Brisa shot him a quick glance before changing the angle of her destination from the upper parts of the cliffs to the rest of the herd.
Jason squawked in anger, darting after her. "What did I say about staying away from my horses?"
Ollie gave Ajari and Eva a respectful nod. "I think it's best I keep an eye on those two. Otherwise, there might be bloodshed."
"I hope not. Brisa is Covath's favorite cousin," Ajari said lightly.
Ollie shot Eva a glance that asked if she wanted him to stay, ignoring Ajari's words for the moment.
Eva shook her head. He might as well save himself. Even if she walked away, Ajari would only follow. Ollie sent her a look that wished her good luck before ambling after the other two.
"She's taken an interest in you," Ajari remarked, his hands clasped behind his back.
"I'm not sure why."
Eva bent and tidied the blankets from last night, rolling them into a neat little cylinder she'd tie to the back of her saddle later.
"I can think of a few reasons." Ajari peeked at Eva out of the side of his eye.
Eva snorted. If he thought she was going to fall over herself to find out what they were, he could think again.
She was done playing the mythologicals' games. He could find someone else willing to humor him.
Eva finished with her bed roll and stood, pinning it under her arm as she started toward camp.
"Not speaking to me?" Ajari asked.
Eva shook her head. "There's nothing to say."
Ajari face was thoughtful as he gave a faint nod. "I'm sure there's something."
Eva threw her bedroll on the ground, fed up. "What do you want from me, Ajari? I'd like to know."
"Want?" Ajari asked, his expression showing a confusion Eva knew was fake.
He wouldn't be here unless he was up to something. The only question was what—and whether Eva would be the one who'd pay the price in the end.
Brisa hadn't been exaggerating earlier when she said favors for Ajari resulted in bloodshed. He'd been the driving force behind Eva's appointment as Caller.
And look how that turned out.
"Don't play stupid," Eva told him. "You know the Kyren have walked away from the alliance."
The confusion dropped from his face as Ajari sent Sebastian a look.
The Kyren blew out a breath before heading in Ollie and Jason's direction. I'll talk to you later, Eva.
"Now, I know you want something," Eva said in a dry voice.
Ajari didn't say anything as he frowned at Caia. The mare chewed on a piece of grass as she stared back with a stubborn look.
"Such a strange horse," Ajari said, curling his lip.
"She's a proud and noble creature and you'd do well to remember that."
Otherwise, she'd have to put her boot in his ass and neither one of them would likely appreciate the consequences of that action.
"If you say so."
"I do."
Ajari frowned at the mare. "Still, there's something to her."
"Ajari!" Eva said in a loud voice. She was quickly losing patience. "Why are you here?"
Ajari hesitated. "The Tenrin haven't had friends among the humans since long before the cataclysm."
Eva frowned, wondering where he was going with this.
Exasperation showed on his face. "No one was more surprised than I, but I consider you a friend. Shea saved me from slavery, but you showed me there's a future."
Eva straightened, not looking away from his face.
They were friends, though it felt odd to acknowledge that fact. She felt concern for him when she thought his will was being drowned by others. She worried about him the same way she would about any of the others.
"It's a strange friendship, isn't it?" Ajari asked with a crooked smile.
Eva hummed an agreement. It was, indeed.
"I didn't think I would like you as much as I do," Ajari confessed.
"You thought you could use me and move on."
Ajari inclined his chin.
Not surprising. The using her part. She'd long known Ajari had an agenda even when she didn't understand what that agenda entailed.
"Be careful with my cousin," Ajari finally said after several seconds. "If anything were to happen to her, you and the Trateri would be blamed. No matter whose fault it was."
He strode away, leaving Eva staring after him in confusion.
"Wait. That's it?" she called.
That's all he had to say?
Ajari shot her a closed mouthed smile over his shoulder. "The young are always the most open minded. Remember that."
He raced for the face of the cliff. He planted one foot on its side, leaping up and catching a hand hold before propelling himself upwards again.
A cliff that would have taken a human several minutes to climb and Ajari did it in a few seconds.
"Son of a bitch," Eva said with feeling. "You told me absolutely nothing."
About why he'd come. What he was hoping to accomplish. Nothing. He might as well not have even been there for all Eva learned.
Shaking her head, she started toward Jason and the others, muttering about arrogant Tenrin and their fondness for being mysterious.
Brisa gave her a sympathetic look. "Didn't tell you anything while making a lot of insinuations, huh?"
"You got it," Eva said.
"Yeah, he does that."
Eva puffed out her cheeks before forcing herself to calm. It wasn't like getting upset would change the situation.
Besides, as annoying as he was, she'd take Ajari's vagueness over the Kyren's silence any day.
Eva decided to put the question of Ajari and his end goal out of her mind for now. From the looks of things, the Trateri were planning to move out soon.
Ollie was already at work, moving from horse to horse and checking their bridles.
Jason waited for Eva, his expression open and anticipatory. Sebastian stood next to him with a bored look on his face.
As Eva and Caia moved toward them, Sebastian snapped open one wing.
Jason ducked to the side, barely avoiding getting his face bashed. He shoved Sebastian's wing away from him. "You have a serious problem."
Sebastian lifted his head. You are the one with a problem. I am perfect. To Eva, Did you have fun with Ajari?
"That's not how I'd describe it."
Jason looked between the two of them. "It's quite irritating only hearing half the conversation."
"If you could hear what they're saying, I'm not sure you'd think that," Eva informed him.
Brisa giggled.
They both looked at her.
The Tenrin sobered. "Was that not supposed to be funny?"
Jason pressed his lips together before sending Eva a pleading look. "Please tell me we're not stuck with her."
"I'd like to."
Jason made a whining sound, hearing the but in her voice.
"But I'd be lying."
He stomped his feet in place. "Come on."
Eva shrugged. "If you don't like it, get her to leave yourself."
Jason eyed Brisa with a hostile expression as he judged the likelihood of that happening. The Tenrin gave him a pretty smile and batted her eyelashes.
Jason groaned, giving up. "Fine, but you'd better not make my life harder."