The rest of the Dread Five crew were busy with their evening chores, but they gathered to watch, faces bright with morbid excitement. They leaned in, offering suggestions to Samara.
“Pull out, then down …” Elspeth said.
“Brace your foot against the bench first, then yank …” Rosemary suggested.
“No, no, you need to twist like this …” Ignatius insisted, making a horrifying motion with his hands like he was wringing a chicken’s neck.
Rosemary grinned. “I think Giles should do it.”
“NO!” Giles squeaked.
“Does everyone need to be here?” Evander asked.
Suddenly, Samara grabbed Evander’s elbow, yanked his arm up, and, with a twist, popped the joint into place. Evander was so startled, he came out of his seat with a shriek and landed on his knees on the dirt floor. The crew gasped, jumped, and let out cries of surprise.
But the pain faded, and the horrible, disjointed sensation was gone.
The Dread Five crew cheered.
“Get him a sling!” Ignatius ordered.
“Here.” Elspeth offered a grimy kerchief.
Giles snatched it away and tossed it aside. “That’s disgusting! Rosemary, go to the barracks and tear a bedsheet into strips.”
“Because the sheets we’ve been sleeping on are so, so much cleaner, Giles!” Elspeth snapped.
Giles threw up his hands and ran back through the barn.
Evander sat back on his heels, rolling his shoulder gingerly in its socket as Samara stood with her arms crossed over her chest and looked smug.
“All better?” Samara asked.
“As good as it’ll get, I suppose.”
Samara shook her head. “Don’t bother to thank me.”
“I wasn’t planning to, seeing as it’s your fault,” Evander replied.
Giles returned and held out a strip of cloth, which Evander pushed aside. Giles’ shoulders stooped.
“Thank you,” Evander said awkwardly. “I appreciate it. But I think I’m alright.”
Giles offered him a wan smile.
The show over, the crew ambled off to their duties, leaving Evander and Samara alone.
Samara chewed the inside of her cheek. “If you’re going to lead us into battle, we need you in one piece.”
Evander groaned.
“How did selling us out to Cadmus help you?” Samara asked quietly. “I understand that Valenna was unhappy with Ariadne about the powder, but why turn over Cobblepine when you’re here along with the rest of us?”
Evander let out a long breath and rumpled his hair with his hand. “I think Cadmus may have given her a caladrius bird in exchange for Hera. Valenna needed it to draw the poisonous magic out of me, so she offered him Hera, and she would have had to tell Cadmus the location of the sanctuary.”
Samara stared at the wall. Evander braced for an explosion, but she just stood in numb silence.
“She thought you would run, didn’t she?” Samara sounded melancholy. A hint of pity in her voice. “Valenna thought you would run and go somewhere safe.”
