She straightened as Clark came into view with a taller, skinnier man following close behind. The second man looked like a stick, complete with knobby elbows and long, thin limbs.
“Shane meet Remy.”
Shane nodded briefly, not offering her hand. The Trateri weren’t big on handshakes as it was too easy for an enemy to use them to disable their opponent.
“If you’re serious about heading out this morning, my commander and I would be grateful for the extra help out there,” Remy said, his voice nearly a whisper. “You’ll have to keep up though. We won’t be stopping until well after nightfall.”
Shea smiled, her lips barely tilting up at the corners. “That won’t be a problem.”
“Really? You have to be tired. I know you were out all night last night and before that you were on a two week mission.” Remy’s serious eyes held hers. “I know your reputation so I know under normal circumstances you can keep up, but every man needs rest at some point. We’re covering rough ground this time. We won’t be able to stop if you get tired.”
Shea paused, looking away for a moment before looking him straight in the eye. “I won’t be a problem.”
His concerns would be valid under normal circumstances. This time she had every intention of leaving the group at the first possible chance.
Remy looked unimpressed with her statement but said, “My commander said if you can keep up you can come.”
Shea fought from whooping in relief and settled for a small smile before bending and grabbing her pack.
“Going somewhere,” a cool voice asked as a man wearing the distinctive colors of Hawkvale, golden yellow and dark brown, strode up to the trio. It was Caden.
Shea froze in the midst of slinging her pack on her back as Caden’s knowing eyes examined her. Damn.
Seeing Shea had been stricken mute, Clark jumped in. “Shane’s heading out on a mission with Dark Light troop.”
“Is he?” Caden asked his hands clasped behind his back as he gave her an inscrutable glance.
“Yes, my commander thought it would be good to have some fresh blood around,” Remy said softly, his posture alert and wary.
“I’m afraid he’ll have to get that blood elsewhere. This one’s off the mission register until further notice. Orders of Hawkvale himself.” Caden gave Shea a sidelong glance. “It’s a good thing I caught you before you left. Shane has been promoted to the Anateri, Hawkvale’s personal warriors. I’m afraid your days as a scout are over.”
Shea clenched her jaw in disbelief as Remy’s eyes widened, and Clark’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
“I told you this meant a promotion.” Clark punched her in the arm.
“But I’m a scout.”
Caden’s face held a bland disinterest as he said, “Not anymore.”
Picking up on her distress, Clark clasped her shoulders saying earnestly, “Shane, this is a good thing. The Anateri are the elitist of the elite. Every Trateri boy dreams of growing up to be one.”
“But,” Shea said, feeling out of touch with her surroundings, “I’m a scout.”
“Being an Anateri won’t keep you tied to camp,” Clark said, thinking she was distressed at the thought of being restricted. “They go on just as many missions as scouts. You’ll probably even be sent on better ones than the babysitting details we usually pick up.” He shook her slightly. “This is a good thing. You should be proud of yourself. Only the best make it to their ranks.”
Shea came out of it enough to see how worried she was making Clark. Caden was watching closely, cataloging every reaction and assessing every word out of their mouths.
Knowing she needed to keep her guard up, she gave Clark a timid smile that she didn’t feel.
Satisfied she was feeling better, Clark stepped back, once again looking excited for her fortune. He was like a puppy, nearly vibrating out of his skin from having to stay still when he was this excited.
“Good. Now that that’s settled, I’m sure your commander would be happy to have his scout back,” Caden told Remy in dismissal. “Safe travels.”
Catching the hint, Remy gave him a chin dip saying, “To you as well, warrior.”
Remy grabbed Clark’s shoulder and hauled him away.
“I can’t wait to tell everyone,” Clark said excitedly.
Shea missed Remy’s response as the distance between them widened. She was left alone with Caden.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Clark and Remy’s backs feeling suddenly bereft and adrift. Her perfect plan was a nonstarter, and she was left in the company of a lethally dangerous man whose motives were unknown.
He tugged her bag from her back, and she let it go, feeling unsure with things changing so drastically. Did this mean he was her commander instead of Eamon?
She didn’t like that thought.
“Your quarters have been moved. You’ll be residing with the rest of the Anateri,” Caden informed her. “Also, since I don’t want you disappearing without my knowledge, one of my men will be accompanying you until I say otherwise.”
Shea saw a man join Caden out of the corner of her eye.
His next sentence made Shea close her eyes in disbelief.
“Hawkvale is awake and wants to meet you and the others for the evening meal. Trenton can show you the way. Don’t be late.”
He left with her bag, and Shea couldn’t even unlock her voice enough to ask for it to be returned. Not that he would have given it to her anyway.
What was she to do now? She was no longer a scout, and since Clark knew she was promoted to the Anateri, there would be no getting on an outgoing mission. Her new shadow wouldn’t allow that anyway.
Hiding among a different group of Trateri was impossible as well. Her presence around camp and on missions all these long months made it likely she would be recognized fairly quickly.
No, her only choice was to bluff her way through this meeting with Hawkvale and pray he didn’t recognize her. When they had relaxed a little she would try to sneak away.
“We must go,” her companion said, breaking into her silent contemplation.
She looked up, startled, only then noticing he was one of the men who had sat watch over her through the prior night. He’d brought her the food and water. Caden had called him Trenton.
His head tilted as he studied her.
“Where do we need to go?”
“You need to bathe and change first.” He wrinkled his nose in distaste.
She plucked her shirt away from her body and gave it a small sniff. He was right about that. Weeks in the field with a bunch of guys meant she’d had little time for the luxury of a bath.
“You can’t go before the Hawkvale looking or smelling like that.”
Shea sighed inwardly. No, she supposed she couldn’t. Finding a way to get cleaned up, while keeping her gender a secret, was going to be a pain. With the way exhaustion was beginning to pull at her, she didn’t have much faith she was going to be on her feet for much longer.
Sleep was probably going to have to wait. Shea’s mood plummeted at the thought.
She began walking toward her old quarters.
“Where are you going?” Trenton asked.
She gave him a silent sidelong look, unsure if she really wanted to engage in conversation right now. Perhaps if she just kept quiet he’d get the hint that she didn’t really want to talk.