That sent a chill over her. So the imposter had been with them, and no one had noticed.
Not even Masakage.
A shiver went down her spine. Did that mean that Diflyn could be with them even now?
“That being said,” Ronan continued. “There is a scent that we carry unique to us. In certain forms such as a bloodhound or honeybee, it can be detected. So there are shifters who can and will pursue others of our kind.”
“Are those the only two to beware of? Bees and bloodhounds?”
“There are other animals who can smell us out, but they’re either cumbersome or disgusting to be, such as a rat. But any canid can detect us. Bloodhounds just have a better sense of smell than their cousins.”
Good to know. She’d never thought to track as a dog or wolf. Mostly because she hadn’t needed that level of skill to find her targets.
“What are you two scheming about?”
Her heart lightened at the sound of Xaydin’s deep, resonant voice. It was good to hear him, however… “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
He scoffed at her chiding tone as he took the chair between them. “Bah. It was cold and lonely.”
“I thought you liked being alone,” Ronan teased before he took a deep drink of his ale.
“For many things.” He motioned the innkeeper who came into the room to fetch him his own tankard.
While they waited, she held hers out for him. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. Did Candara heal me?”
Ronan nodded. “Although I’m not sure what she did. But she had an awful headache from it.”
He grimaced at that, then took a drink from Gisela’s tankard. “I hate that I caused that for her. So, where’s the bastard who knifed me? Still in the stable?”
Ronan refilled his cup as the innkeeper brought the tankard for Xaydin and then left them. “Aye. Still under guard.”
“Good. I want a few words with him.”
“I’m thinking there won’t be a lot of talking, but rather a lot more satisfaction.”
Xaydin clanged his tankard against Ronan’s. “You know me too well.”
Gisela scoffed. “You don’t have to know you that well to know you’re prone to violence, even on your best day.”
“True.” Xaydin sucked his breath in sharply, then rubbed at his side where she knew he’d been stabbed.
That made her heart stop. “Are you all right?”
“I’ll live. My attacker won’t be so lucky.” Those words were cold and emotionless.
Not that she blamed him. She wanted blood from Garyn, too. And it was strange to her to be on this side of the matter. Strange how she’d never considered the family and loved ones of her targets before.
She hadn’t cared.
And she now realized how wrong she’d been. Before this assignment, it’d been a job. She was her mother’s sword. A mindless animal carrying out her queen’s commands.
Now, she regretted every single life she’d taken in the name of a centaur who held no feelings for anyone.
Xaydin wasn’t a monster.
She was.
