She didn’t even notice how they had become the center of attention until someone asked, “How do you distinguish between the revenant and the cackle dog? The two prints look almost identical to me.”
Shea looked up to find several Trateri dressed in clan colors that she didn’t recognize, gathered around watching. The men and one woman were all bigger than the other Trateri she’d met. Their features broader with a fierce look in their eyes that made Shea think that they weren’t used to playing nice with others.
Ember’s clan leader stood among them, his clothes much plainer than yesterday. He was missing the leather armor and the bloodthirsty look. Surrounded by those Shea assumed were his kinsmen, he almost seemed relaxed.
Daere stood up, brushing her hands against the seat of her pants. “Zeph, I had heard your clan finally joined us.”
Zeph inclined his head, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. “It is good to see you again, little cousin.”
Shea’s eyebrows lifted. Cousin? This man was related to Fallon?
Seeing the question written on her face, Zeph addressed Shea, “We’re related on the paternal side, whereas Hawkvale shares a connection with my lovely cousin on the maternal side.”
Shea nodded, not knowing what else to say. The Trateri family bonds were important to them and resembled a thorny thicket. Though Fallon had no immediate family, he seemed to have many extended relations.
A tall man, his blond curls tamed into a bun on top of his head ventured close and crouched next to Mist. “Are you learning about these beasts that we’ve heard so much about?”
Mist ducked her head and edged closer to Shea, not stopping until she was behind her.
The man looked up a Shea, his eyes sharp and suspicious. Mist stayed where she was, her head pressed into the back of Shea’s leg.
Shea stared back at the man and his friends with no clue as to what to say. Mist’s reaction was extreme, and she didn’t know quite how to explain it to strangers. Or if she even should, given the fact that Fallon planned to find the person behind the child’s abuse.
Daere stepped into the silence. “What brings you here?”
Zeph and his man didn’t look away from Shea and the girl, their eyes focused and intent.
The blond leaned forward, trying to peer around Shea. He gave Mist a charming smile “It’s alright, little one. I won’t harm you.”
Mist burrowed deeper into Shea.
“It doesn’t look like she wants to talk to you,” Shea said, not liking how much interest he showed in the child.
She still wasn’t sure how abrupt she should be, not with Ember’s clan leader standing right there. The last thing she wanted to do was alienate another potential ally of Fallon’s. What she wanted to do was scoop Mist into her arms and leave the area as fast as possible. Perhaps set Chirron on them to investigate. The chances were the little girl had associated the man from Ember with someone she used to know, but it wouldn’t hurt to have him checked out.
“Bax?” Zeph asked, his gaze watchful.
“There are bruises on the little one’s arms and the back of her legs.” The blond’s voice remained pleasant as he relayed that information, though there was an edge to it hinting at his unhappiness.
Zeph gaze moved to Shea as the last semblance of friendliness faded from his face.
“I don’t care who you spend your nights with, but if that child has suffered abuse at your hands, I will see that you are punished to the fullest extent of our laws.” Zeph gave her a look that said he’d very much enjoy taking her apart with his bare hands. That he might not wait for justice.
Shea’s jaw dropped. Why did they immediately assume that she was the one to hurt Mist?
The blond lunged forward, attempting to grab Mist. His hand barely grazed her shirt before Shea swept her away with one hand while blocking his attempt with the other. He spun, his arm reaching up to grab her, going for her shirt. It was a technique that Trenton had used on her more than once in their self-defense training.
This man was a shade slower than Trenton and didn’t have Trenton’s creativity. Shea responded, her body reacting through sheer muscle memory. She fell back a step, grasping the hand gripping her shirt and applying pressure to the wrist while kicking at his knee. She pulled him forward, breaking his hold and pulling him off balance. He landed on his back with a grunt.
She thought she’d managed to evade him until his hand shot out to grab her ankle and yank. She hit the ground with a grunt. She kicked out, connecting with the blond’s head as she scrambled backwards. If he got ahold of her, her chances of escaping were seriously reduced.
“Leave her alone!” a small voice screamed. A small form flew at Bax. Mist attacked him with furious fists, screaming her head off the whole time. Shea was taken aback at the fury on the little girl’s face and didn’t move for a long moment, watching the unfolding violence with wide eyes and an open mouth.
Bax, to his credit, didn’t offer the girl any violence in return. He struggled with keeping Mist from hurting herself or him with only mild success. Shea winced as the little girl landed a blow above his eye.
Trenton appeared like a shadow behind Zeph, his blade a threat against the clan leader’s neck. Seeing the situation devolving to a place they wouldn’t be able to recover from without shedding blood, Shea darted in, grabbing the little girl under the arms and dragging her back as Mist kicked and squirmed in her arms. She tried like mad to attack Bax where he lay on the ground, his hands open and spread as if to say he was unarmed and harmless.
Shea soon saw why as Wilhelm appeared from Shea’s other side, blade drawn and his face an implacable mask.
So much for not offending another clan leader. Her guard had his blade at Ember’s throat and her other one looked like he was seriously considering stabbing the man lying on the ground through the stomach.
Daere stepped forward, her face flushed and her eyes glittering furiously. “Explain the meaning of this.”
For a minute Shea thought she meant Trenton.
“Ember will not tolerate the abuse of a child,” Zeph said, his face reserved as he ignored the blade at his throat. He looked with interest at Shea trying to sooth Mist by rocking her back and forth. The child’s chest heaved with the force of a bellows. “But perhaps we were hasty in our assumptions.”
Shea gave him an incredulous look as if to say ‘ya, think?’ The woman beside Zeph smothered a smirk.
Zeph’s expression was wry as he acknowledged her unvoiced point.
“I met Mist right before the eagle attack,” Shea said. She chanced straightening, not wanting to have this conversation while she was on her knees. “It wasn’t until afterwards when a healer was examining her for injuries that we discovered she’d been mistreated.”
“She’s the child you saved,” the blond on the ground said. Wilhelm shifted forward, his movement a threat. Bax held his hands up higher and gave the other man an apologetic look.
“Yes.”