“Why do you think we use pathfinders?” Wittasked, daring to meet Fallon’s gaze head on. “Most of us have ageneral sense of the way home, but the Highlands have a way ofexpelling those it considers intruders. And everybody is anintruder.” He allowed himself a snort of derision. “But go ahead.Let the boy lead you to your deaths. It won’t matter; you’ll nevercatch her. She’s long gone by now.”
“Shut up, you old fool,” Paul said, his voicerising in pitch. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. They wereonly supposed to take her. Not us.”
All eyes turned to Paul.
“What are you talking about?” Witt askedsoftly.
“The elders knew what Goodwin of Ria wereplanning,” Paul spat. “Why do you think they kept James back? Theysent only those they could afford to lose. Trouble makers, everyone of you.”
Witt closed his eyes slowly and bowed hishead. Yes. He’d wondered why they’d chosen these particularexpedition members. They were all men who’d had a problem with theelders at one point or another. Even him.
“They knew he,” Paul lifted his chin atFallon, “was looking for her and that he’d reward any who broughthim information. So they made sure she was placed in his path.”
Darius looked faintly appalled by this proofof betrayal, and his guards shared similar looks of distaste.
“Why?” Fallon asked.
“They asked for a new pathfinder to beassigned time and again. One that wasn’t as useless. She was alwaystelling them no. She was a woman trying to tell our elders what shewould do. We were tired of it,” Paul said readily. “Well, the guildwouldn’t give us a new one so the elders took matters into theirown hands.”
“You and your foolish elders have destroyedyour precious village,” Witt retorted as he made a grab for Paul.His guard grabbed his hands and twisted them behind his back. “Theguild doesn’t have to assign a new pathfinder.”
“They will. They have to. It’s in the villagebylaws.”
Witt’s lips twisted into a sneer. “They don’thave to do shit. You think they’re going to send another pathfinderto a village with a history like yours? One that lost theirprevious one?” Witt gave an ugly laugh. “Oh no. Shea will be thelast pathfinder your village ever sees. I’m glad too. Youbackwards, goat arsed traitors don’t deserve another one. Not afterthis stunt. Your village will be culled from the maps. Nobody willfind their way there ever again.”
Fallon watched the interplay, soaking up asmuch information from their actions as he did from Paul’swords.
He pointed at Witt. “Take him to Trenton andtell him he’s to be kept close.”
Witt was pulled to his feet and hauled out,but not before he sent one last warning to Paul to keep his mouthclosed. The boy had already proven to have loose lips. Any secretshe knew would be the warlord’s by morning.
Fallon turned his attention back to Paul.“Now.” He gestured for some food and water to be given to Paul who,having very little of either over the past few days, dug in withgusto. “Tell me everything you know.”
“What do you think?” Fallon asked Darius asPaul was escorted out of the tent.
Darius folded his arms and stared down at hisfeet contemplatively. “It’s an interesting story.”
“Hm.”
“Can’t tell if these pathfinders’ abilitiesare myth or fact. Could be superstition.”
“True.”
A thought occurred to Darius, and he calledfor a guard.
“Sir?”
“Do you know what Damon did with the woman’sbelongings?”
“I believe he left them in his tent.”
“Get them for me.”
The guard nodded sharply and left to retrieveShea’s backpack.
“What are you thinking?” Fallon asked.
“Something he said. It made me think thatthese pathfinders are very like our scouts.”
