Van let out a loud exhale. "How boring."
"If you want a fight, you can always go bother Chirron again," Caden said without looking at the Lion Clan leader.
Van relaxed, resting his head on his arms again. "Even I'm not that foolhardy."
Though the other man missed it, Eva caught Caden's amusement at Van's retort. It was a small gesture, barely more than the lifting of the corners of his mouth, but it was there.
Smiling, she let herself relax into Caden's side. Sitting here, Caden's strength soaking into her bones, she thought perhaps this ending to a night whose start had been so shitty wasn't half bad at all.
seventeen
Roscoe'sjawcrackedarounda yawn as he ambled in Eva and Caden's direction, his face still sleepy.
He didn't come alone, Ghost followed behind him. The man was pale but looked worlds better than the last time she'd seen him.
"Chirron let you out of bed?" she asked, somewhat surprised.
Chirron didn't strike her as someone willing to bend his own rules. He'd still been threatening to tie Ghost down if the warrior tried to set a limb out of his blankets when she'd made her own escape.
That hadn't been too long ago. Things shouldn't have changed to this extent.
"Chirron wasn't consulted." Chirron's knee length tunic flapped around his legs as he strode into view, his glare hot enough to light Ghost on fire.
A glare whose target quickly changed to Eva in the next second.
She stiffened at the burning accusation she saw there.
"I understand he's not the only one who has decided to treat my words as air." Chirron aimed a thin smile at Eva.
She knew that look. That tone. It was the same one her mother had once given her and Elis when they were in trouble.
Just like back then, Eva had to fight to keep from squirming. She'd done nothing wrong.
Despite knowing that, it didn't make her feel any less guilty.
She offered Chirron a stilted smile. "I wasn't left much choice in the matter."
And if she had to do it again, she would.
The healer would just have to accept that there were things out of her control. Tonight's events were one of them.
The look in Chirron's eyes was flinty. "I can't tell you how many times I've heard similar excuses. It's enough to think no one in the clans has a bit of free will."
Eva flinched at the stinging rebuke. One she probably deserved for her weak attempt at shifting blame.
In Chirron's place, she'd probably be just as furious if one of her charges disregarded her well-meaning instructions.
Granted, Caia had a habit of doing exactly that, and it drove Eva just a little bit crazy every time it happened.
Chirron's gaze swung back to Ghost. "And you—you're going straight back to bed as soon as this is over."
Ghost saw a spot on the ground and lowered himself with visible effort. "Guess that depends on exactly why we were all brought here."
Ghost listed to the side, Roscoe caught and steadied him with unobtrusive movements designed to preserve Ghost's pride.
Caden and Van pretended not to see, giving their attention to Gawain and Fiona as they joined, Jane at their back.
The Anateri gave Caden a nod to say everyone was here.
