The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,48

but not before Eva caught a glimpse of gruff emotion in his eyes.

She smiled softly. It was good to have friends. Even if they were taciturn grumps.

Eva glanced at Sebastian. "I hope you're happy about this."

The mythological's ears rotated and she could have sworn he had a horsey smirk on his face.

He was enjoying this. Eva would bet her life on it.

"It's not fair she gets to be in there while the rest of us have to ride," Jason complained.

Eva let her head fall back against the wood as she stared up at the sky.

If anyone wanted to take her place, they were welcome to it. Traveling in the wagon promised to be even more uncomfortable than riding horseback for hours on end.

She had a feeling she was going to be one massive bruise by the time they stopped for the night.

"What can you do?" Delia asked. "The Hawkvale chose her for this. We're apprentices anyway. We'd never have been where she is."

"It should have been one of us," Jason said.

"You mean it should have been you," one of the other apprentices, Eva thought his name was Quinn, pointed out.

She couldn't help the brief flash of a smile. It seemed his fellow apprentices weren't as blind to Jason's shortcomings as she’d thought.

"That's not what I meant," Jason argued.

"Save it," Delia said. "I get why you don't like her, given your history, but you're not even giving her a chance.”

"Enough chatter," Ollie barked. "You still have tasks before we set out. Jason, get back to work. Quinn, Delia—even though you’re staying behind, I expect your best for Hardwick."

There was a stunned silence before the apprentices made muffled apologies as they headed back toward their individual assignments.

The sound of someone moving closer reached Eva and fingers slipped through the slats. "Don't listen to whatever they're saying. They're jealous. They'll warm up to you soon enough."

Eva grunted as she touched her fingers to his. She doubted it, but she didn't bother saying that to Ollie. He needed his lies even if she didn't.

"I'll bring you food and water when we stop. For now, this will have to do." A canteen followed by a wrapped package sailed over the wagon wall.

"Ollie, thanks," Eva said.

"What is family for?"

He walked off as Eva rested her head against the wagon wall. In Eva's experience, family usually meant guilt trips and impossible expectations before the inevitable betrayal and heartbreak.

"Are you just going to watch us all day?" Eva asked without looking up.

"Tempting, but I'll let the two of you bond in private." Ajari disappeared from view.

"You have interesting taste in friends," she told the mythological.

He snuffled and snorted in agreement.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Eva unhooked Sebastian's straps, sliding them out of the slats until they rested on the floor. She began to guide the Kyren from the wagon with Ollie calling cues from outside.

Sebastian only made it two steps before he halted.

"Keep going," Eva urged. "You don't want to sleep here tonight, do you?"

Sebastian gave her an irritated look seconds before his wings flared. Eva barely had time to duck before Sebastian cleared her head with a powerful leap, flying out of the wagon as if it was no more of an obstacle than a blade of grass.

Eva waited until she deemed it safe before she straightened. "You're not supposed to be flying on those wings!" She propped her hands on her hips and glared after him. "I guess that means he's feeling better."

He'd better not have damaged his leg any further. Not after she'd spent the day soaking it to take some of the inflammation out.

She wished she knew more about birds and their wings. There had been little she could do for Sebastian besides put more ointment on the cuts and scrapes.

"Must be nice to have spent the day relaxing while the rest of us worked," Jason observed, coming up to stand beside her.

Eva didn't respond, biting back irritated words as she stalked away.

"You'll make more friends if you're a little nicer," he called out to her back.

"What makes you think I'm interested in friends?" she retorted, unable to help herself.

The other man was like a splinter continuously working his way under her skin. She should turn the other cheek, but sometimes the wisest course was not possible.

Her angry steps carried her to the edge of the camp.

Eva raised her hands to the sky, stretching out a back that had grown tense from riding in the wagon all day. Her body protested, warning her of its unhappiness as she