He surveyed her from under half closed eyes.She folded her arms across her chest.
The question of what was to be done with herhung unspoken in the air.
“Trenton,” he called.
A moment later Trenton walked into the room.He must have been standing right outside the whole time.
“Watch her. Don’t take your eyes off her. Noteven for a moment.”
Fallon stood and strode out of the tentwithout a backwards glance.
Trenton surveyed her before pouring himselfand her a glass of water out of a pewter carafe. He picked up thecups and made his way over to where she was standing frozen.
She watched him come, unable to act one wayor the other. He frowned and then held out one of the glasses. Shetook it and then just held it as she watched him warily.
“You should drink,” he told her. “Then youshould eat.”
It was good advice, and she found herselflifting the glass and taking a long gulp. The cool water slid downher throat. She savored the feeling before forcing herself to takea seat at the table where she fixed herself a plate and atemechanically. It tasted good. A feast fit for a king.
Trenton let her eat in silence for which shewas grateful. It did, however, leave her entirely too much time tothink and worry.
Fallon watched the entrance of his tent as ifit held the answer to a mystery that had been plaguing him formonths. The scout, Shane. No, Shea. Even now he could scarcelybelieve the deception she had pulled on not just him but most ofhis army as well.
A part of him was beyond furious and wantedto make a painful example of her as a warning of what happened whensomeone deceived him. Another part, this one larger, admired theingenuity and strength that allowed her to hide in plain sight.What better place to seek shelter than in the very stronghold ofthe enemy.
After those first few days, none of his menhad even thought of continuing to search within their own army forthe woman.
It was madness. It was brilliance. And now hehad to decide what to do with her.
Now she was in his grasp, and he was just asconfounded as before. He didn’t like it.
“I never imagined she would be hiding rightunder our noses all this time,” Darius mused from his side.
Fallon grunted.
“It’s rather genius. You have to admit.”
“No doubt the clan heads have already begunto spread this story.” Darius continued the one sided conversation,used to the way Fallon got when he was trying to figure out theanswer to a problem. “Bunch of gossips that group is. Worse than agaggle of women.”
By nightfall, the story of the female scoutwould be all over camp.
Fallon really ought to make an example ofher. If it wasn’t for the fact she had saved his life twice andlooked so damn delicate, he would have.
“What are you going to do?”
Fallon gave Darius a dark look.
“You have no idea, do you?” Darius saidsoftly as he watched Fallon disappear into his tent.
Fallon gave a sharp nod to Trenton. The mannodded back and excused himself quickly, leaving the two alone.Fallon loomed over Shea half surprised to find her where he’d lefther.
She looked peaceful in sleep. She rubbed herchin against the hand under her cheek as if she was snuggling downfor the night. She’d curled up in one corner of the room on a pileof rugs.
Her face was bonier than the first time he’dseen her. Her wrists were too. It wouldn’t take much strength tosnap them. It was hard to imagine she had the ability to keep upwith a scouting party, much less have the strength to free him froma spinner web.
She was much shorter than the shortestTrateri. Even the women were several inches taller than her. Shewas slimmer too, lacking the muscled bulk of the women he was usedto. Despite her slender limbs and bony features, he still couldn’tunderstand how he had ever thought her a boy.
There was a fine boned femininity about herface. Her lips were full and kissable and when he looked closer hecould see the curves of the hips and thighs she tried to hide withloose clothes.
