The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,87
could do. Not everything, but enough so he wouldn’t question her.
"The fox showed me a picture of the men.” Eva’s stomach was tight as she waited for his reaction. Suspicion or fear. She braced for both.
Caden was silent as he watched her with a thoughtful expression. Her hands and lips felt numb. The closeness and camaraderie the campfire chat had instilled in her felt far away. It was a nice dream while it lasted.
"I could think of several ways such an ability would come in handy," Caden said.
Eva blinked and gazed at him in disbelief. That was it? That was all he had to say?
“If you’d told me sooner, I could have factored that into our strategy,” he continued.
“I’ve never gotten pictures or words before. Just feelings,” she said slowly, still stunned he hadn’t declared her a witch or treated her like she was crazy. “It’s a relatively new development and won’t help if we’re dead.”
“I suppose not,” Caden said with a slight grin.
A blade flashed and there was a gurgle of sound as Mathias slumped.
"Did you kill him?" Eva asked on a quavering breath. The magnitude of what she’d just shared now paled at the quick way Caden had ended the other man.
"I couldn't leave him alive to reunite with the rest of his people," Caden explained, striding toward her.
"So, you killed him?" she asked, unable to get past that one point.
"Yes, yes. I'm a murderer. I kill when convenient. Hate me for it if that makes things easier for you. Then move past it because you need to survive what's coming," he said impatiently. "Did the fox say where they're coming from?"
Eva's attention swung toward the fox, but it was Sebastian who answered. The north and east.
"You knew?" she asked. "Why didn't you say anything?"
“I take it you can speak to him now too,” Caden said, seeming unsurprised.
Eva ignored him as Sebastian began to speak again.
The information the human obtained could prove useful.
"That wasn't for you to decide," she hissed.
“I take it he had more to say," Caden said.
"He knew they were coming and didn't tell us because he wanted to hear what Mathias knew," she said, the confession making her angry all over again.
"Good decision. I would have done the same," Caden told Sebastian.
Eva felt Sebastian's pride as he preened at the compliment.
Get on my back, Sebastian ordered. I can carry you to safety.
"We can't leave Nell behind out here," Eva said. Beasts would eat him if the people following them didn’t catch him first.
Impatience pushed at her. The human male can stay behind to care for the wingless one.
"We're not leaving him either," Eva said.
Fool.
Eva didn't respond to the insult. If the Kyren thought she was the type to abandon someone in a situation like this, he was wrong. Eva had already done that once and had to live with the consequences of the decision. She wouldn't do that again.
"What's the plan?" she asked Caden.
Hard fingers wrapped around her arm as he pulled her to Sebastian. "You're going to take the Kyren and go."
She shook her head and kept shaking it. "I'm not leaving you behind."
His hand was warm when it cupped her cheek. Firm lips met hers in a kiss that was as surprising as it was heated.
He drew back as a slow smile dawned. His next words snapped her out of the stupor his kiss had sent her into.
"I'm an Anateri warrior. The best Fallon has to offer. You'll only hold me back if I have to worry about keeping you alive. Alone, we each stand a chance. Together, we’ll likely die."
Stung, Eva jerked back, her face wiped clean of all expression. "I told you how I felt about leaving people behind."
"Sometimes we do what we must. There is no shame in that. Get Darius and his warriors. It's our best chance," he advised her, his words hard but the touch against her neck gentle.
For the first time, she wished she was a warrior. Then perhaps she could stay and fight by his side instead of being sent away like a child.
"Stay alive or I'll never forgive you for dying," she warned.
"The terror your disappointment should spawn fails somewhat when coming from a Lowlander," he returned.
He cupped his hands. She stepped into them, allowing him to lift her up before swinging her leg over Sebastian's back.
Once there, she bent down, grabbing his arm before he could turn away. Her mouth opened but no words left her. She didn't know what to say.