“That means you’ll do it, right? You’ll put in a good word for me?” Buck yelled at her back.
She lifted a hand and waved. “You’ll owe me one.”
“Just put it on my tab.”
CHAPTER THREE
SHEA STEPPED out of the tent she shared with Fallon when he was home—a tent bigger than any house she’d lived in. It had to be to accommodate his guests on the occasions when he entertained. Shea had only been present for a few of those occasions, but she was glad to have the space.
She took two steps forward and stopped.
Daere waited for her, arms folded over her chest and an implacable expression on her face.
Shit. Trenton must have informed Fallon’s cousin of Shea’s planned activities for the day.
Shea hesitated before straightening her shoulders and meeting Daere head on. She was an adult and fully capable of letting Daere know that she was riding out to meet Fallon. The other woman could argue as much as she wanted, but it wouldn’t change Shea’s plans.
“Going somewhere?” Daere asked. Her expression left Shea no doubt that Daere already knew the answer to that.
“I’m joining Eamon when he rides out this morning to meet Fallon.”
“Are you now?” Daere’s eyebrow lifted.
“Yup. That’s what I’m doing.”
“And when were you going to inform me of this?”
Shea thought the answer to that question was fairly obvious. Instead of giving a response that would have guaranteed Daere’s wrath, she said, “I’m informing you now.”
Daere’s jaw tightened, a vein throbbing in her neck. Shea waited.
“You are a stubborn, stubborn woman.”
Shea nodded, acknowledging the claim. She was. There was no getting around it. She was also hardheaded and horrible with people. She fully acknowledged her failings.
“If I didn’t know Fallon as well as I do, I would question his sanity in choosing you, of all people, as his telroi.”
Shea narrowed her eyes but didn’t respond. She wanted this over with and continuing to engage would just prolong it.
“Nothing to say?” Daere hands went to her hips. “It’s like talking to a rock.”
Shea let a brief smile cross her face. She’d been told that before.
“You know Fallon asked me to do this.”
“That’s the problem,” Shea said. She didn’t see a way out of this encounter; Daere just didn’t seem in the mood to get fed up and stalk away. Shea would have to share. “He had no right to do that. I don’t need someone to mold me into a Trateri woman.”
“You think you can fit in without my help? Become the helpmeet he needs?”
Shea shook her head, frustrated. “Of course not. That would be impossible.”
Surprise registered on Daere’s face. “Then why have you been such a pain in my ass over the past few months?”
“There’s nothing wrong with me. Nothing wrong with who I am. Fallon knew who I was when he made his offer.”
“Is that what you think?” Daere didn’t sound angry, just curious. “That he’s trying to change you?”
Shea shrugged, uncomfortable with the questions. What else was she supposed to think? He’d banned her from joining the scouts and wouldn’t let her go out with the regular army either. Eamon seemed to think that her path led to bigger things than just trail work, but she wasn’t sure if she believed that. What she did know was that she was not equipped to be someone who supported Fallon from behind the scenes. She needed something that gave meaning to her life, something that made her feel like she had purpose.
