"If the army is anywhere close, that warning would have signaled our position," Gawain said.
Caden nodded.
"That's not your only problem," Reece said, stomping over the wreckage of Eva's tent with an irritated expression on his face.
"Look who finally showed up," Van muttered.
Reece gave him a cool look. "You had it handled. My skills were best put to use elsewhere."
"Where's that?" Gawain asked.
Reece lifted the bag he was carrying and grabbed the bottom. Without a word, he dumped its contents at their feet. The severed paws of a red back brought a hush to the group.
Roscoe and Buck squatted next to them to get a better look.
"You want to know the reason why the red back left her territory to travel here. Why she targeted Eva's tent despite many others being more accessible." Reece met each of their gazes, finally stopping on Caden's. "You're looking at it."
eleven
Ghostnudgedapawwith his foot. "You're telling me these caused all this?"
Fiona knocked him away from the dismembered remains.
"What?" Ghost complained.
"Don't touch the cursed things. What if you get the red back's scent on you and draw other nasty things?"
"The mate's dead. I hardly think it'll be a problem now."
Buck and the others stared at Ghost like he was an idiot.
"You haven't hung around Shea enough if you think that. Woman has stories that will make your hair gray," Buck muttered.
Witt nodded seriously.
"Pathfinders learn quick that only idiots go around being all touchy feely." Reece gave Ghost a sharp smile. "Sometimes our trainers don't even tell us what to be wary of. They just let us go off and figure it out on our own. Their methods are pretty good at weeding out the undesirables."
"I'm beginning to think pathfinders are far more brutal than the clans could ever hope to be," Roscoe observed.
Van and Gawain's faces remained emotionless, but Eva didn't think she was imagining their agreement.
"Where did you find them?" Caden asked.
Reece met Eva's eyes. "Buried right outside the back of her tent."
Buck cursed, the faces of the rest echoing his sentiments.
Eva felt numb as the implications of Reece's words hit. She'd known change didn't come easy, and that there were some who thought she didn't deserve the position she had—especially with her not being Trateri.
Still, she hadn't thought they would go so far as to scheme a way to hurt—or more likely kill—her.
Fiona and Caden shared a look.
"You know what this means," Fiona said.
Caden inclined his chin. "I do."
Sensing the rising hostility and the reasons behind it, Van held up his hand. "Wait, let's not jump ahead of ourselves."
