Jason inhaled.
The mythological flinched, sliding into a crevasse in the rock as silently as she'd appeared. She was a ghost. Nothing to mark her presence except the memory of those eyes.
"Was that—" Jason started.
Eva nodded. "Tenrin."
The first female Eva had seen.
Eva didn't know if it was because the Tenrin was young—probably even younger than Jason—or if all females of their species were on the smaller side.
Either way, Eva suspected the Tenrin would only come up to her chin if they were standing side by side.
The Tenrin's mannerisms had been almost bird-like, her features sharp as she'd cocked her head in curiosity.
She'd kept her wings furled tightly so Eva could only guess at their coloring. If she was like the rest of her kind, they'd be solid black like that of a crow's.
Ollie looked at the two of them. "I thought Ajari went back to his people."
"He did."
"Then what is one of them doing here?" Ollie asked.
That was the question, wasn't it?
"Probably the same thing the Kyren are. Spying on us," Jason answered.
We don't spy. We prefer to think about it as keeping an eye on things,Sebastian said as Eva translated.
Jason gave him a sidelong look. "Call it whatever you want, but it's spying."
Sebastian sniffed, pretending not to hear his words.
"Whatever her reasons, I'm sure she'll reveal them to us when she's ready." Eva moved toward Sebastian, unbuckling the saddle and sliding it off his back.
As curious as the Tenrin's presence was, Eva had no intention of forcing her hand. She'd reach out to them when she was ready. Not a second before.
Ajari, the only other Tenrin Eva had spent any length of time with, had been the same.
Hopefully, this new Tenrin wasn't as troublesome as Ajari. He'd been tricky, even with his allies. Mercurial and always playing a game only he understood.
"Did Caden make it back to camp?" Eva asked, changing the subject.
Sebastian stretched his wings once the saddle was removed, happy at being unencumbered once again. Eva took the curry comb Jason handed her and ran it along Sebastian's sides and back in circular movements to bring the dirt and loose hair to the surface.
"He arrived late last night and left again this morning," Jason answered.
Eva's brushing slowed. "Alone?"
Jason shook his head. "The fire fox went with him. As did Fiona and a couple of others. Word is they found evidence that the army Lion was chasing made it out of the mist. Caden wanted to double our sentries and extend the perimeter."
Finished brushing Sebastian, Eva stepped back.
Good. The Trateri already knew about the army; that made her job a little simpler.
Eva glanced toward the tents where Polaris and Theo had chosen to land. A crowd had already gathered around them. For now, they were keeping their distance, but for how long was anybody's guess.
Jane had taken up a stance halfway between Eva and those gathered, acting with her typical vigilance. Van stared the Anateri down, massive arms folded over his chest. There was a half-smile on his face that should have seemed playful, but all Eva could see was a predator eyeing her like she was his next meal.
