Caden moved quickly. They were late—especially considering Ajari's head start.
Caden didn't like being late. Not when his Warlord and Battle Queen were in the mix.
He hated that he wasn't there to protect their backs. Furthermore, he resented the horse mistress for making his delay necessary.
She hurried after him, her steps loud as she fought to keep pace.
Caden's mind had already turned to security matters and away from the inconvenience dogging his footsteps by the time they reached the meeting room.
Horace, upon seeing him approach, snapped to attention and pulled open the door.
Caden stopped by his side. "Anything I need to know?"
Horace's gaze went to the curious woman next to Caden who wisely held silent, her eyes wide as she took in everything.
"We have four Anateri guarding the Warlord and Battle Queen and five more in the rafters above. I also have two squads standing by, per your orders for any encounter with a mythological," Horace replied in a strong, even tone.
He was one of Caden's most trusted, but then, they all were. There wasn't a man or woman who made it into the Anateri who didn't have Caden's backing. He'd handpicked each and every one. Their loyalty to him and Fallon was assured.
They'd performed exactly as expected in his absence. It still didn't make that tight feeling in his stomach go away.
"I thought Ajari's people were our allies," the woman said hesitantly.
Caden slid her a cool glance. He didn't have time to educate her on the nuances of politics.
She looked slightly startled, her gaze flicking between the two of them uncertainly as her throat worked.
"Very good," Caden told Horace. "Anything else?"
Horace hesitated before lowering his voice. "Darius has made the appropriate arrangements for the worst-case scenario."
Which meant Darius had half his army standing by in the event Ajari and Covath decided the only answer to this situation was battle.
It might seem like a drastic response, but it was the way of their people. The Trateri might show trust, but they always planned for every eventuality.
Darius might seem the easygoing general to most of the world, but Caden knew him for what he was. A ruthless killer, every bit as merciless and vicious as Fallon—and Caden.
Caden took the woman's arm and guided her into the hall. "If I were you, I would walk very softly. These are not the type of people you want taking an interest in you."
"As if I couldn't figure that out for myself," she muttered.
Caden's reluctant smile surprised him. He hadn't expected to be amused by her. The smile disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving the terse Anateri warrior behind.
Good, her fear meant there was some sense in that head of hers. It might keep her alive where bluster and bravado would surely end her.
"Common sense—I wouldn't have thought it."
"I'm not an idiot, Anateri," she said softly.
This time his smile was raw and unamused. The little rabbit had teeth it seemed. She'd need them in the dangerous world she was about to enter.
Caden swept a glance over the room, noting the pathfinders’ guildmaster, Lainie Halloran, sitting on one end of the table, her husband a silent presence behind her. The man might be a pathfinder but Caden suspected he was more. He protected his wife's back with a vicious tenacity Caden admired, even as he made plans to take out the other man in the event it was ever necessary.
"Prove it," Caden ordered, pulling her to a stop.
Eva sent him a defiant look even as she lifted her chin.
Caden shifted his attention to Fallon, attuned as always to his Warlord's needs.
