Eamon paused in the midst of wrapping Shea’sarm and looked at the tree line. “I don’t know.”
“Finish patching him up and then get ready toleave. Perry says we’re joining up with Fallon,” Fiona said walkingpast them.
With one last pass around her arm, Eamon tiedoff the gauze and then helped her smooth her sleeve over thebandage. Finished, he handed Buck the rest of the gauze andstood.
Shea joined him, shambling over to her gear.Her body was one massive bruise, and her forearm throbbed in timeto her heartbeat. Gingerly, she holstered her sword.
“How can those creatures have been thisdeadly?” Clark asked, gazing at the wounded who were being loadedup on the horses.
Several men crouched beside their fallencomrades performing the same burial rite that Eamon had when theylost men to the shadow beetles.
Shea didn’t answer, ducking her head andbusying herself with preparing to move out.
His gaze felt heavy on her bowed head as shefumbled with her pack. She didn’t look up.
“Shane,” Clark sounded hesitant. “Eamon’sjust worried. He can be gruff when someone under his command putsthemselves in danger.
Shea turned away.
Clark walked around to stand in front of her,his brown eyes worried and earnest. “You need to let it roll offyou. It’s his job as a leader to correct your actions. It mightseem harsh now, but it’s supposed to. You’ll get used to it.”
No. No, she wouldn’t.
“Shane-“
“I’m fine, Clark.” Shea didn’t want to talkabout this any longer. In answer to his previous question, she toldhim, “They’re beasts.”
“What?”
“You asked how they could be so aggressive.They’re beasts.”
He looked unsure at her answer, whether thatwas because she was changing the subject or because he didn’tunderstand the significance, she didn’t know.
For a Lowlander or Highlander that would havebeen all the explanation needed.
“Beast,” he said softly, testing the word. Hewent back to staring into the distance. He and the rest werebeginning to learn just how terrifying a word that really was.
Shea reached into her pack and pulled out anotebook just a little bigger than hers. The leather cover was newand unscratched, and the pages were crisp and clean. It had comewith the pack.
She held it a moment before looking up atClark.
Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. Infact, it was probably stupid. It wasn’t exactly the best timeeither with the wounded and dead all around them and the threat ofanother attack hanging over their heads.
“What’s that?” he asked, taking the decisionout of her hands.
“It’s yours.”
She handed it to him and avoided his gaze ashe opened it. What was she going to do with the notebook anyway? Itwould just be dead weight during her trip back to the Highlands.Might as well give it to the boy.
He looked back up at her when he saw thedrawings and explanations.
“I didn’t really have time to copyeverything, but I figured I’d start you off with a few of the morefierce beasts you’re likely to encounter. This way you can updateit with your own observations.” Seeing the slightly dumb strucklook in his eyes, she slumped. He probably thought it was stupid.“It’s just, you seemed to like mine so I thought you might want oneof your own.”
He was silent as he looked back down at thesmall notebook clutched in his hands. Shea started to turn awaywhen he pulled her into a bear hug and squeezed tight.
“Thank you. I’ll cherish it.”
Once she’d recovered from the surprise, shesmiled and patted him on the back before pulling away.
