Fiona had been injured not long after Trenton. For a while, they hadn’t been sure she’d make it. She looked much better than the last time Shea had seen her.
Fiona was a short woman, her compact form containing a forceful personality. She was a warrior, commander of her own squad and well respected among the Trateri.
“I’m glad you made it safely through,” Fiona said, her fierce amber eyes warm. She turned back toward where Reece was chastising the pathfinder, giving Shea a glimpse of the three faded scars that ran along the line of her jaw. “Your cousin is pretty interesting, though.”
Shea choked when she noticed the considering look in the other woman’s eyes, one that said she was imagining what Reece looked like naked.
“He has his moments,” Shea finally forced out.
“Indeed,” Fiona said with a lascivious grin before sauntering off.
Fallon joined her, his expression distracted. Shea didn’t mind. She used the time to massage the shoulder she’d fallen on during the skirmish with the bashe. It ached. In fact, her whole body was sore, various places throbbing in a way that told her tomorrow would be worse.
“You look awful,” Fallon said in an abrupt voice.
Shea snorted as a laugh escaped her. “Gee, thanks. I’ll remember to clean up next time I slay a monster.”
Fallon’s eyes were warm, the color of molasses as his lips tilted up. “My love, if you wanted my attention, you only had to ask. There was no need to go out and kill the biggest thing you could find.”
She gave him an arch look. “That’s a mighty big ego you have there, thinking I did all this for your regard.”
His lips twitched.
Before they could say more, a familiar face appeared.
“Dane! You have no idea how good it is to see you again,” Shea exclaimed.
The other man gave her the cocky, slanted smile she remembered. Sky blue eyes in a handsome face stared back at her, relief and happiness reflected in their depths. Dane had always been a looker. The women of Birdon Leaf had made eyes at him every time he walked by. But, it had always been the type of beauty fitting for a youth. The months since they’d last seen each other had carved lines in his face, maturing him. The Dane of before was like a fine piece of art, pretty but insubstantial. The man before her now was as beautiful as a mountain range. Wild, dangerous, and as stable as the ground beneath them.
“Shea, I thought I was imagining things when I realized it was you in the mist.” He clasped her forearm against his and brought her in for a short hug, slapping her on the back.
Fallon and the Anateri around them went ramrod straight, focusing their predatory attention on him. There was a slight growl from her warlord before she stepped back.
Dane either didn’t notice or pretended not to. He turned and gestured at the woman watching them with a bored expression from across the courtyard. “Peyton, get over here.”
He turned back to Shea and shook his head. “She’s even grumpier than you were when you first came to the village.”
His eyes went to Witt as the other man joined them. “I can’t believe you’re still alive. I was sure you were dead as soon as that idiot Paul panicked while escaping.” Dane’s face turned sincere. “I never did get to thank you for that, by the way. I know things would have gone much differently if you hadn’t sacrificed yourself.”
Witt shrugged, dismissing the sentiment. “I’m glad you managed to escape the fate of Birdon Leaf.”
Dane’s face had sobered. “Yes, that is a sad thing.”
“Did any of the others make it out?” Shea asked.
Grief touched Dane’s face. “Very few.”
Despite everything they’d done to her, Shea had hoped for better. Not everyone in the village had been self-involved idiots. There had been good people there, too. For Dane, the grief would be worse. He’d grown up in that village. His parents, their parents, and their parents before them had been born and died there, were buried next to its walls. Losing everyone he’d once known had to be devastating on a scale Shea could barely imagine.
Her time with them had been brief and fraught with conflict.
“But, that is a story for when we have copious amounts of ale in our hand,” Dane said with a smile that didn’t quite hide the grief in his eyes. “Right now, I wanted to introduce you to Peyton.”
The other woman’s gaze was cool as she took in Shea and the rest of the Trateri. Even wearing clothing that was a little too big, her hair pulled back in a braid and a stubborn look on her face, the woman managed a beauty that was only outshined by the forceful personality stamped on every line of her face. Her features were delicate, like spun glass, belying the strength it would have taken to get to where she was.
Shea could see she complemented Dane—not just in looks, but personality as well. Reserved where he was gregarious, cautious where he was bold.
Shea gave her a happy smile and stuck out her hand. The other woman looked surprised and suspicious, as if not used to such a response.
