where he lay on the ground, his hands open and spread as if to say he was unarmed and harmless.
Shea soon saw why as Wilhelm appeared from Shea’s other side, blade drawn and his face an implacable mask.
So much for not offending another clan leader. Her guard had his blade at Ember’s throat and her other one looked like he was seriously considering stabbing the man lying on the ground through the stomach.
Daere stepped forward, her face flushed and her eyes glittering furiously. “Explain the meaning of this.”
For a minute Shea thought she meant Trenton.
“Ember will not tolerate the abuse of a child,” Zeph said, his face reserved as he ignored the blade at his throat. He looked with interest at Shea trying to sooth Mist by rocking her back and forth. The child’s chest heaved with the force of a bellows. “But perhaps we were hasty in our assumptions.”
Shea gave him an incredulous look as if to say ‘ya, think?’ The woman beside Zeph smothered a smirk.
Zeph’s expression was wry as he acknowledged her unvoiced point.
“I met Mist right before the eagle attack,” Shea said. She chanced straightening, not wanting to have this conversation while she was on her knees. “It wasn’t until afterwards when a healer was examining her for injuries that we discovered she’d been mistreated.”
“She’s the child you saved,” the blond on the ground said. Wilhelm shifted forward, his movement a threat. Bax held his hands up higher and gave the other man an apologetic look.
“Yes.”
“My apologies, Daere,” Zeph told the other woman. “I should have known you of all people wouldn’t serve a woman who abused children.”
Shea looked between the other two, feeling like she’d missed something. This wasn’t the first time someone had referred to Daere and a child. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask a question. She swallowed it back when she noticed the grief on Daere’s face. Shea had a feeling this story had a very sad ending. She didn’t want to subject Daere to having to explain such a thing in front of all these people. She’d tell her if she wanted to, eventually.
“Yes, you should have known better,” Daere said, not giving Ember’s clan leader an inch of understanding.
Zeph inclined his head as much as the blade Trenton held at his throat would permit. “You’re right. This was an unfortunate assumption.”
Daere’s face was implacable. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”
Zeph nodded, his gaze shifted to Shea. “Please forgive our jumping to conclusions.”
“You’re all idiots,” Shea declared before she could think better of it.
A choked sound came from the woman at Zeph’s left. Shea ignored her and the slightly surprised look on Zeph’s face. Did he really think she’d let this go so easily?
“You frightened Mist and damn near created an incident that could have left several dead. Even if you’d been right about me abusing her, there are a dozen different ways you could have handled it that didn’t lead to bloodshed.”
“We’re Trateri, darling. Bloodshed is what we do,” the man lying on the ground drawled.
Shea lifted an eyebrow, utterly unimpressed with his charm. “And scaring little girls until they cry, is that also what you do?”
Bax frowned, his blue eyes flicking to the little girl and then back to Shea. “That wasn’t my intention.” To Mist, he said, “Little one, I meant you nor your protector any harm. Please forgive me.”
The smile he flashed her would have decimated anyone over the age of sixteen. It was charm personified. Shea was willing to bet Bax had ladies lined up just begging for his apologies.
Mist peeked at him before burying her head back in Shea. “No.”
Bax’s smile faded and he looked slightly irked. Shea had to fight against a smile. It would be many years before a smile like that would work on the little girl.
The woman at Zeph’s side broke into peals of laughter, the sound cutting through the gathering tension faster than a knife. “Finally, someone capable of ignoring that oh-so-slick charm that you’re known for.”
“Shut it, Holly. No one asked you.” Bax shot the woman a glare.
“No one needed to. As the only other woman in this camp who ever saw through that phony façade of yours, I must show her my appreciation.” Holly came forward, taking a knee in front of Mist. Shea didn’t move, watching with interest this other woman dressed in the same simple garb as the men. While the Trateri allowed their women to serve in the