Mist's Edge (The Broken Lands #2) - T.A. White Page 0,117
already admitted to withholding relevant information from our armies.” Gawain gestured at Shea.
“My armies,” Fallon corrected, his regard dagger-like in its sharpness.
Gawain paused in what he’d been about to say. Fallon waited until the rest had focused on him.
“Not your armies. Mine.” He looked at each clan leader in turn. “In case any of you have forgotten.”
The clan leaders dropped their eyes from the challenge in his, and an awkward silence descended. At least awkward to Shea, since she was the cause of the dispute.
Braden met Fallon’s gaze with a stubborn one of his own, while Darius had a thoughtful expression on his face. Shea suspected that any ground she might have won with Braden had disappeared with her admission that she’d withheld information regarding the Highland’s defenses.
She kept her sigh inside.
Fallon returned his gaze to Gawain, giving him his full regard. It was like watching two titans square off, prepared to do battle. Only, one of these titans held all of the weapons and was assured the win.
Gawain bared his teeth in a fake smile. “Of course, Warlord. I never dreamed otherwise.”
Fallon let it go, his body relaxing next to Shea’s. “As I said, I will take a small force into these Highlands and meet with these pathfinders to see if there are any weapons that we might use in this battle.”
“We could go back to our lands,” Ben said. “We’ve gained our spoils from the Lowlands. Our people have never lingered this long after conquering our enemy.”
There was a rustle as the others murmured varying degrees of agreement.
Fallon looked at Braden and bowed his head. The other stranger, the one they’d called Ember, shifted, his big body appearing discomfited for the first time.
Braden took a deep breath. “That’s not an option.”
“For more than one reason.” Fallon’s words didn’t invite questions.
Ember and Braden looked like they might say more, before settling back at a warning look from Fallon. Neither appeared happy.
“I’ll be taking an element from all of the clans. Darius will work with the division commanders to identify those who will follow me into the Highlands. The rest will stay here and maintain the progress we’ve already made.” He waited a beat as the rest of the clan leaders absorbed this information. “That is all. You are dismissed. Tend to your injured and comfort your people.”
The group dispersed. Shea was interested to note Gawain and Van leaving together, their heads close as they murmured together.
“That’s going to turn into a pain in the ass,” Darius said coming to stand next to her.
She made a sound of agreement before glancing up at the normally genial-looking man. Today, his face had grooves carved into his skin, his eyes tired with a hint of sorrow behind them.
They weren’t close—he was more Fallon’s friend than hers and had been responsible for essentially kidnapping her from her former life—but she couldn’t help the empathy she felt for him. She had friends here, but he’d grown up with these people. He probably had family and friends that were put in danger.
“Did you lose anyone?” Shea asked.
He nodded, grief leaking through his normal shields.
She hesitated before laying a hand on his shoulder. Words always felt so inadequate in situations like these. She remembered people voicing platitudes after her return from the Badlands. They brought little comfort and usually made her want to punch something.
Sometimes the only thing to do was offer silent commiseration.
After a long moment Darius said, “Eamon and his team are among my first choice to head into the Highlands.” His eyes were shrewd as Shea looked away. “Their time spent with you will serve them well, I think. They’re uniquely qualified to face the dangers of your homeland.”
Shea couldn’t argue with that. Of any in Fallon’s army, Eamon and Buck were the two who were most prepared for what lay above the fault. Their time spent with her meant they’d learned more than most about beast sign, not to mention the campfire stories she’d shared on occasion. Nothing that would have pointed to her origin, just stories meant to caution about what lay in the dark places of these lands.
“You’re going to have to make a choice, you know,” Darius said when Shea was quiet. “Between us and who you used to be. Someone who splits their loyalty between two gives their loyalty to none.”
“It’s not that easy,” Shea said. “I may wish to keep my life here but that doesn’t mean I can ignore what has gone before.”