"Caia, run," Eva ordered.
She couldn't go, but Caia didn’t have her damnable conscience.
Caia ignored her.
"Go."
Caia tossed her head with a stubbornness that outmatched any human's she'd ever seen.
Eva growled at the obstinate horse. "Sometimes I really want to take a switch to your hindquarters."
The horse snorted at her as if to say she knew better. Eva had never seen the value in using such tools and Caia knew she'd never use them against one of the herd.
Eva was almost through a third section of rope when she finally caught what had alerted the other two. Voices, speaking in hushed tones. They were close. They only had to round the boulder and then the three of them would be in view.
They didn't sound like Trateri. The Trateri had a subtle accent that was different from Lowlanders and Highlanders. Judging by the fury radiating from the mythological, she was guessing these might be the ones responsible for the torture device wrapped around his wings and neck.
It was of human design and too thoroughly entangled around his wings to be an accident.
The small thorns in the net pointed to a sadistic edge. It was meant to keep the mythological in line but it was also meant to cause him constant pain. A cruel practice that made Eva want to throat punch whoever had come up with it.
Two men rounded the boulder on foot. They were dressed like Trateri, but leading horses Eva knew at a glance weren't Trateri horses. After a year caring for Hardwick’s herd, she knew the difference. These were closer to the hardier mountain ponies of the Highlands, a sturdy breed but slow as molasses traveling uphill during winter.
The horses were short and squat, their coats still possessing the slightest heaviness from winter. Their owners were preoccupied with following the tracks in the dirt and mud, only lifting their heads at the last second.
"This is where you ran off to. I’m sure Pierce will make you pay for that later," the first said.
The second man elbowed the first, tilting his chin at Eva, when the first glared. Both stilled at the sight of her standing beside the mythological.
They glanced around, ensuring Eva was alone. The taller one grinned at the shorter one before addressing Eva, "What are you doing out here?"
"Why don’t you step this way?" the shorter one said as he adjusted himself suggestively.
Eva's lip curled. Definitely not Trateri. Their behavior confirmed it.
"What are you doing with that horse?" the tall one asked suspiciously, finally noticing the knife in Eva's hand. She hadn't paused in her effort to cut away the net. "Don't go getting any ideas. That monster is property of the Trateri."
"Is that so?" Eva asked.
These guys hadn't done their research. Fallon and Shea had banned hunting of the winged horses. If any Trateri was caught trying to capture one, they would face a traitor's reward. It wasn't pretty.
Eva had only seen it once and she still had nightmares.
The winged horses had helped Shea during her adventure to the heart of the Badlands. Even if they hadn't, Eva didn't think Fallon would have tried to capture the magnificent creatures. They were too tempting as an ally.
It was hard to convince someone to work by your side when you were guilty of enslaving half of their race.
The fact the two men didn't know something so simple made Eva relax. It meant her guess earlier was correct. These were Highlanders.
"It is so, and unless you want us punishing you for your disobedience, you'll come over here right now," the shorter one ordered. "I've got something you can help me with."
Eva's let her silence answer for her. No need to get lippy when her actions would speak plenty loud enough soon.
"Hey! Are you stupid or something?" the shorter one shouted.
Eva shot them a look, unable to hide her derision. Almost through.
She slid a glance at Caia, standing protectively next to Eva. The dappled gray was smaller than the mythological at her side, but she was still taller than the men's two mountain ponies.
