"I don't think that works on ghosts," Eva said.
Ghost nodded as if he heard both sides of the conversation. "We ghosts tend to haunt our victims until they give us what we want. Don't worry. It's not nearly as creepy as it sounds."
There was something infinitely satisfying in watching Ghost give the Kyren a hard time. Even more so with the way Ghost seemed to anticipate their portion of the conversation.
Imbecile.Theo spun on his hind legs and galloped away.
Ghost waved. "I'll find you later. Friend."
Eva heard an angry huff in her mind that made her bite her lips to contain her smile.
"Wait. Where is he going?" a Trateri asked in confusion. "We haven't chosen his rider yet."
Eva stared. Was he really that stupid?
The expectant expression on his and other warriors’ faces said yes, yes, they were.
"I think you're misunderstanding something," Eva said in as polite a voice as she could muster. Admittedly, it only held a passing resemblance to that emotion. "You do not choose a Kyren. They choose you."
"What does a throwaway know?" an angry mutter came from the crowd.
The mood turned tense, the lightness Ghost had managed to create disappearing as if it had never been.
"Quite a lot actually." Eva met each Trateri's eyes. More than one looked away before she did. "The Kyren aren't pets. They aren't your mounts. Touch them without their permission and if they don't bite your hand off, I'll be happy to remove it on their behalf."
Sebastian stamped one hoof, baring sharp teeth as an illustration to reinforce Eva's point.
"Oh, and one more thing," Eva said with a wintry look that would have rivaled the temperatures on the tallest mountain peak. "I'm not a throwaway. I'm a tagalong. Please get your insults correct."
Polaris sent Eva a speculative look before spreading his wings.We will be watching.
Eva rolled her eyes up to the sky. Like she hadn't already assumed that. Every time she took a step outside her tent, she did so with the knowledge there were eyes on her. From the Kyren. Other mythologicals. Even the Trateri.
Polaris would need to work harder than that if he wanted her to feel threatened.
Eventually, the Kyren's actions would come back on them. The humans had already noticed their hyper vigilance. They knew they were being watched.
The Trateriwouldtake insult—if they hadn't already. They'd retaliate. Maybe they'd be forthright in the way they reacted. Maybe they wouldn't.
Either way, it would prove the Kyren's hypothesis. That humans were liars and deceivers simply waiting for their moment to strike.
Polaris followed Theo into the air, circling the camp before disappearing over the horizon.
A husky laugh came from the healer as he sent a sidelong look at Van, his expression teasing. "You'd be wise to warn your people to think before opening their mouths. I know using their brain isn't always easy for a Lion, but sacrifices sometimes need to be made."
Van's expression darkened. "What's that supposed to mean?"
The healer ignored the clan leader to give Eva a beautiful smile that held warmth and kindness. His eyes were lined with black, making them even more expressive.
He bowed his head to Eva. "Lady tagalong, thank you for giving me an experience I'll remember to my dying day. I can only hope our presence here doesn't inconvenience you too much."
His words threw Eva off balance. All she could manage as a response was an awkward acknowledgment.
"Chirron?" Van frowned as the healer took his leave. "Hey, Chirron? What did you mean?"
Chirron didn't answer, sliding between the tents and disappearing.
Van's mouth closed as he stared after the man. "What just happened?"
