the cause of the attack. That she drew them to her somehow.
She didn't like her oddities being discussed. She rarely even acknowledged them to herself. For someone like Caden, who held the ear of the most powerful people in the land, to see so much left her feeling uncomfortably exposed.
"Could be," he agreed. "But I doubt it. Their attack seemed focused on you."
"Not me," Eva objected. "The Kyren."
His hum said he was willing to let her win this even as he didn't seem entirely convinced.
"How did you find me?" Eva finally asked.
She really hadn't expected anyone to follow. Or that they even could with the way Sebastian had taken off. The fact that Caden had was unbelievable. The Highlands were vast. For him to stumble over her in her time of need was so impossible that she wasn't entirely sure this wasn't some odd dream.
"You're my charge until I deliver you to the Kyren's meadow. You’re my only priority," Caden said. "I followed you. I lost the Kyren fairly quickly, but I saw the direction he was heading. The rest was luck."
"You abandoned Darius and the rest?" she asked, still unable to believe it. The Trateri stuck to their own. They were fiercely loyal like that. She had a hard time believing Caden would break tradition for her, even if the Kyren had factored into that decision. "Just like that?"
"Yes."
Eva fell silent. That wasn't the answer she expected. Not from someone as loyal to the warlord as Caden.
"I surprised you," Caden said.
Eva shrugged.
"Don't be. Duty takes many forms. Protecting you is simply my burden until it is decided otherwise. It is the most important thing to Fallon, and I will see it to its successful completion," he said.
Eva fought to keep her shoulders from rounding. No one liked to be told they were a duty—even if they knew it was true in their heart.
"You've failed anyway," Eva said, her voice slightly bitter. "The Kyren abandoned me."
Silence rode with them as they continued through the valley.
"We shall see," Caden said finally. "You're alive. Anything can still happen."
"Why does the Hawkvale want this alliance so bad anyway?" Eva asked.
She could guess at some of it, but sending his best to make sure she succeeded? She didn't understand why he would go to such lengths.
"That's something a throwaway doesn't need to know." Caden's words were as effective as a slap to the face.
Eva lifted her chin, pride making her dig in when normally she would have let it go. "Perhaps it's simply that you don't know. Maybe the Hawkvale didn't think you important enough to tell."
She sensed rather than saw his smile. "You've gotten brave during the night. Did your run-in with the stone people give you a backbone?"
Eva let out a small hiss. The fox moved to sit in her lap, peering up at her in curiosity. She patted his back to calm him. The last thing she needed was for him to attack Caden.
"I've always had a backbone. Only unlike you, I don't have the strength or the skills to stand up to everyone. I have to pick my battles," she said.
"Is that what you tell yourself?" he prodded.
"What you see as being spineless, I see as simply conserving my energy."
Caden grunted but didn’t argue further, allowing the time to pass in silence. That suited Eva, letting her run through several scenarios on how to find Sebastian again.
Hours later, Caden reined his horse to a stop in the shadow of a small hill. "We'll stop here for the night."
He dismounted, reaching up for her next. His hands were unexpectedly gentle as he lifted her down. Her body brushed his, sending tingles of warmth rushing through her.
The feeling unsettled her, and she stepped away from him as soon as her feet touched the ground. She didn't like this heightened awareness she got around him every time they were near each other. He didn't like her and that was fine, but she wouldn't settle for her body being a traitor.
"I'll take care of the horse," he told her when she went to unlatch the saddle.
Eva stepped back, almost grateful. The day had been exhausting and she was drooping where she stood. If he wanted to do the work, she wasn't going to argue with him.
He dug through the bags, pulling out a towel and a curry brush before tossing the bag to her. "There's dry meat in there. Hunting will have to wait."
Eva sat and dug through the bag, unearthing the food.
She chewed