advantage; Jarod’s reflexes had not slowed that much over the millennia.
As if sensing that he could not cow the night elf, the worgen pulled his muzzle back slightly. The two eyed each other for a moment.
“I am sorry,” Jarod finally replied calmly. “I came alone so as to not disturb matters any more than necessary. If I can speak with you for a moment, you will not hear from me again.”
The worgen snarled but finally nodded. “Ask what you want quickly!”
“My name is Jarod Shadowsong—”
“I care nothing for your name! Ask your damned questions!”
The former guard captain nodded. “You did not say anything about being the one to rescue me from that trap.”
“Which should have been enough to tell you I wanted nothing more to do with it. It was a moment of weakness. . . . ” But in the worgen’s tone there was the first hint of sympathy. “I couldn’t leave you there, though.”
“For which I will always owe you. But tell me, why were you there in the first place?”
The Gilnean looked away. “We know of the spellcasters’ murders. We know that we are believed by some to be the culprits! My lord ordered otherwise, but some of us decided to seek answers ourselves.”
“And did you find anything?”
The worgen glared at the heavens. “Yes. We found we die quite easily, too, when snared by traps like the one that caught you!”
Jarod started. “One of yours perished?”
“The trap was not exactly the same. As with yours, it was all but invisible, only the telltale sign of withered foliage where the trap was set revealing its presence. That was how I discovered the one that caught you. This trait we learned, unfortunately, in retrospect from the loss we suffered.”
“I am sorry.”
His companion nodded in acceptance of Jarod’s sympathy. “We could not free her in time. Like yours, it first tortured, yes, but then it made certain that if one managed to escape, a second element would seize the heart from within.” He bared his teeth in remembrance of the foul deed. “We found later that her heart had literally exploded.”
“By Elune!”
“You see now why I did what I could to release you.”
“Where did this happen?”
The worgen again bared his teeth. “Not all that far from where you met your disaster. That was why I was near: I wanted to study the place where she died to see if there was any clue that would help us avenge her.”
“And was there?”
“The only clue was the trap that nearly did you in, night elf.” The Gilnean’s ears flattened. “There’s no more I can tell you.”
The finality in the Gilnean’s tone made it clear that Jarod should not try to push. The night elf understood. “I appreciate what you have told me. It should help.”
“I doubt it. Your sister seems set on blaming us.”
“Maiev will see that what needs to be done will be done,” Jarod replied somewhat defensively. “She has always upheld her duty to our people.”
“But we are not your people.” With that, the worgen stepped back to depart.
Jarod started to do the same, but paused. “If you think of anything more, you know my name.”
The worgen snorted . . . then hesitated. “And mine’s Eadrik. I trust you with that on the assumption that you’ll keep it to yourself.”
“Of course.”
The Gilnean vanished among the trees. Jarod stood there for a moment, wondering whether he had accomplished anything. The worgen’s words milled around in his head as he tried to make sense of it all.
Tried to make sense of it all . . . and prayed that no other Highborne would be assassinated before he could.
21
A LINE DRAWN
The scouts came rushing back to Haldrissa, who suddenly discovered that she had dozed off in the saddle. Fortunately, neither Denea nor any of the other officers noticed, as they were more caught up in the startled looks of the returning Sentinels.
Haldrissa made a quick count and came up two short. Yet, although the scouts rode with much urgency, they did not move as if the Horde were on their heels.
Unfortunately, the news they brought might as well have been such.
Silverwing had fallen.
The scouts had only sketchy information. It was not until a few moments later that those who could much better attest to the disaster arrived.
The once-proud Silverwing Sentinels had been reduced to perhaps a quarter of their strength, and many of those were wounded. Among their survivors was the acting commander, Su’ura, who related the terrifying tale of the outpost’s fall.
Haldrissa