The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,51

important to get to know one another."

"You're forgetting Hanna and Jane," the stranger pointed out.

"I forget nothing. Jane is busy guarding us from above and Hanna isn’t important."

The stranger rolled her eyes. "You're still hung up on this? When will you let it go?"

"When my body has burned until nothing is left," Fiona shot back.

"That would be an interesting sight. Please let me know when you decide to take the plunge so I can watch," an amused voice said from behind them.

Eva twisted, startled at the newcomer’s presence. She hadn't heard anyone approach.

A woman, more beautiful than any Eva had ever seen, stood behind them. Her features were delicate and refined, her eyes bright, and her expression amused. Her hair was long, shiny, and without a hint of wave—a fact Eva was jealous of, considering her own hair tended to be unruly and wavy when it wasn't in its customary braid. The only thing that seemed amiss was the fact the woman’s head was shaved on each side, the hair on top creating a long sheet. If it was tied back, it would look like a horse's mane.

Like the other two, she was dressed as a warrior, and moved on silent feet down the hill Eva had stumbled over.

"I saw you sneak off with the herd mistress and wondered what you were up to," Hanna said, her lips curving up in the slightest smile as her eyes sparkled with glee. "So, I followed you."

"Of course, you did," Fiona muttered.

Eva stayed quiet even as her curiosity rose. These two had a history, if the animosity wafting from Fiona was anything to judge by. The other woman was harder to read.

A pleasant expression concealed the woman’s real thoughts and feelings, even as amusement glinted in her eyes at Fiona's obvious dislike. Eva recognized her at last. She'd been with Darius the day Caden had taken her to the Keep for the council meeting.

Hanna's gaze shifted to take in Eva, curiosity filling her expression. "I see you've taken another broken dove under your wing."

Fiona narrowed her eyes at the insult.

Eva didn't particularly appreciate it either.

"Word of warning—Fiona is a good friend to have, fierce and loyal, until you do something she disapproves of. Then she cuts you off without a word. Forgiveness isn’t in her nature," Hanna instructed, her attention sliding slyly to where Fiona had gone still.

The first woman sighed. "You two never change." To Eva, she said, "Come on. This happens every time they cross each other's path. Next, they'll want to settle their differences with blade or fist. Best to give them room until they work it out of their system."

"Ever the peacemaker, Laurell," Hanna murmured.

"Someone has to be, with you two going at each other’s throats for something that is almost a decade past," Laurell said grumpily as she moved away. She lifted a hand and waved it over her shoulder. "When you're done being idiots, come find us."

Eva followed, thinking Laurell had the right of it. Better to let the two work out whatever differences they had without getting in the way. Whatever problems they had were nothing to do with her. She didn't plan to get tangled up in them.

Eva had only walked a few steps when there was the clash of blades. "Are they going to be alright?"

"They'll be fine. They both just like fighting."

Like stallions battling for dominance, Eva supposed. She hadn't realized there were humans who did the same.

"Is that the best you've got?" Fiona growled. "You're slipping, Hanna. Time in Darius's service has made you soft."

There was the screech of metal on metal and then Hanna's exultant laugh.

"What was that about me being soft?"

After that, Eva and Laurell moved out of hearing range.

"You're rather quiet," Laurell observed.

"Is that a bad thing?" Eva asked.

Laurell thought about it for a moment. "No, it's rather refreshing. Most throwaways tend to chatter."

"I'm not most throwaways." And she could argue that Trateri tended to chatter as well. At least the ones who came to her for their horses did.

Laurell slid a glance Eva's way, her expression thoughtful. "No, I suppose you're not."

They came to a small spring bubbling up from the ground. Near it were several meandering pools of teal blue water surrounded by white calcification—the likes of which Eva had never seen before.

There was a strange odor in the air and she could see steam wafting off the water. Stone and rock lined the pool as a thin stream dribbled down the side to fill another pool