Two men rode up to join Darius and hiscompanion, while the rest fell into the back, swelling their ranksconsiderably.
“Who’s this?” a man asked, riding up besidethem. “Did you finally find a girl you wanted to keep? She’spretty.”
Shea swayed back from the hand reaching totouch her hair. Damon swatted him away before he could touchher.
“Hands off. She’s not for you,” Damon said.“This one’s the Warlord’s property. She’s the cliff climber he letslip through his fingers.”
The other man’s jaw dropped. Still in hisearly twenties, his face lacked the weight of experience orsuffering that a lot of the older warriors carried like a badge ofhonor. His eyes were a faded blue, and his lips were full. Thoselips would have made the girls in Birdon Leaf swoon.
He looked Shea over curiously. “Not what Ipictured.”
Damon snorted. “Yeah. You and me both. Hardto picture a twig like her doing all the things they say she’sdone. So far she’s been kind of quiet. Guess we’ll see.”
“You sure it’s her?”
“Darius swears it is.”
The man nodded. “He would know.”
Shea wondered if she could spin theirassumptions to her advantage. Maybe she could play up the weakfemale angle and buy herself a bit of wiggle room.
Soon, the two moved on to talking abouthunting and the best method for stalking prey. Shea listened atfirst, fascinated with the debate, but it wasn’t long before shetuned them out entirely, preferring to review her knowledge of thearea.
They’d headed east, away from the Highlandswhen they left Goodwin. Not the best direction, as this would makeher eventual escape more difficult since she would have to traveluntil she found familiar ground, but not impossible.
The real challenge would be freeing theothers. If their captors continued to keep them separated, it makeplanning difficult.
The sun was sinking behind the mountains whenDarius decided to make camp for the night.
Damon dismounted and then lifted Shea to theground. A youth ran up and confiscated the horse’s reins and ledthe beast off to be hobbled with the others. Shea stretched, gladto be on firm ground as she worked the kinks out of her back andshook out one leg after another. They were cramped from having tostay in one position all day.
Done with her stretches, she looked up tofind Damon watching her.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Not one escape attempt?I’m a little disappointed.”
Shea gave him her most innocent look. Hesnorted and took her elbow to escort her to a tree, forcing herdown beside it.
“I have to see Darius. Stay here.”
Shea waited until he was on the other side ofthe clearing before looking around. Mostly the men just ignoredher, going about their tasks of setting up the camp for the night.They gave her a wide berth. She was alone in the shade of the oldstooped tree.
The same couldn’t be said for her companionsas they made their way wearily into camp. Their shirts were stainedwith sweat, and their skin streaked with dust the horses had kickedup during the journey.
She leaned forward and rolled to her feet asthe men were led to a copse of trees. Witt was the only one to lookher way before being shoved along by a Trateri with shoulderlength, greasy brown hair.
Witt and the others were forced into seatedpositions and their hands bound before the Trateri warrior tiedthem to a tree with another rope.
A guard stationed himself nearby as the restpeeled off to help with camp setup.
Shea stayed where she was for severalminutes, keeping an eye out for anyone paying her attention. No oneseemed to notice as she took a few steps towards hercompanions.
Good. Before she could talk herself out ofit, she strode confidently, looking neither left nor right, towhere the men were tied.
Their guard straightened from his slouchagainst a tree, looking like he wanted to stop her, but also likehe didn’t know if he should. Shea took advantage of that and noddedat him before plopping herself down between Dane and Witt’s tree.She stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned back on herpalms.
They watched the well-executed dance as thewarriors erected tents, started a fire, and prepared the site forthe night.
