“Even the best need men at their back, or did you forget the reason you created the Anateri in the first place,” Caden said, his voice sharp.
Fallon’s face turned dark, the jab hitting its mark.
Trenton and Wilhelm turned their backs and walked a few paces away, giving the two the illusion of privacy. A good thing too, because Fallon wasn’t the type to allow his past to be used against him—even by one of his most trusted men.
Shea remained rooted to the ground, wishing herself anywhere else, but unable to move for fear of drawing attention to herself.
“Careful, First. I may consider you like a brother, but that will not stop me should you go too far,” Fallon warned, his face granite hard.
“If that means you stop and think before you get yourself killed, then so be it.” Caden’s face was just as hard, his jaw clenched, and his eyebrows drawn down. “Your death doesn’t affect just you. The clan leaders will waste no time trying to seize control and destroy everything we’ve accomplished. Or would you like a recap of what happened the last time you disappeared?”
Fallon didn’t respond, the two men locked in a heated stare.
Shea shifted. There was a simple solution to this, but given the tension in the air, she didn’t know if she should recommend it.
“We can add another to the party,” Shea volunteered. “Five is the optimal number, but six isn’t bad since there will be two pathfinders in the group. Myself and the one they assign.”
It wouldn’t fully allay Caden’s concerns, but it should be enough of a compromise that both men would feel they had won. Shea fought the need to roll her eyes at them. It was an easy solution, and either of them could have come up with it if they hadn’t been so stubborn.
The two men glared at each other for a beat longer.
Finally, Fallon relaxed. “That is acceptable.”
“Good. I’ll assign someone to guard his most stubborn ass.” Caden spun on his heel and strode off, leaving Shea staring after him open-mouthed.
All that, and he was going to assign someone else? She’d thought he’d at least put himself into the mix.
A warm hand found its way to her back as Fallon’s chuckle sounded in her ear. “He’s giving himself time to cool off. Truly, the two Anateri with you would be more than enough. This place has got him jumpy.”
Shea craned her head back and gave him a skeptical look. “Maybe, if both Anateri were healthy.”
Trenton wasn’t fully healed from his wounds earlier in the trip. Also, Caden wasn’t lying when he said both her guards would be more worried about her than Fallon. Her warlord had made it very clear he expected her safety to take priority in any situation—especially with her two bookends.
She didn’t have time to continue the conversation as a woman, one not much younger than Shea, approached carrying a long length of sturdy rope. Her face was bright and open, even as she appeared almost nervous in front of them. Shea had seen her a time or two while traveling. She was new, probably after Shea’s time.
“Hello, um, I need you to tie this around your waists,” she said after a fumbling start. She held the rope out to them, blinking rapidly.
Shea took pity on her and plucked it from her hand, unraveling it to see what type of length they were working with. Smaller ropes were tied to the thick main one and would allow them to tie each around their waist, making their jobs a lot easier.
“What’s your name?” Shea asked, hoping the easy question would help her with her apparent nerves.
“Lilah.” A brief smile crossed Lilah’s face. She was a pretty woman and the smile helped ease some of the pinched look on her face. “Right, uh, we’re going to be the sixth group to enter. Please do not untie the rope for any reason.”
Before she could say anything else, a man hustled up. He was one of the Anateri Shea had seen several times but had rarely spoken to.
Trenton and Wilhelm gave him welcoming nods. “Owen, good to see you.”
Owen nodded back before turning to Shea and Fallon. “Warlord, Telroi.”
Fallon didn’t say much, folding muscled arms over his chest as he turned his stare back on the pathfinder.
Lilah flinched and swallowed hard, her glance darting to the sixth man. Shea waited, wondering if she would get up the courage to say something about the fact that they now had too many.
She was mildly surprised when the pathfinder didn’t argue. If she’d been leading an unknown group and they added another person at the last minute, she’d definitely have had something to say. They probably would have stood there arguing until all the others group had passed. She wasn’t sure what that said about her.
Lilah continued with her familiar lecture, her voice still nervous as Shea passed the rope around.
They put themselves in order as Lilah continued to run through the rules. The unfamiliar Anateri ended up first with Fallon second. Next came Wilhelm, then Shea, and finally Trenton, with Witt bringing up the rear. The group’s horses were already on leads and would trail after them in the mist.
