All eyes swung to her, including the mythological’s. She stared back at them, feeling like a rabbit caught in a hunter's sights.
A dismayed squeak escaped her. Why? Why did he have to say that?
"Speak, woman," Caden snapped, the harsh words serving to steel Eva's spine.
"I was out for a ride when I discovered him. His wings were bound with a barbed net that resembled vines and there was a barbed collar around his neck," she began. The story poured from her after that.
They stopped her when she reached the part about the men posing as the Trateri, so Fallon, Shea and Caden could step around the boulder and see the bodies for themselves.
Eva spotted Ollie sending her a questioning look from the other side of the Anateri. She shook her head, not wanting him involved in case Fallon or Caden decided she'd done something that put them in jeopardy.
"What did they say when they found you?" Caden asked.
Eva cast her mind back, trying to remember exactly what had happened. Adrenaline and the bump on her head had made everything a blur.
"They told me he was property of the Trateri," she said slowly.
Which had been a lie.
"Then they invited me to keep them entertained," Eva continued, her lip curling at the remembered disgust.
Shea's expression shifted as did Fiona's beside her. However, it was the tight, closed expression on Caden's face that truly surprised Eva.
"You said you knew they weren't Trateri," Fallon said. "How?"
Eva hesitated, trying to put her thoughts into words they would understand. "They didn't talk like Trateri or move like them. They were dressed in the right kind of clothes, but that was about it."
Even if they had been Trateri she probably would have acted in the same manner. The way the mythological had been bound hadn't just been inconvenient, it'd been cruel.
She kept that part to herself. She was in enough trouble. No need to add to it.
The knowing look in Hardwick's gaze warned her, he, at least, suspected the truth.
"Can you communicate with him? Find out why he came here?" Fallon asked Shea.
Shea's head tilted as she considered, one hand absently rubbing her belly. Finally, she shook her head. "No, even in my dreams Covath or Ajari act as their intermediaries. I'm not even sure they can communicate with humans." She sighed and glanced at Fallon. "We're going to need to summon Ajari."
"And hope he doesn't declare this a breach of the alliance." Fallon grimaced.
The rest of the warriors in the group didn't look any happier, their expressions apprehensive.
"Find out who they were," Fallon ordered Caden. His attention swung to Eva. "He seems to have formed a bond with you. I'm making you responsible for his care and wellbeing until we can contact his people and return him."
Eva froze, her eyes wide as the magnitude of the task she'd just been handed sank in. If anything happened to the mythological in her care, she would be dead. So very dead.
Surely the Warlord would prefer someone with more experience, someone the Trateri trusted implicitly, to take care of the mythological. Not Eva. The tagalong they'd stumbled across by accident. Someone whose own family had gladly betrayed her.
"Warlord—sir—Fallon." Eva fumbled for the correct manner of address, conscious of Ollie snickering at her attempts. "I'm not sure I'm the right person for this."
Shea raised an eyebrow at Eva. "Are you questioning your skills? Perhaps a different herd master would be more appropriate. I hear Bo out of the Earth Clan has a firm hand."
Eva blanched, the thought of Bo caring for the mythological abhorrent. The other herd master was harsh with his horses and they were the worst trained in the army. He wasn't bad, just set in his ways. He'd try to treat the mythological like another horse and probably end up eaten as a result.
"That—"
"Or perhaps you question our decision." Fallon's expression was severe.
Eva shook her head, managing to stammer, "I'm not—I just—Hardwick—"
