Teaser

 People have asked so here you go. Chapter one of The Storm's Whisper. Hope you enjoy.

Also--a caveat--this has not been put through the proof reader's yet so there may be typos.

Chapter One

Eva's hands paused as a furtive rustling came from the tall grasses not far from where she stood.

One truth she'd come to understand in the months since joining the Trateri, a conquering group of clans who had united the Lowlands and Highlands for the first time in living memory—the Highlands were never quiet.

There was always something. Some noise or sound to keep you company. Even if you were totally alone, not another human for hundreds of miles, there would never be true silence. You only had to listen to hear the wind ripping down from the mountain tops to play in the valleys and ravines. There'd be the call of birds or the song of insects. Small animals rooting for food in the grasses and trees.

Eva had long become used to it. To the point she barely noticed anymore, unless a discordant note was introduced into the harmony.

Like now.

Whatever was out there was determined. If not for the way the sounds abruptly stopped every time she looked in its direction, as if fearing discovery, she'd say it wanted her attention.

But that would be ridiculous.

Except, not really.

For some reason, the thought felt right. True. As if there was a little voice in the back of her mind influencing her perception.

Just like every time before, the movement abruptly stopped as soon as Eva started paying attention.

Moments ticked by, the sudden silence loud. As if the world held its breath.

The dappled gray mare Eva was in the middle of brushing aimed a disgruntled look at her when she paused once again. Caia reached back, lipping Eva's hands in silent demand.

"Fine, fine, your highness. I won't slack off anymore. My bad," Eva murmured to the mare, still preoccupied by their hidden watcher as she resumed brushing, her strokes slower than before.

Caia shook her head, her mane flying in a wordless rebuke before she leaned further into Eva's hands. Even under the best of circumstances, the mare could be demanding, acting every bit the queen Eva sometimes thought of her as. She was even worse when it came time for grooming. Never satisfied until Eva felt like her hands would fall off her wrists from exhaustion.

Sure enough, as soon as Eva took her attention off their watcher, the rustling resumed. The creature's caution forgotten in the face of its goal.

Eva smirked. That didn't take long.

Then again, patience wasn't exactly the creature's strong suit.

At the renewed sounds, a man poked his head over the horse he'd been tending. Unlike many Trateri, he was fair skinned with dirty blond hair and green eyes, a sign that he had Lowlander somewhere in his ancestry.

Not surprising. The Trateri had a long tradition of co-opting others into their clans. A nice way of saying they kidnapped people they took a liking to. Strange thing was, a lot of those people ended up joining the very clans, who they had every right to view as their enemy.

That was the Trateri for you, though. They had a way of getting under your skin. Making you see things in a different light. Next thing you knew, you were going out of your way to prove yourself. Fighting for a place among them and accepting tents you had no idea how to erect.

Jason leaned one arm on the horse's back and quirked an eyebrow at Eva in question.

Eva shook her head and rolled her eyes to the sky. She didn't know either.

A soft huff of amusement escaped him. It wasn't the first time strange things had happened around Eva, nor would it be the last.

At least their watcher didn't pose a threat. At least not to their lives. Their sanity and peace of mind? That was an entirely different story.

Eva checked on her guard for the afternoon. One of the Anateri, specially assigned to protect her. He was one of an elite group of warriors whose main responsibility was the protection of Fallon Hawkvale, warlord and leader of the Trateri clans, along with his interests.

Somehow, Eva had managed to become one of those interests.

She was a Caller. The first in centuries. A title that had slowly faded from memory for all except a select few.

Her ability allowed her to hear the thoughts and desires of mythologicals, a group of beings with the same intelligence and cunning as a human who were long thought gone from the Broken Lands. It was only recently they'd been freed from their imprisonment in the Badlands.

With them, they brought the potential for a new status quo—and the need for alliances.

That was where Eva came in. She and her newfound ability were the linchpin expected to hold this whole, chaotic mess together.

No one had exactly explained just how that was supposed to happen yet. It left her to feel her way blind.

Her elevation in status brought rewards—but also risk. She'd become the target for every one of the Hawkvale's enemies both internal and external.

Control her, and you gained the potential for leverage over a powerful group of mythologicals. Kill her, and the chances of an alliance went into the abyss alongside her.

Hence the need for the Anateri.

Drake was the easier going of the two, happy to keep his distance when the threat level was low.

It was why he'd chosen a position on top of a tall boulder that would allow him a perfect vantage point of the valley. Currently, he was lying on his back, hands clasped behind his head as he studied the clouds.

Feeling her eyes on him, Drake swept an idle glance over the meadow. Nothing changed in his posture, his body remaining relaxed.

It was all the confirmation Eva needed. Whatever was out there wasn't a threat.

Not that she'd really been in doubt. As a prey animal, whose senses were highly tuned to the environment around her, Caia would have alerted Eva to danger far in advance.

Eva peeked at the grasses out of the corner of her eye.

Three orange tails tipped in black slipped into view, waving merrily. Eva paused in her brushing again.

Jason slapped his horse's flank in dismissal. The horse moved away slowly, finding another grazing spot as Jason advanced toward Eva.

"What is he doing?" Jason asked, not taking his eyes from the tails.

Eva shook her head. That was a very good question. One she'd like to know the answer to. Preferably before the tails owner did something that would come back to bite her in the ass.

The tails froze, going stock still. Seconds passed, tension building subtly in the air.

Eva drew a sharp breath as the fire fox exploded out of the grass in a graceful leap, drawing a perfect arc in the air as he descended head first.

There was a squeak and then a crunch before happy growling reached them.

Jason winced. "He did all this to get our attention just to catch a field mouse?"

"Look at it this way. At least someone else was his victim this time."

They both knew that wasn't always the case. Over the past month and a half they'd been in this out-of-the-way valley in an isolated stretch of the Highlands where few humans, if any, had ever explored, the fire fox had played more than one prank.

To call the creature mischievous was kind.

In truth, he was a terror. His tyranny similar to that of a toddler, only far more mobile and way more intelligent. Not to mention vindictive.

Threats of bodily harm didn't work. Outsmarting him was a fanciful wish, and a more concentrated interest on his part.

Most ended up regretting tangling with the fire fox. As both Roscoe and Ghost, two of Eva's friends, could attest. They were still discovering prickle thorns, a plant native to the Highlands known for causing rashes and a prickling sensation when it came into contact with skin, in their clothing and bedding.

No one knew how the fire fox managed to get the thorns into their belongings. Only that he did.

Since then, most gave the fire fox a wide berth.

"Do you think he arranged his hunt simply so we could admire his prowess?"

A thoughtful look crossed Eva's face. "It's possible."

The crunching in the bushes stopped.

Jason's eyes widened in dismay as he mouthed a curse. One Eva seconded.

Idiot. He should have known better than to draw the fox's attention.

Golden eyes landed on Eva and Jason, studying them with an intelligence and cunning far greater than any animal.

Not much bigger than a cat, the fire fox resembled the fox he took his name from. His face was triangular and in daylight his coat held the same coloring as his vulpine cousins. With one notable exception—the three tails that were once again waving madly above the grass.

"What are you doing over there?" Eva called.

The grass rustled as the fire fox trotted toward Eva, carrying a kill nearly as long as him.

"Is that—?" Jason pointed uncertainly at the fire fox's victim.

"You're not seeing things. It's a wheezer."

Eva recognized it from the beast pamphlet the pathfinder who'd accompanied them to this valley had left before he'd made his return journey to Wayfarer's Keep, the stronghold of the pathfinders and the place where the rest of the Trateri army was camped.

Often mistaken as the largest entry into the rodent family, the wheezer had beady eyes and overly large front teeth. Looking like a mix between a possum and a weasel, its light brown fur allowed it to blend into most environments.

Eva would be tempted to call the creatures cute if not for the fact they were extremely aggressive and territorial. They preferred to stalk their prey and didn't care if that prey was twice their size. Human, bandisox, or other, the wheezer saw them in the same light. As enemies and food.

It wasn't their attack power where the real danger lay. Though admittedly, they'd been known to shred a grown man's leg in seconds before waddling off, looking pleased with themselves.

What was truly worrying about them was the fact that a single bite or scratch from their claws more often than not ended in infection and eventually death.

It was a slow, agonizing way to go.

Drake straightened at the sight of the wheezer in the fire fox's jaws, the playful look on his face turning serious.

A cold feeling moved through Eva.

Their oversight could have easily cost lives. There was no healer in the small party that had accompanied Eva all the way up here in hopes of strengthening their alliance with the mythologicals. No one to treat them if things went wrong. Not for hundreds of miles. Several weeks of hard journey separated them from any form of help.

It was a grim realization that highlighted how drastically they had underestimated their surroundings.

Drake hopped down from his boulder, jogging in Eva's direction.

To Eva's surprise, the fire fox turned, trotting toward the far side of the valley where fallen boulders from a long-ago avalanche dotted the landscape. The places where stone met dirt were overgrown with grass, some of which climbed halfway up their sides.

Solitary trees stretched their arms to the sky. In the distance steep hills that transitioned to rugged mountains framed either side of the wide valley floor.

To Eva's rear, Caia and the rest of the small herd of mounts grazed in the pretty meadow.

Beyond them was the small camp they'd set up upon arrival. In the distance, at the opposite end of the valley, were the ruins of a long-ago settlement. The stone walls that made up the houses long fallen into disrepair.

The fire fox slowed and then stopped when he realized Eva and Jason hadn't moved. He aimed an expectant look at Eva over his shoulder.

"Does he want us to follow?"

Eva released a resigned breath. "Probably."

"That's not sinister or anything," Jason complained, trailing Eva as she started after the fire fox. "Follow the mysterious mythological to an equally mysterious destination. What could go wrong?"

Eva smothered her smile, privately agreeing with the sentiment.

Unfortunately, ignoring the fire fox wasn't an option. Even if he wasn't being painfully obvious in his desire, she'd still follow. If for no other reason than self-preservation. It was easier to anticipate the fire fox's actions when you knew what he was up to.

The fire fox trotted happily through the meadow, bypassing the hulking silhouettes of boulders before heading for a tree standing alone in the midst of the field. A creature peered around it with a shy face. His massive form huddling behind the small tree as if it would protect him from them should have been a comical sight. 

And maybe it would have if he hadn't gone unnoticed until that exact moment.

Eva squashed her alarm, knowing the fire fox wouldn't have endangered her without reason. She took a moment to study the creature.

His skin was mottled with grays, browns and greens. A moss-like plant covered his back and hands. White flowers similar to daisies sprouted from his head.

From a distance he would resemble a slow-moving boulder, ambling across the valley floor. It was perfect camouflage. No one would even notice unless they mentally marked his location and then compared it to his new one.

Which Eva doubted many would do.

Despite his large size, his features were kind. Gentle even. This wasn't a creature who would do harm. Eva got a sense of peace from him. A bottomless well of serenity and warmth.

It would be tempting to linger and soak up his tranquility.

Eva took a step toward him only to stop as Drake blocked her with his arm. He watched the creature with a frown, viewing the other as a potential threat he needed to protect her from.

The fire fox trotted up to the creature and stopped. He laid his kill down at the base of the tree and sat before wrapping his tails around his feet.

The fox's gaze was knowing as he watched Eva in silent demand.

"What is that?" Jason breathed.

Eva held a finger to her lips, signaling for quiet. There was something about this moment that felt important. As if their entire future in this valley hung in the balance.

The fire fox was acting as if they needed to pay tribute to the rock creature. It was Eva's job to find out why.

Jason nodded to show he understood.  

Eva pushed Drake's arm out of her way and stepped around him.

"Eva!" Drake hissed.

Eva paused, knowing if Drake felt she was placing herself in danger he was liable to act. And not necessarily in ways she would agree with. She wouldn't put it past him to grab her and make a run for it.

In the Broken Lands where even a rodent could pose a threat to your life, it was easy to view anything strange or unexpected as an enemy.

This was the drawback to having elite warriors shadow your every move. Explanations were needed lest they take matters into their own hands.

Better for everyone if she spent a few short seconds to head such actions off at the pass.

"He's a mythological. I can feel it."

She wasn't quite sure how but the creature gave off the same feeling as the fire fox. Like there was more to them if you simply looked beneath the surface. A deep well of possibility lurking. It felt different than what she felt around beasts, though she'd be hard pressed to explain exactly how. Just that it was.

It was a feeling in her bones. A knowing, if you will.

Mythologicals were kind of in the realm of her expertise now—which wasn't exactly saying much considering how little was actually known about them.

It meant the fire fox's strange behavior and this creature's appearance in the valley were her responsibility—and she took her responsibilities seriously.

Drake held her gaze, his stubborn need to protect warring with his frustration over knowing she was right. Moments passed before he relented.

Drake stepped aside, allowing her to continue unhindered.

"Be careful," Jason whispered.

"Afraid you'll have to deal with Caia on your own?"

Jason snorted. "Damn right I am. That mare is a devil."

As if sensing they were talking about her, Caia butted Jason in the back, making him stumble forward a few steps. He swatted her head away with an irritated look on his face.

"When did you get over here?" Jason whisper yelled.

"She's been following us since we started," Drake said in a low voice, not taking his eyes off the creature.

Eva crept forward, careful to keep each movement slow and non-threatening. In one sense, Drake was absolutely right. This was dangerous. It always was when approaching unknown mythologicals. You never knew if they'd be accepting of human presence or seek to destroy.

Human/mythological relations was a relatively new concept and there was a long history of the two not getting along. Some might even say they were natural born enemies. Imprisonment for centuries in the Badlands tended to do that.

Still, Eva didn't think the fire fox would put her in a situation that endangered her life.

Eva stopped when she sensed Drake's tension increase to a level that suggested he'd act if she went any closer. She didn't look away from the rock creature, crouching to make herself smaller and seem like less of a threat before aiming a gentle smile in his direction.

He shrunk behind his tree, only his eyes peering out at her, the rest of his face hidden by the trunk, even as his lower body and torso stuck out the other side.

Eva didn't move. Sometimes, with wild creatures, patience went further than anything else. Letting them come to you was always better than forcing an interaction.

Long seconds passed before the fox looked up at the gentle creature.

The two stared at each other, holding a conversation Eva could almost sense. She concentrated but only caught a low-level buzz in the back of her mind. So faint that she almost thought she'd imagined it.

As if coming to a decision, the rock creature reached up and plucked one of the white flowers from the top of his head and held it out to Eva.

"For me?" She pointed at her chest.

A low rumbling came from the mythological's throat. It put her in mind of boulders being pushed across the land, inch by slow inch. The passage of centuries encompassed in that one sound, carrying with them an invisible weight.

As if afraid she wouldn't understand, the mythological tucked his chin in a slow nod.

Eva glanced at the tiny flower, made even smaller by the massive hand wrapped around it. A hand that could easily have palmed Eva's skull and crushed it.

Yet the mythological handled that flower like a precious treasure. Inexplicably gentle as he offered it to Eva.

Conscious of the way Drake tensed as she reached out to take it, Eva gave the mythological a bright smile. "Thank you. I'll cherish it."

Another slow rumble came, like that of titans clashing.

Eva didn't know what he said, not in words at least. It was more of a feeling she got. A sense that he was welcoming her to the valley. That as long as he was here this place would be blessed.

People in the Highlands often liked to say that the land had a mind and will of its own. It could embrace your presence, but it also could decide you weren't welcome. There was many a cautionary tale of what happened in such cases. Usually, those involved died in grisly ways.

Until right this moment, Eva, like many Trateri, thought that was merely an excuse those in the Highlands gave for not being willing to leave the safety of their villages.

What she was picking up from the mythological suggested otherwise. Maybe there was some truth in those stories and not everything was superstition.

It was a thought to examine later—when she wasn't in the presence of an entity she was beginning to suspect was more than just a mythological.

There was a connection she could feel. As if he was the land in some abstract fashion.

A silly thought—except this was the Highlands and much stranger things had happened.

Eva tilted the flower in her hand, attracted to the strange petals. She was almost mesmerized at the faint shimmer she caught in their depths. As if a pollen made of diamonds had been scattered along its silky surface.

Exquisite.

Eva came back to herself with a jolt. "Where are my manners? You gave me a gift. It's only right I give you one in return."

Eva dug in her pockets, her fingers touching against the smooth woven surface of the decorative pattern she'd been working on for Caia.

It wasn't much. Just a little thing she'd seen on other Trateri saddles. Often tied to the front or side and left to hang free. They were usually gifts from family, friends, or lovers and came in a variety of colors and patterns.

This pattern was a tad more complicated than any she'd tried before. Made from multiple strands, it had an interesting red pattern running down its center while the outside edges were made from white thread.

It didn't look half bad, if Eva was being entirely honest.

Perhaps that was why she didn't dismiss it as a possibility. Though created with Caia in mind, it carried her sincerity. It wasn't too much to say it was a physical expression of the love and respect she had for Caia. Most importantly, it was something she'd created with her own hands.

That made it the perfect gift.

Either way, Eva wasn't sure how likely it was for her to meet this mythological again. Once this moment passed, chances were it wouldn't come again.

Impressions, good or bad, tended to last much longer than the moments that created them. As the people she'd claimed as her own, she wanted the Trateri to start off on a good foot—especially with unknown mythologicals who may or may not have been dangerous.

Making her decision, Eva withdrew the weaving from her pocket and held it out on the flat of her hand.

"For you," she said before she could change her mind.

The mythological's gaze caught hers, the rest of the world falling away.

Emotions that weren't hers, feelings and thoughts that came from a place outside of herself, swept through her. She caught gratitude and surprise. Pleasure and fascination.

Along with those emotions came the press of years. She knew in her bones that the mythological in front of her was old. As old as the valley she stood in, the more fanciful part of her wanted to claim.

For a mind as young as hers it was too much. Too heavy a weight to carry.

Beads of sweat popped up on her forehead as her hand trembled under the onslaught.

As abruptly as it had come, the pressure of the mythological's mind withdrew, the stress abating.

The last thing she caught was an apology and a welcome. Beneath it all was also a promise to live in peace with the humans as long as they respected the land.

Eva came back to herself, blinking in surprise at the solitary tree trunk. The mythological was gone.  

Puzzled, she studied the ground, only to find the carcass of the wheezer gone. Not even a spot of blood to mark where it had been.

"What was that?" Eva asked in a soft voice.

She felt off balance. Uncertain whether she'd actually experienced what she thought she had. It felt fantastical. Like a dream, if not for the flower still clutched in her hand.

A crafty look slid across the fire fox's face before it was gone, leaving only innocence behind.

Eva narrowed her eyes, ignoring the clop of hooves from behind her. Did he really think she believed that expression?

One thing she knew—the fire fox was almost never innocent.

"Did you accomplish what you wanted?" Eva asked him with a pointed look.

His only response was a foxy smile before he scampered away, his tails bouncing behind him as he disappeared amid the boulders.

Eva didn't have long to ponder what scheme the fox was involved in now as Caia and Jason started for her.

"What was that?" Jason asked, unknowingly echoing her question from before as he stared past the tree to the boulder field beyond.

Eva followed his gaze, her attention fastening on a moss-covered boulder she was sure hadn't been there before her encounter with the mythological.

Her eyes sharpened as the boulder shifted. Not much. Barely a foot, which from this distance was nearly imperceptible. Before, she would have thought she was imagining things. Her mind taking a flight of fancy inspired by the unbelievable tales she'd heard about this place.

"That's why," she whispered to herself.

She'd thought it strange no one had mentioned this being. If there had been even a whisper of his existence, there was no way the Trateri would have taken a chance and settled here.

It was because the mythological was nearly impossible to spot. His camouflage damn near perfect.

"We need to tell the others," Drake said, joining them. His gaze was direct as he focused on Eva. "Should we be worried?"

She shook her head. "I didn't get the sense that he was a danger."

If anything, it was the opposite. That he would help up to a certain point.

She kept that part to herself, not wanting to sound crazy.

After a lifetime of pretending to be normal, she wasn't quite used to people knowing about her strange gifts. She struggled to accept that they wouldn't turn on her if they knew the true extent.

It was why she held part of herself back—even with those she'd come to call friends.

"Is that what the mythological gave you?" Jason asked as all three of their gazes landed on the flower.

Eva held it in front of her eyes. "It seemed important to him."

"Never seen anyone grow flowers on their head. Let alone pluck one and give it to someone else." Drake's gaze moved from the flower to Eva's face.

"What do you suppose it means?" Jason asked.

Eva rubbed the flower's stem between her fingers, twirling the shaft and watching the petals rotate. "I think it's a symbol of friendship."

That's how it felt to her, anyway. A token exchanged with pure intentions.

Taking advantage of their preoccupation, Caia extended her neck. Her teeth chomped closed on the flower before Eva or anyone else could react.

Caia chewed loudly, smacking her lips as if to say the flower was delicious.

Eva sputtered, her gaze going from the pitifully empty stem in her hands to her too-stupid-to-live horse.

A choked sound escaped Jason as his shoulders trembled suspiciously. "Well, it appears Caia just ate your token of friendship."

Drake leaned toward Jason, staring at the horse like she'd committed an unspeakable act. "You don't think she'll die from this, do you?"

"From a flower?"

"It is the Highlands."

Jason made a little nod as if to concede the point. They all knew the Highlands reputation—though usually it wasn't the flora that was likely to do you in. No, that honor went to the many dangerous beasts lurking around every corner.

"I'm more afraid the mythological will come back. How do you think he'd feel if he knew the horse ate his head flower?" Jason muttered.

Drake touched the sword at his side in reassurance.

Eva threw the now bare stem on the ground, crossing to Caia and grabbing the horse's jaw.

"Spit it out, you daft thing. Spit. It. Out. Right. Now."

Caia tried to tug her face out of Eva's grip, but the human was far more stubborn than the horse expected.

Eva forced Caia's head down, not caring when the horse's eyes rolled, showing the whites around them, or the way her lips peeled back to reveal teeth that were clamped stubbornly together. They didn't budge no matter what tricks Eva tried to get them to part.

All that mattered was the fact Caia had eaten an unknown flower. A flower that Eva could tell held some type of strange power that could KILL her STUPID horse.

That was to say nothing about the fact that Jason was right. How would the mythological feel if he knew that the flower, something that was quite literally a part of him, was consumed so presumptuously?

None of which Eva could bring herself to care about if her friend, the sister of a different species, was harmed.

"Caia!" Eva shouted, losing patience.

Caia half spun, knocking into Eva and nearly toppling her to the ground. The force of the blow loosened her grip on Caia's head as the horse jerked out of reach.

Caia backed away and stopped, her legs splayed, a wild look of defiance on her face that Eva recognized. One that meant no amount of bargaining or threatening would force Caia into compliance.

It was the look that said she'd dug in and blood would spill before she gave up.

Caia's tail whipped back and forth behind her, showing her fury as horse and horse mistress engaged in a standoff.

Finally, Eva relented, letting out a huff. "Fine, but don't think I'll shed a tear when you keel over. You're on your own, my dear. Completely and totally."

That was a lie.

Eva had no doubt she'd be utterly and totally devastated if anything were to happen to the daft creature.

Especially something as preventable as eating questionable flora that originated from a powerful creature's head.

As the horse responsible for finding Eva and subsequently leading her to the Trateri, they shared a bond. One totally unique to the two.

Some might even say they shared a fate. An inexplicable thread binding them together that neither wished to sever.

With Caia had come Ollie, a herd master who'd been responsible for the mare. When he'd offered to take her with him, Eva had accepted. In her mind, people who treated a runaway mount as gently as they did Caia couldn't be all bad. No matter what rumor and stories claimed.

Eva believed that encounter had saved her life. Chances were, she'd be long dead if she'd remained in that forest. Alone and vulnerable to those that hunted there.

They'd been inseparable ever since. The horse acting more like an overzealous guard dog than a mount.

Which was why if something ever happened to Caia, Eva was sure the resulting fallout would be catastrophic. She fully expected there to be tears. Rivers of them. Enough to fill a thousand lakes.

Not that her horse seemed to appreciate that, if the bored expression on the idiot equine's face was anything to judge by.

The sound of hoof beats drew her attention from Caia's poor judgment. Drake stiffened for a moment, before relaxing at the sight of the rider and horse thundering across the meadow toward them.

Eva squinted, recognizing the mount long before she did the woman.

While not unique, the pretty bay with her black mane and tail were distinctive enough for Eva to know the rider, even at this distance.

Fiona. Someone Eva considered a friend—though how that happened was still a mystery to her.

Fiona's expression was guarded as her gaze went from the three of them to their surroundings, taking note of the lack of other horses and the fact they were far from where they'd said they would be.

"Anything wrong?" Fiona's hand hovered near the hilt of her blade.

"All is well," Drake replied.

Fiona grunted, not looking entirely convinced as she scanned their surroundings.

Her jaw flexed, making the three parallel scars that ran along it more prominent. Surprisingly, those old battle marks did nothing to detract from her appeal. Rather they enhanced it, promising an interesting experience for any brave enough to tempt the rapids.

Finding nothing, Fiona focused amber colored eyes on Eva, her expression fierce.

"You're needed."

Eva straightened, sending the other woman a questioning look.

The bay tried to sidestep, picking up on her rider's heightened emotions. Fiona soothed her with a pat on her neck.

"Our sentries spotted a large element heading in our direction. Caden wants you present when we meet them."

A hushed silence sunk in after Fiona's words.

"How is that possible?" Jason burst out. "No one was supposed to be up here except us."

Drake stirred, appearing interested. "Trateri?"

Fiona hesitated, shooting a glance at Eva before reluctantly nodding. "It looks that way."

"Then the treaty—" Jason trailed off as he glanced at Eva in dismay.

"Is over," Drake finished, putting into words what they all thinking.