Family. Her. And Fallon.
She’d just begun to accept that they mighthave a chance at a small romance. That she might have some feelingsfor him. That she’d miss him if he was no longer in this world.
Last night. She’d accepted that fact lastnight.
She wasn’t ready for the rest of it. Anddefinitely not the tiny people who would depend on her foreverything. No. Just no.
“Bring the traitor. Fallon will want to seeher,” Caden ordered. He pointed to a third man. “You. Help theidiot down to the valley. Things should be wrapping up there bynow.”
The trip went quicker than she would havethought. In her pursuit, she had steered dangerously close to thebattle and was more than half way there already.
Fallen had indeed wrapped things up andemerged victorious from the ambush. The lack of attack from abovecombined with the poor timing of the two ambush groups had workedin Fallon’s favor. His men had routed their attackers handily,sustaining no casualties on their side and only minor injuries.
The enemy had been decimated. Bodies clad inblack were strewn between the trees, their life’s blood wateringthe forests’ roots. Only a handful had been left alive. Shea hadlittle hope they were long for this world.
Amid this carnage was Fallon, standing apartfrom the rest.
“My lord, we’ve brought you a present,” Cadenannounced. “It seems you were right, and she couldn’t resistwatching your defeat.”
Indra was shoved to her knees at Fallon’sfeet, her hair grabbed and head dragged back.
Fallon’s eyes skipped over Indra to land onShea’s blood stained figure. He stiffened. Rage gripped his face,flooding the air around him until the nearest people took a stepaway. Indra whimpered.
Even Shea, all the way across the clearing,fought to keep from retreating. It was scary. He was scary. Hisanger, so intense that it felt like the roar of a wildfire, singedher skin even at this distance. It was like being stared at by agreat, wild beast held in check by only a thought.
His eyes shot to Caden. “I thought I told youto keep her hidden and safe.”
Caden glared dourly at Shea. “She had otherthoughts. She chased the woman down before I could stop her.”
Fallon’s eyes said they would discussing thislater. Shea’s responded that there was nothing up fordiscussion.
He finally looked down at the woman at hisfeet. The rage drained from him, leaving a dispassionatedisinterest in its place.
In a way, that unsettled Shea more than theanger. You could accomplish some truly heinous things once emotionhas been tucked away.
Anger dies, eventually, if you sate it withenough blood. Hate fades. Grief dwindles. There are reasons behindemotion. Such is not the case with true detachment.
“Where is her blade?”
Caden held out the blade Indra had usedduring her fight with Shea. Fallon took it, examining the dried redstill staining it.
Shea’s blood. She swallowed hard, not likingseeing evidence of it outside her body, where it did notbelong.
She wanted, no, needed, to sit down. Sheastiffened her legs. There would be no showing weakness right now.Not with the air so thick with tension and anger she nearly chokedon it.
It was the response of a wild animal, tryingto avoid the attention of a bigger predator.
Fallon touched the blade gently. His armflashed out carving a path down Indra’s arm and leg before shecould react.
For one long moment, there was silence as shestared up at him disbelieving. Then, a small sound escaped. Alonger wail followed as Indra fought against her two captors,trying to stand, to get away.
The wounds Fallon had made were in the exactsame spots as Shea’s.
“Who are your co-conspirators?” Cadenasked.
“No one,” she cried.
Nobody moved as Fallon drew the blade downthe opposite arm.
