The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,25

with a twist of his lips. It might have been intended as a friendly expression, but instead it managed to seem vaguely threatening.

"He's not a pet," Eva said, a part of her rejecting his words before she could think better of it.

"Oh?" the new mythological drawled. "And yet I see the marks of a collar around his neck."

"That wasn't us," Eva insisted stubbornly.

A nose appeared over her shoulder as the Kyren peered at the newcomer with a chastising look.

The wingless mythological's expression lightened the barest bit, enough for Eva to think the smile was real this time. "Very well, I'll stop torturing the little mouse."

The Kyren whinnied before pulling back and wheeling in time to prevent Caia from stealing his blanket.

"It appears the other mouse has brought a feast for our four-legged friend," the Tenrin observed.

Eva twisted as Jason stopped his horse next to them with a subtle shift in his seat. To the horse who read his rider’s intentions by the seat bones, it would seem as Jason had sat down a little harder. It was a show of expertise from a man Eva would have liked nothing more than to dismiss as incompetent.

Jason remained on his horse as suspicion and wariness of the new arrivals crossed his face. To Eva, he said, "Hardwick told me to bring meat to the winged horse this morning."

The wingless Tenrin waited, his hands behind his back. "Interesting. Which of you will brave my friend's teeth, I wonder?"

He was doing this on purpose, Eva realized. Making them uncomfortable and then taunting them when he was successful.

Deciding he'd had enough of her attention, Eva stepped close to Jason's horse, a red roan who regarded all of them alertly.

She held her hands up. "I'll take it."

"You sure?" Jason asked. "Those teeth look very sharp. I can do it if you're afraid."

Eva reached up and jerked free the package he held. "I'm not afraid. The Warlord gave me this task. I will do it."

Jason shrugged to show her decision didn't really affect him in one way or another. A lie, if the jealousy gleaming in his eyes was anything to judge by.

"I see you're not a real fast learner," Ollie observed as Eva moved away.

A demanding screech came from her charge as he cantered toward her. He nodded his head several times, repeating the sound.

"What is that noise?" Jason grimaced

"He's hungry," Eva said as she carefully unwrapped the package. "You would be too, if you'd had the night he’d had."

The smell of cooked meat wafted up to her, making her mouth water. The mythological wasn't the only one feeling his stomach. Eva was too. It had been a long night, and she'd had only a cold dinner that consisted of dried fruit and nuts.

She pulled a piece free as the mythological crowded her. Ollie sucked in a harsh breath as the mythological's head dipped and he took the meat from her with surprisingly gentle teeth.

Eva pulled another piece free, feeding it to him and then another after that.

With him occupied with food, Eva was able to examine him. He looked different standing in the full light of morning. His coat gleamed as if the deepest part of night had been distilled into it. There was no hint of brown or mahogany in the undertones as was so often the case with animals who appeared to be all black.

Eva was interested to note his wounds had scabbed over. They appeared several days healed rather than a few hours.

The mythological tired of being fed one piece of meat at a time, shifting so he could gobble from the package in a quick movement that initially sent Eva's heart into her throat.

"Wait, let me set it down," she told him, barely keeping the package from toppling.

She didn't know what he'd do if he was deprived of food. Maybe go after her throat instead?

He attacked the meal with a single-minded intensity that hinted at his extreme hunger.

Curious as to what he was eating, Caia came closer, a whuffling sound escaping her as she tried to lip at the paper Eva held.

Eva shoved her nose away. "No, this isn't for you. Go away, you daft horse."

Caia was undeterred, pushing closer as she tried to get at the meat Eva was feeding the mythological. Sensing his meal was about to be stolen, the mythological shifted closer, bumping Eva with his massive chest and nearly sending her to the ground.

Caia did the same on the other side, nearly stepping on Eva's foot in