A muffled curse escaped, and she flattenedherself against the rock face as she ducked back out of site.
Of all the rotten luck.
She dared another glance over the edge.
The scene hadn’t changed since her last look.A torch was stuck in one of the crevasses near the pool,highlighting the surrounding area. That wasn’t what nearly sent herover the small drop.
No. The sight of Fallon disrobing didthat.
Shea knew she should head back to her clothesand dress. Now that she had solved the mystery, there was no reasonto linger, but she did. Oh, how she did.
Some irresistible force held her in place asFallon first discarded his shirt then his pants, leaving himstanding in nothing but the skin he was born with. And what a fineskin it was.
Sharp ridges defined every muscle in hisbody. Even the raw white and red marks from scars crossing historso did nothing to detract from the fine specimen of manhoodbefore her.
The male bodies she’d seen that afternoon inno way compared.
Fallon stepped into the pool, the cold notseeming to have the same effect on him as it had on Shea. He sunkdown, dunking his head and then sluicing the water off hisface.
A pleasant voice rang in the air as he sung abawdry tale about the woes of a Trateri warrior kidnapping hisLowland wife only to find out that the “wife” was actually a malewith all of the accompanying parts.
Shea snickered at the risqué lyrics. TypicalTrateri view of Lowlanders.
Another voice joined Fallon’s as he sang thelast chorus again. Shea had been so focused on Fallon that shehadn’t even noticed when Caden stepped onto the rocks bordering thepool.
Shea hugged the ground harder, not wanting tochance being seen. She’d only ever seen the second man from adistance, but Eamon had told her enough for her to know that shedid not want him to see her spying.
On that note, it was really past time sheleave.
Shea scooted back from the edge, careful notto make any noise that would alert the two below. She made her wayback to her clothes and dressed quickly.
As she found her way back, being careful toavoid the path that Caden or Fallon would travel, she couldn’t helpthe small piece of her that wondered what would have been her fatehad she remained tied to that post.
“So, what exactly is the punishment when atown refuses to pay a tithe?” Shea asked as Fallon’s troops rodetowards the small string of huts that was the village proper.
It was a hovel, not like Goodwin of Ria oreven Birdon Leaf. This place was cobbled together with mud andspit. Not necessarily the worst village she’d ever seen, but shedidn’t understand why anybody would want to lay claim to it, noteven the Trateri. These people had little to nothing, and none tospare for tithes.
Eamon’s face was grim as they rode at therear of the party.
“Buck?” she asked when Eamon didn’tanswer.
Buck looked slightly subdued as he answered.“Not good things.”
Well she’d kind of figured that part out forherself. They were in a war party after all.
“Yeah, I got that. What does that mean?”
Buck shook his head and looked away, refusingto meet her eyes.
She looked back at Eamon.
He finally spoke. “The severity of the actionwill depend on what they say to Fallon.”
So something would happen regardless, butnobody was willing to tell her what that something was.
She closed her eyes and bent her head. No,she didn’t have a good feeling about this at all.
“Shane, whatever happens, just stay beside meor Buck and keep your mouth shut. You can’t stop whatever’s comingso don’t even try. You’ll just get yourself in trouble.”
