“Mostly.”
That’s what she thought.
“So the little outsider managed to pass thefirst phase.” Snake Clan’s leader sauntered into the training ring.“Honey, that’s the easy part. It’s what happens next that mostdon’t survive.”
“What business do you have here, Snake Clan?”The cantankerous bastard who had so joyfully tortured Shea over thelast few weeks was gone and a remote stranger had taken hisplace.
The dark haired woman shrugged slim, tanshoulders that were bare from a dark green, sleeveless top. The tophad a high collar and a cut out over her chest showing a hint ofcleavage. Heavy bands of metal adorned each wrist. Her hair fell ina thick, straight sheet to her waist.
“I just wanted to see the outsidereverybody’s talking about.”
Meynard looked like he had bitten intosomething sour.
“So far I’m less than impressed,” the womansaid, examining Shea with arms crossed over her chest.
Well, Shea wasn’t overly impressed with thewoman either. She hadn’t met many from Snake Clan. They didn’tusually serve on the front lines.
“You’re really considering makingthisyour Tolroi?” she asked Fallon.
Shea didn’t know if she liked being referredto as a ‘this’. She had a name and a title. Shea folded her armsover her chest and gave the woman her best non-expression. It wasthe one she had perfected during the long winded lectures theelders of Birdon Leaf had subjected Shea to when they disagreedwith something she’d done.
“Look at her. She doesn’t even have thespirit to defend herself when someone insults her.” The womanturned her head towards the crowd as if it was them she was tryingto convince rather than Fallon.
“Our leader needs someone who has the fire tostand up for her people, not some gutless Lowlander.”
“Watch your mouth, woman,” the old mancautioned. His voice was low and dangerous, making a person forgetthe frail body that went with it.
“Indeed, Indra,” a man moved into view.“You’ve always been one to speak thoughts that have no wisdombehind them.”
If she remembered right, he was the HorseClan leader. Henry, she thought she remembered. He had been withDarius when they had investigated the beast board. Shea hadn’treally gotten a look at him then, being more concerned over thedanger of imminent discovery, so she took the time now.
He had white hair that was well kept andbrushed sharply away from his face, leaving his softly linedfeatures on proud display. He walked with a straight back, placingeach foot carefully. You could tell he was once a warrior, and agood one too, simply from the way he kept his balance evenlydistributed at all times and the absolute awareness he had of hissurroundings.
A limp became evident after a closer look. Itdidn’t hold him back as he moved fluidly towards them, so it wasn’ta result of age. If Shea had to guess, she’d say it was an oldwound from when he was a child or one he was born with. Age wouldhave made his gate jerky and stiff. The way he moved said he hadfound ways to turn a potential weakness into a strength.
“She couldn’t even successfully defendagainst Trenton.”
“I’d warrant you wouldn’t be able to either,”Henry said. “None of Fallon’s guard could when they first soughthis esteem. That’s not what Meynard is testing for.”
“This Lowlander has no right to be tested atall,” a male voice said from the edge of the training arena.
This clan leader Shea knew. She wasn’t a fan.The Lion Clan’s leader, Van, joined the other two leaders.
“She isn’t Trateri. The position of theHawkvale’s guard is one of honor. It’s never been held by anoutsider.” Van’s slightly too small eyes were scornful as they ranover Shea, noting every bruise and the hole in her pants from whenshe had dove out of the way of Trenton’s blade.
Shea didn’t let his disregard bother her.Better men than him had found fault with her.
“Her actions have earned her the right to betested,” Henry stated.
“Ha,” Indra scoffed. “She’s nothing betterthan a scout. Any idiot could do that job. Her squad must have beenfull of fools to need the help of a Lowlander.”
Shea scowled. She didn’t mind them runningher down. All they were doing was helping her. If they managed toconvince the group she shouldn’t be here, Fallon might give up onthis strange obsession. She drew the line at insults aimed at themen she considered her friends.
They’d gone through a lot together. She’dcome to respect them. That was the kind of thing that deserved tobe defended. Some oversexed woman and an inept Lion Clan leaderwasn’t going to malign them while Shea stood by and took it.
“So who deserves to be tested?” Shea asked.“You?”
“It’s certainly not some gutlessLowlander.”
