He turned to find the pathfinder staring at Eva with a guarded expression.
"You should know I discovered something about her kind while I was at the Keep."
Caden's impatience told Reece he had moments to get to the point.
Reece did.
"Our records indicate Callers were far more powerful than Ajari and the Kyren led us to believe." Reece's expression was flat. "They also come with some major drawbacks. Their greatest strength can also be a weapon used against them."
"What does that mean?" Jane asked.
Reece didn't answer, meeting Caden's stare with eyes that saw far too much.
Caden jerked his chin in a nod. "Understood."
He strode away, holding onto his calm by the thinnest of margins. His woman was vulnerable.
How did he protect her when their enemies could strike at her very mind?
The answer was that he couldn't, and that fact threatened to destroy him.
Caden suppressed the rising surge of emotions, separating himself from them in the same way he'd learned to do during battle.
It left the world with a crystal-clear edge as Caden strode out of the forest. Every needle of pine registering, every sound, every movement. Caden's senses hyper-alert as he put emotion to the side to concentrate on the only thing that was important right this second. Eva.
Caden stepped out of the trees to find Fiona glaring at the forest edges. As if by doing so she could mentally urge them to appear.
Behind her, Roscoe paced back and forth while Ghost leaned tiredly against the ground. Red lines had spread from his neck, snaking their way up his jaw and onto his cheeks.
He wouldn't survive without a healer's intervention.
Seeing them, Jason hurried over, a concerned gaze darting to Eva. "What happened?"
A golden gaze met Caden's as the fire fox trotted toward him.
Somehow Caden wasn't surprised at the mythological's presence. The fire fox always seemed to know when he was needed most.
He leapt into the air, landing gently on Caden's shoulder. He set his front paws on Eva's chest, nudging the woman in Caden's arm.
A heartbroken sound came from the fire fox's throat.
A crack appeared in Caden's barricade. His heart gave a painful thump before he reinforced it again.
Eva didn't only matter to Caden. She was more than just his love. Her fate had the power to decide the future trajectory of the Highlands.
He could only hope he was strong enough to protect her on her journey.
"She will be fine." Caden's words were a promise to the fire fox as much as himself.
The fire fox stared at him for a short span of time, faith and understanding in his golden eyes. His tails wagged once in agreement before he hopped down.
Caden didn't get a chance to move forward before Caia was there, blocking his way with her head.
He shoved past. "Move."
The mare didn't listen, angling to obstruct his path. She glowered at Caden.
"I don't hold the same regard for you that she does," Caden warned. "Interfere and I'll end you and take my chances with her."
