"I don't know what you're talking about," Eva said.
"Open it," Kelly ordered, interrupting.
Meredith glared. If Eva had been him, she would have put serious consideration into distancing herself from Meredith. The man didn't move, proving how stupid he really was. As if this entire journey hadn't already proved that.
All of the throwaways were. All their actions would lead to the destruction of the Highlands. If they really killed Caden, Fallon and the Trateri would be unstoppable.
Meredith waved her hand. The world breathed a sigh as the bramble briar wall rustled, branches peeling back to create a narrow opening.
Kelly and Meredith walked through.
Eva lingered. If she went through that, chances were she would be trapped on the other side until they let her go. There would be no chance to rescue Caden or Jason. She'd be at Meredith's mercy.
Laurell lingered beside her, the woman’s expression blank, her words silent. The force of her personality had been ripped out, leaving a shell of Eva’s friend behind.
Eva couldn’t stand to see her like this any longer. She rested her fingers on Laurell’s wrist, smearing the blue paste over where she thought the wound had been. Laurell didn’t move, not even to stop her or help her.
There was no immediately discernible reaction to the paste, leaving Eva with no idea if it had worked or not. All she could do was hope and pray she wasn’t too late.
Kent took her elbow, causing her to jump. Had he seen her using the poultice? She had no doubt Meredith would scream for her death if she was caught trying to save Laurell.
"Steady. Her creations might look pretty, but they're deadly. They're her own built-in warning system and they'll tear you apart before you take two steps,” Kent warned.
If he’d seen he wasn’t reporting her. Eva swallowed hard and stepped forward.
"Good girl," was the soft words.
She stepped through the briar wall and nearly gasped at the sight of three Kyren held in a viney prison, their wings pinned close to their back as thorns cut them.
It was difficult to swallow her disgust and rage when she caught sight of the briar choke chains fastened around their necks and bound to the ground.
She knew now who’d put the net and collar of thorns around Sebastian.
The Kyren's eyes were dull and painfilled. They barely reacted to the presence of new visitors. Their bellies were swollen and distended from advanced pregnancy.
"Vincent wants you to check them over and see how close they are to birthing their foals," Kelly said with a negligent wave of his hand.
Eva bit down fiercely on the words she wanted to say. This wasn't the herd. He wasn't a Trateri warrior. If she went off on him now, it could very well be the last thing she did. Not that that would necessarily be a bad way to go, but it would leave the mares at his mercy–something Eva could not bring herself to do.
Sebastian's actions were beginning to make more sense now.
Kelly lifted an eyebrow at her, telling her silently to get to work.
Eva moved slowly across the clearing. The first mare stared at her with slightly feverish eyes as Eva crooned to her.
"Sebastian is near," Eva said, feeling along the pregnant mare’s body.
Help?Was the weak voice.
Eva didn't want to lie, but these mares needed hope.
"They need water," she told the two men.
They were thinner than they should be, and she was willing to bet they were dehydrated too.
Kelly waved his hand toward a small pond. "They have it."
Eva's lip curled at the sight. Even from here she could tell the water was noxious. It was stagnant with a bad odor coming off it. Drinking it would make the mares sick.
