Still, she couldn't walk away. Not with his pain pulling at her. It was a low persistent buzz beneath her skin, singing a jarring lullaby of discomfort. She couldn't imagine how much worse it was for him.
When he snaked his head toward her again, coming dangerously closing to taking a bite out of her arm, she smacked his muzzle away. "I thought we already had a talk about being rude to the people who are trying to help you."
The mythological stared at her, his snout edging toward her again as if to test her boundaries.
Her fingers closed into a fist and she showed it to him. "You treat me polite, and I'll treat you polite. Continue to try to bite me and I'll clobber you."
The mythological settled back, letting out a sound very much like Caia when she was in trouble.
When he remained where he was, only twitching as Fiona stopped beside her, Eva gave him a prim look and showed him the ointment in her hand. "This is an ointment for your wounds. It'll help keep them from getting infected."
The mythological eyed the ointment, the expression on his equine face as suspicious as Eva had ever seen.
She waited to see what he'd do.
He stamped a rear hoof, his wings rustling before he nodded his head up and down several times.
Eva released the breath she'd been holding. Finally.
"Will you take his left side?" she asked Hardwick.
He nodded.
Together, the two of them moved toward the mythological as Fiona hung back, one hand on her weapon as she stood guard.
Hardwick's expression darkened when he caught sight of the wounds. Despite the fury on his face, his hands were exceedingly gentle as he spread ointment over the numerous gashes and lacerations covering both the wings and the neck.
He and Eva moved over the horse's body, careful not to miss any wounds. Nightfall had come in truth, only the light of the mostly full moon and stars making their task possible.
Eva's neck was tight and her back sore, her hands covered with the ointment when she finally stepped back, hoping she'd gotten everything. Hardwick did the same on the other side minutes later.
"Eva," Fiona called softly.
Eva glanced wearily in the other woman's direction, going still at the sight of the man beside her. This was the second time in one day she’d encountered him. Strange, after months of avoiding him unless it was to summon his mount.
Caden, leader of the Warlord's Anateri, watched her with an enigmatic gaze, his thoughts locked away and impossible to read. He was short for a Trateri, but still taller than the men of Eva's old village.
His body was powerful and compact, his chest broad and his arms muscular. Eva had seen for herself the power and speed he was capable of. He killed as easily as he breathed.
She knew if there had been enough light to see by his eyes would be blue. His gaze would be penetrating, doing little to hide his intense intelligence or the way he studied his surroundings like he was calculating the best avenue of attack.
Her association with Caden was brief, a few snapped words on a night of upheaval and then a thankfully short interrogation later that same day, coupled with the few times she’d needed to care for his horse when he returned or left the camp.
Despite that, he'd managed to leave an impression on her.
He was a man best avoided when possible, and treated like a dangerous beast when not. He put her in mind of a sheathed blade—always carrying the potential for death.
He intimidated Eva, pure and simple. Whenever he was near, she couldn't help but be aware of every move he made.
"The Hawkvale and his Battle Queen wait below," Caden said abruptly and with no greeting.
Eva didn't immediately move. She didn't like leaving the mythological behind. Alone and injured. While they'd taken care of the wounds, neither she or Hardwick had a chance to look at the mythological's leg. There were still things they needed to do.
Leaving a job half done grated.
Caden's eyes narrowed as he correctly read her reluctance to obey. He wouldn't like that, Eva would guess.
"We've done enough for now," Hardwick assured her. "Let's get this awful business done so we can find our beds before dawn."
