“The one who made people sleep as it froze the sentries, killing them,” Fallon said.
Shea watched him in surprise. How did he know that?
She felt more than saw his shrug as he guessed at the meaning behind her silence. “I read all the reports from your group before I decided to have you join the Anateri. Then I read them again when I found out who you really were.”
Shea didn’t know whether to be flattered or slightly worried. It didn’t help that she understood the reasoning behind his actions. He was the consummate hunter, only his prey were humans. He’d wanted to learn everything he could about her so that he could anticipate her next move even before she decided to make it.
“That’s not creepy or anything,” Reece muttered.
Shea spoke before Fallon could say anything in response. “I suspect the frost was a bi-product. It was more like the being was absorbing our life essence, and the frost and cold was the result. It was also sentient.”
Her father’s interest sharpened. “What makes you say that?”
She hesitated, not wanting to sound crazy. It was the reason she’d kept a few things back in her original report to Eamon. “It spoke to me. In my mind.”
“Are you sure you weren’t imagining things?” Reece’s question was predictable.
“No, I know what I heard.”
There was a long silence as they each digested that. It was one thing for the Highlands to be affected by whatever this was. It had always borne the brunt of the Badlands’ weirdness. The Lowlands had rarely been affected. For it now to be home to the same oddities, said something. Shea had a sneaking suspicion that it would mean trouble for them all.
“Either way, it’s not going to tell us why those creatures stampeded right through our camp,” her father said.
“We’ll increase the sentries,” Fallon said. “Our men should be returning from their patrol soon.”
“Hopefully, they’ll be able to help us make sense of this,” Braden said.
Fallon looked up at the sky. “There are still several hours until sunrise. It’d be best to use that time to rest. Tomorrow is going to be another long day.”
“I agree,” Shea’s father said. “Until we know what’s out there, it’s too dangerous to try to move.”
The dark would make navigating the trail treacherous—especially for the horses. No one wanted to risk them stepping wrong and breaking a leg. Or worse, someone falling down the side of a ravine because they couldn’t see well enough to avoid it. Their only option was to wait out the night.
The camp was slow to settle down after the excitement. Even once the patrols came back to report they could find no sign of anything out there, people were loath to find their sleep.
The mood was tense, the night stifling in a way it hadn’t been before.
Shea lay next to Fallon, the side of her body touching his. She knew he was awake but didn’t speak. Rest was a long way off. She suspected she wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
It was a long time before she closed her eyes and sleep took her.
She woke the next morning feeling no more refreshed than she had before she lay down.
Her body felt slow and sluggish, her eyes gritty and full of sand as she prepared her mount to ride.
“Please tell me we’re almost there,” Buck said, yawning as he prepared his horse next to hers.
“We’re almost there,” Shea parroted.
He snorted and slid her a disgusted glance. “Now, try to make me believe it.”
Her smile almost took her by surprise. “What’s the matter, scout? I thought you were happiest on the trail.”
His eyes rolled so hard he resembled a spooked horse. Her smile widened. “Please. It’s you who gets antsy if you’re around people too long.”
“Fair enough.”
He looked around him with an assessing stare. “I’ll admit, our destination may be no better than the journey this time.”
