He buried his face against the side of her neck as they both struggled to catch their breath. She felt his lips curve in a smile as he pulled away. "Well, let's go, my fire."
Caden, Trenton and another man waited for them near the fire. Shea looked around, picking out the outlines of the rest of Fallon's men in the dark. Though it was the middle of the night, very early morning to be precise, all were awake. Either sitting, standing or in the process of packing their gear.
A map was spread out close to the flames and pinned to the ground with small rocks. Colored pebbles were placed where Shea estimated their current position to be. Different pebbles were placed a fair distance further down the map as a representation of their enemy.
"We've managed to locate their force and believe they plan to attack once we reach this point." Caden indicated the spot on the map.
"Why there?" Fallon asked.
"They'll be able to place archers on the cliff here." Another pointed finger. "Since our way narrows up ahead with a thick forest of trees and brush on one side and the hills closing in on us behind it. There's no way we'd be able to veer left. If they cut off both our way forward and to the rear, they could potentially deal heavy damage even with a small force."
The area Caden had shown on the map was several miles further north and west of where Shea had traveled the previous evening so she didn't have firsthand experience with the territory. It seemed a fairly accurate assessment from the information laid out before them.
"How did they even get in front of us? We were riding slowly, but not that slow," Trenton said.
"We only told this route to one person. The rest of our suspects were given an alternate route." Caden said with his eyes firmly fixed on the map. "We have a traitor, someone high up in the ranks."
Fallon sighed heavily. "You mean my half-brother."
Shea's head lifted in surprise. She'd met him. The half-brother had been Fallon's polar opposite. Convinced of his own superiority but without Fallon's charisma and force of presence to back it up.
"You know he's been jealous of you for years," Caden said softly.
"Jealousy is a long leap to assassination," Fallon said. "No, until we have concrete proof I will not accuse him. The information could have leaked another way."
"Fallon-"
"Enough. No more on this subject," Fallon snapped. "We'll learn one way or another in a short time."
"Unless the mastermind slips back to the main camp," Shea said. When all three pairs of eyes came to rest on her, she shifted. Perhaps she should have kept her observation to herself. She shrugged, "It just seems he or she has been good at covering their tracks up until now. It would be an unnecessary risk to stick around to make sure the deed is done when you've slipped from their trap so many times before."
"That's exactly why I think the involved party will be here," Fallon told her. "They're growing frustrated. They'll want to make sure nothing goes wrong this time and to gloat at finally having my neck under their sword. You attribute a level of intelligence to them they simply do not possess."
Shea didn't know about that. Their plans seemed pretty clever to her. It was pure dumb luck she interfered on two separate occasions.
"We'll need to turn their trap against them," Fallon said. "With the difficult and unfamiliar terrain, it would be foolish to try to attack before first light."
He was right. If he tried to have his men attack now, they were just as likely to fall off a cliff in the dark, or get thrown from a horse and break their neck, as carry out the attack successfully. Not knowing the land greatly hindered them. Lucky for them, their opponent wasn't any more familiar with this territory.
Fallon studied the map for a long moment before finally saying, "We'll need to spring the trap. I'll lead my men into it. Caden will take a group and attack the archers waiting above on the cliff. If we take care of them, it will be easier to fight our way through the men in the valley."
Easier, but not guaranteed. Fallon's men would be fighting on two fronts. Nobody had mentioned the numbers they faced so Shea figured they didn't have a good estimate. That number could be significantly greater than the small force Fallon had brought.
Trenton sighed. "Looks like the boys are in for a time of it."
Fallon clapped him on the back. "Wouldn't be the first time, nor I suspect, the last. We'll leave before dawn. If we can get there before they're expecting us, we can throw off their timing."
To Shea, he said, "You'll be going with the group heading up the cliffs. The pony shouldn't slow you down as much there. She's better with the hills and rocky terrain than our plains horses."
"I'll believe that when I see it," Shea said.
The rest of the night passed both too slowly and too fast. Sleep was impossible after the strategy session. Fallon spent the few hours before their departure with his men fine tuning their plans and talking with them.
He rotated from group to group, slapping backs and just being there for them. Chances were good that some might not come out of tomorrow alive, and he let them know they were appreciated, that they meant something.
They loved him for it. They loved him.
As they got into position the sun was beginning to rise above the twin mountain peaks in the east. Brilliant oranges, magentas and reds billowed across the horizon. It was the most brilliant sunrise Shea had ever seen. She fervently hoped it wasn't her last.
"Lass, the Warlord gave orders for you to stay out of sight when we attack," Caden said softly next to her.
Shea considered his words and found she had no problem with that. Unlike the rest of his men, she had little training when it came to weapons and what she did know was defense based. Mostly how to defend long enough to run away. Up until she had fallen in with the Trateri, she'd only drawn a blade against a beast.
Furthermore, she had no desire to use a weapon against another human being. She would if it was her life or theirs, but preferred it didn't come to that.
"I understand," she whispered back.
"That means you are not to leave this hiding spot," he clarified.
"That's fine."
"No running out into the middle of battle, distracting my men."
"Heard you the first time."
"It would be dangerous."
"Yup, I understand."
"And no-"
"Caden! I understand. I'll stay hidden. I won't run out to get killed or distract others who could get killed."
He watched her skeptically. "You're awfully understanding. Completely different from your scout master's description."
She grinned. Ah, to be arguing with Eamon again. She missed driving him crazy with her latest stunt.
"Believe me. I have no intention of interfering in your mission. I know as little about swords as you do about beasts. I am quite aware and embrace my limitations."
Their entire conversation took place nearly silently, as they kept their mouths close to each other's ears.
A bird's call came trilling through the forest. That was the first sign.
Caden's body hardened next to hers as he used his hands to signal his men.
The archer's must have come into view. Now all they had to do was wait until Fallon sprung the trap for the action to begin.
Shea settled down and rested her chin on the ground. It wouldn't be too long now.
They waited.
And waited.
And waited an eternity more.
Or so it felt.
The second bird call came.
Rustling came from where the archers hid. Shea could see the barest hint of movement from her hiding place amid the underbrush.
Caden glanced to his left and with his right hand pointed forward twice before looking to his right and signaling those men. They crept silently from their hiding spots, moving swiftly and lethally to the hidden archers. Caden tapped Shea on the shoulder before following them.
A furor rose from below, the furious sound of men engaged in battle, some killing, some being killed. Fallon must have set off the trap and was even now engaging the enemy.
Caden's men dispatched the archers with little to no fuss. He emerged into Shea's vision and signaled ‘all clear' then gave her the sign for ‘stay in place'.
Shea heaved a sigh of relief that one part was done. At least Fallon and the rest would have a fighting chance.
Caden disappeared back behind the trees, leaving her to her thoughts. And the growing boredom.
She raised her head as she heard a rhythmic pounding. Rising, she peeked out of her hiding place. A large, brown stallion thundered over the hill carrying someone. Hair flared behind the rider's head, and the flash of a face was briefly highlighted before the rider was gone. Up and over the hill and racing at breakneck speed along the ridge.
Indra.
Shea didn't have time to call for Caden. She was up and racing down the hill at an angle to Indra in an effort to intercept her. If the woman had any hope of escaping, she'd need to head over the hill and then pick her way back down to the valley floor. The ridge would grow too steep and ragged for travel by horseback.