll subject me to a very painful death," Eva snapped. There were only so many times you could be threatened with death before you became numb to it. "Now I need silence to concentrate. Unlike some, I'm not used to navigating from the air."
There were a few snickers from those around them, quickly smothered when Darius arched an eyebrow at her.
"Impressive. The herd mistress has a spine after all," he drawled.
"You sound like Caden." She turned away without checking to see his reaction, shading her eyes from the morning sun.
She kicked Caia into a fast trot, monitoring Sebastian's progress as she moved.
The Anateri quickly caught up to her, one reaching out and pulling her to a gentle walk.
"Don't get too far ahead of us," Jane warned her. "You said there were enemies about. We don't need to give them an easy shot at you."
Eva flushed, nodding. Jane was right. She should have thought of that.
She inhaled, holding her breath for a moment before exhaling. She forced her shoulders and hands to relax as Caia shifted under her, picking up on her tension.
Reece appeared out of the brush like a ghost.
Darius reined to a stop beside her.
Reece beckoned them. "I found something I think you'll want to see."
Darius dismounted, handing his reins to one of his men as Eva hurried to follow.
They pushed through shrubs, suddenly stumbling to a halt as the smell of death filled the air.
Eva covered her nose. The coppery scent of blood mixed with the heavy scent of despair.
Reece stood beside a bloody heap on the ground. It took Eva several seconds to realize it was a person and not just a dirty bundle of rags.
She swallowed hard, bile and saliva threatening to come up. Unlike a warrior, she was affected by the sight and smell of death.
Those around her seemed curious, but unmoved. This was another day, another body. Not the first, and certainly not the last.
For Darius and his warriors, death was their business. They neither feared, nor abhorred it. One day it would come for them, too. Perhaps sooner than it would for other men, considering their life choices. For that reason, they treated it as a respected foe. Something to be aware of but never feared.
This attitude allowed them a certain freedom from the shackles that held most people back. Eva couldn't help but think how things might have been different in her old village if they'd had a similar perspective. Or if she'd treated death in the same fashion.
"Bastard was taken from behind," Reece said, kneeling and pointing to his wounds. "The first stab made it so he couldn't scream. The next was so he would bleed out slowly. The wielder was efficient and merciless. I found two more bodies just like him."
There was respect and admiration in the pathfinder’s voice as he outlined what had happened.
Drake whistled when he caught sight of the dead man. "Looks like someone had a little fun last night."
He knelt beside him, shifting the body for a closer look.
Jane stopped beside Eva, her expression deadpan as her partner investigated.
Drake sat back on his heels and looked up at the rest of them. "If I had to guess, I'd say this is Caden's handiwork."
Darius slid a thoughtful look Eva's way. "It seems you really were telling the truth."
"Don't rush to apologize," she said with a bravado she didn't feel.
The smile he gave her was sharp and menacing. "Don't worry, I hadn't planned on it."
Eva ignored him, looking around. "What now?"
"Now, we go hunting," Darius said as Reece stood and wiped his hands with a slight moue of distaste.
Darius walked away before Eva could voice any of the many questions crowding her mind.
Jane took her arm. "Don't worry. This is a good sign."
"How is it a good sign?" Eva asked. Dead people weren't usually a reason to rejoice.
"The commander lay in wait for this opportunity."
"How can you tell?" she asked, looking around for what she'd missed.
She still didn't see what Jane saw. The area was at the base of a hill, shrubs clinging to the dirt, rocks and boulders strewn all around.
"The signs are everywhere if you know where to look," Jane said. "He took the fight to them. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't think his odds of survival were good."
"We only need to find him," Drake said.
"And hope he's not injured," Fiona added.
Laurell slapped her in the stomach with the back of her hand.
"What?" Fiona asked.
"Sometimes I really worry about your brain," Laurell said, shaking her head.
Their banter loosened the hard fist squeezing Eva's heart and she allowed the smallest of smiles to slip out in appreciation. The fear and suspicion from last night seemed to have been washed away in the light of day.
Eva didn't know if that was a good thing or not. It was easier to keep her distance when they were treating her like a pariah. Less so, when they joked with her and acted like she was one of them. She feared it would set her up for a greater disappointment later on.
The group mounted up and rode out.
Given the location of the body, Darius and Reece suspected the dead man had been a sentry, which meant the main campsite wasn't far. Find it, and Caden was likely to be close by, keeping watch.
Or at least that was the theory.
They hadn't ridden long before Eva began to notice signs of conflict. Charred grass and shrubs, disturbed earth where vegetation had been ripped away.
The warriors around her were tense, their expressions guarded and their bodies poised for action. More than one loosened the swords attached to their saddles, while the archers prepared their bows and arrows for easy access.
The only sounds she could hear were those of the horses, the quiet clop of their hooves and the occasional snort. These horses, unlike those assigned to non-warriors, were trained for silence. They would tolerate the presence of blood and death where another might spook. They were as loyal as any hound, ready and willing to follow their rider into danger.
Some of them, Eva had trained herself, working to get them ready for the life of a warrior's mount. She knew exactly what they were capable of.
Caia's ears flicked. They were close.
In the next moment, they stepped into a small campsite where a hard-fought battle had been waged.
There was a muttered curse from Ghost and a plea for the gods’ protection from one of the warriors as they rode in
to its midst.
The grass was charred in many places, and Eva caught sight of the remnants of tents, burnt and blackened. Bodies, more numerous than she could count at a first glance, lay facedown in the dirt. Some were bloody, red staining the ground under them. Others were blackened; whatever fire had found the camp, had found them too.
Amid it all, Caden calmly watched them approach from a seat atop a boulder near the middle of the carnage.
His face was dirty, soot staining his skin. There was a small bruise under one eye and the skin of his knuckles was torn and bloody, but other than that he seemed unhurt.
The group was silent as they observed the devastation.
Caden's gaze was focused, his eyes like chips of ice as they touched on Eva briefly as if to reassure himself of her safety before moving away.
"You're late," Caden said, not moving from his spot. "I expected you hours ago."
Darius's lips turned up slightly. "Your lady had trouble pinpointing the direction. Next time you send for reinforcements, perhaps make sure they can find their way back again."
Eva started, twisting to glare at the general. She hadn't been that inept.
Caden's eyes moved to hers, his lips twitching in a ghost of a smile that was gone before she could even process seeing it. "We'll work on it."
Eva didn't think so. This type of thing was for warriors and scouts. Not herd mistresses.
"What happened here?" Darius asked, running a bored eye over the destruction. "This is extreme even for you."
Caden stood, tossing the sharpened stick he'd been toying with to the ground.
Ajari stepped into view, the mythological's expression considering, as he took in the scene.
"I'd like to claim credit, but a good bit of this was done by her pet," Caden said with a nod to Eva.
Everyone's gaze swung to Eva. She shook her head in confusion.
"I don't have a pet," Eva started. It was the last thing she said before she found her arms full of an enthusiastic fox. He'd almost doubled in size since she'd left him with Caden, and he now had a third tail. The three tails made for a fluffy bundle as he licked her neck and chin, making happy sounds as he nuzzled her.
"Not a pet, huh?" Fiona asked, raising her eyebrows. "Could have fooled me."
