"Good to know," Caden said.
"Do you know where we are?" Eva asked.
"Some type of massive cavern. The ceiling caved in and lets enough light in to grow this," Caden said, looking around at the tall trees around them.
"It's a cenote," a voice said from the trees.
They all froze as Kent stepped into view.
Caden's lip curled. His movements were furtive as he slid the knife he'd stolen out of sight.
"Not you too," Eva said. She'd liked Kent. He'd been smart and she thought if he got his head out of his ass and separated himself from the troublemakers he could eventually make a place for himself among the Trateri. It seemed she'd been wrong about him, just like she'd been wrong about Sebastian.
Kent’s gaze locked on Eva. "I'm sorry for this. They don't trust me. I didn't know what was going to happen until we were engulfed in the mist and then it was follow or die."
"You could still turn back," Eva said.
He shook his head. "It's too late for that. The Trateri would kill me if I tried to return."
"We'll kill you even if you don't," Caden said.
Eva shot him a disbelieving look. He wasn't helping. At all.
Caden rolled his eyes but settled down.
"Is this the future you want?" Eva asked. "War. Because you know that's what it will be. The Trateri will hunt down all those you've allied with and exterminate them."
Fallon couldn't afford to have throwaways thinking they could betray the Trateri and get away with it. His reckoning would be brutal and bloody.
He sighed. "There are things going on you don't understand. This is bigger than a few throwaways unhappy with their lot. War is coming regardless. The people backing Vincent have allied with monsters worse than your Kyren and Tenrin."
"Who?" Caden asked, his gaze intent. "Who is their leader?"
Eva was quiet as she studied Caden. He'd been entirely too interested and not a bit surprised at Kent's revelation. He knew—or at least suspected.
Kent shrugged. "I don't know, but Vincent does. He boasted about it. Said he inserted himself into the throwaways on purpose to gather intelligence on the Trateri for this person."
Caden's lip curled in satisfaction. "We don't reveal our secrets to outsiders."
"You'd be surprised what you can glean when people underestimate you," Kent said in a mild voice.
In this Eva had to agree. The Trateri were closed-mouth, but when you watched people for long enough, you began to pick up on certain things. Even the smallest of details could become important later. Like say, knowing how important the Trateri considered their horses or knowing how they'd react to the possibility of a fake alliance with the Kyren.
"Like for instance, you're considered clanless. Some might question your loyalty, yet you're the shield of the most powerful man in the Trateri ranks," Kent said. "Vincent thinks you'll flip given enough incentive, but I figure you'll find a way to die because you'd never break the trust of your warlord."
Caden studied Kent.
Eva didn't have to ask to know Kent had guessed right. Whatever happened, Caden wasn't going to give up Trateri secrets.
Kent stood from where he'd crouched. "You see, there's not much I can do. Even if I tried, it'd likely end in failure."
"That's not a reason to sit back and let things happen," Eva snapped. "You might try and succeed too."
A wry smile crossed his face. "I suppose you have a point in that."
"You're wasting your breath, Eva. He's not one of your lostlings," Caden said. "He's not going to put his life in danger to help us."
Kent didn't bother denying it as he arched one eyebrow. "Why should I? To go back to being a second-class citizen? I'm grateful to you, herd mistress, but not enough to die for you."
