Darius looked down at his friend, no doubt wondering why he was unconscious in such a critical situation if that was the case.
"Someone hit him over the head," Eva lied.
Darius studied her for a long moment before standing. "Whatever happened, I'm glad to see the two of you survived."
"So am I," Eva said with a heartfelt voice.
His lips twitched before the amusement was gone. "Bring them. We can discuss the rest of this from the safety of the city."
Drake bent to lift his fallen commander, his movements gentle while Eva hovered over Caden.
"I've got him. I won't let any more harm come to him,” Drake said with an understanding look.
Eva nodded, drawing back and standing. She took a deep breath, the knot in her stomach finally unclenching.
It was over. Somehow, they’d survived.
"I'll expect a full explanation of events when we get back," Darius said.
Eva didn't answer as she met his penetrating stare. She'd do the best she could.
Reece moved through the trees, appearing out of them silently. "The woodling’s spawn have all stopped moving, but they need to be burned anyway. This new evolution of their powers concerns me. Those stung should never have transformed that quickly. I want every one of the spawn burned and the bugs hunted down. A single one can't be allowed to escape or we risk losing half the Highlands to them."
The pathfinder was the most serious Eva had ever seen him.
Darius lifted a hand in acknowledgement. "You'll get no argument from us. I'll give you as many of my men as you need to get this done."
Reece's head jerked down in a nod before he glanced at Eva. "I'm glad you survived."
Her smile was brief. "Me too."
Reece moved through the trees without another word, disappearing as quickly as he'd come.
"Is that an arm you're eating?" Ghost asked suddenly, his focus locked on Ajari. The disgust and horror in his voice was easy to hear, a reflection of Eva's initial reaction.
Ajari leveled a flat stare on him. "It always amazes me that for such vicious predators, humans can be surprisingly squeamish."
Ghost sputtered. "Because you're eating people!"
Roscoe nodded insistently.
Ajari cocked his head, irritation clouding his expression.
"How would you feel if someone ate one of you guys?" Roscoe asked.
Ajari's smile flashed sharp, blood-stained teeth. "I would ask them to pass me a piece. How do you think we survived our centuries of imprisonment?"
Ghost gagged, his eyes widening in horror. Roscoe looked slightly ill.
Ajari's laugh trailed behind him as he moved into the trees.
Fiona lingered as the other two trailed behind Ajari, still arguing about why people eating people was wrong. Eva hesitated before joining the warrior. Her pain pulled at Eva as she glanced around.
It occurred to Eva she was looking for Laurell.
"She killed the woodling who was the cause of all this and saved us," Eva said. "She died a hero."
Fiona didn't respond, her expression unreadable, more so than Eva had ever seen.
