How The Warrior Fell (Falling Warriors series Book 1) (12 page)

“Don’t worry; Dreydey isn’t as welcoming to his attentions as Leawyn is.”

Xavier allowed a small smirk to appear on his face. He had no doubt Killix wouldn’t accept rejection for very long. He 
was
 his horse, after all.

Xavier sobered, looking to his brother. “What of my men?”

Tristan did not need to say anything; Xavier knew by his facial expression he was the only one who had survived. Xavier looked away, clenching his teeth together tightly in rage.

Many of those men were good men, loyal to Xavier. They had trusted in his leadership, and Xavier repaid them by leading them to their deaths.

That fact alone brought a burning desire to kill something. Xavier did not like to let his men down. He did not make it a habit to be caught by surprise. He knew what to expect, and his battle strategies were legendary. It was the reason why the Izayges grew to be so powerful.

Xavier turned his burning gaze to Tristan. “Observing is over. They declared where they stand when they attacked me and my men,” he growled out roughly, his glare heated by his rage and vengeance.

“What will you have me do?”

“Gather the men and tell them to get ready to ride back out to the village,” he ordered, frowning in thought. “Leave some men behind here, the rest travel back.”

Tristan stood. “I’ll tell Tyronian to ready the men.”

Xavier nodded, settling himself more comfortably as exhaustion set in. Just before Tristan was going to exit the tent, he called out to him. “Tristan.”

Tristan paused, looking over his shoulder to meet his brother’s eyes.

“We might have to tell the others.”

Tristan raised his eyebrow, rotating his body so he was once again facing his brother. “You think it will come to that point?”

Xavier nodded, his eyes flashing to a memory only he could see.

Tristan sighed, turned back and exited the tent. The Izayges were the unofficial protectors of the tribes, since they were the most battle trained. Very rarely did they have to call upon other tribes.

But these men were dangerous. More than that, they were threat.

L
EAWYN MADE HER
way back towards the tent from her visit with the horses. She shivered, pulling her wool cloak closer to her slim body. The snow had begun to take over the land, creating a soft, cold blanket for everything it touched.

Snow had always been beautiful to Leawyn, however bitter the cold was. She wanted to make sure the weather didn’t affect Xavier’s health; his fever had only just broken, and he was finally beginning to regain some of his strength back. She didn’t want him to regress.

Leawyn hurried as best she could through the snow with that last thought. She stopped, letting out an irritated hiss when her feet slipped and she landed on her bottom in the cold ice.

Grumbling to herself, she pushed herself up and tried to wipe the excess snow off her. Once she was satisfied, she let out a sharp whistle.

A moment passed before Leawyn heard a soft neigh and the sound of hooves crunching against the slush as they made their way to her.

Leawyn turned around and watched in amusement as Deydrey trudged through the snow to her, followed by her recent shadow, Killix.The mare blew on Leawyn’s face when she finally reached her. Killix came trotting proudly next to her a second after, also greeting her.Deydrey pinned her ears back, turning her head sideways to nip at Killix before swiftly pulling her head back so the eager stallion couldn’t return the favor.

Leawyn rolled her eyes and pet Deydrey. “Easy, girl.”

Deydrey let out another snort, bending her neck so she could rest her nose on Leawyn’s chest. Leawyn scratched her behind the ears a bit before she pulled her hand away.

“Mind giving me a ride? I’m afraid my legs aren’t as strong against the snow as yours are,” Leawyn told Deydrey lightly, giving her one last pat on the neck before she stepped away.

Deydrey shook out her mane before she bent her neck low and kneeled with her two front legs on the ground, bowing so Leawyn could climb on her back easily.

Leawyn hopped on, and only when she was settled comfortably did Deydrey spring up and start to make her way towards camp at Leawyn’s gentle urging. Killix followed faithfully behind.

Leawyn held onto Deydrey’s grey mane lightly, enjoying the gentle sway of Deydrey’s relaxed walk. She looked up when the sounds of the camp reached her ears and stared in surprise to see some of the men packing up their things.

“Whoa,” Leawyn said softly, hopping off Deydrey when she came to an immediate stop at the softly spoken word.

“Go on now,” Leawyn told Deydrey, waving both her hands in a “shoo” manner. Deydrey threw her head as she turned away and loped off the way she came, her white and grey coat easily disappearing within the snow.

Killix seemed to be debating whether to follow Deydrey or Leawyn. Turning his head, he looked in the direction Deydrey had cantered off to before swinging his muscled neck back to face Leawyn.

Killix was just like his master, and though Leawyn found it amusing, she also found herself worrying for Deydrey.

The poor mare didn’t stand a chance.

“Oh, go on. I’ll be fine, and I don’t want to listen to your worrying,” Leawyn told Killix in exasperated amusement.

Killix’s ears flickered up towards her before they bent down as he listened, no doubt for the faraway sounds of the mare. He seemed to debate for a moment more before he swiftly turned and trotted his way proudly in Deydrey’s direction.

Leawyn smiled after him for a moment then turned her attention back to the encampment. She frowned. They definitely were packing up, but where were they headed?

Leawyn’s eyes searched for the familiar faces of her cousin and brother-in-law. Her eyebrows perked up when she caught a flash of blond hair that could only belong to one person besides herself.

“Tyronian!”

Tyronian stopped what he was doing and scanned the camp. He smiled when his eyes rested on Leawyn and he uncaringly dropped the supplies he was holding , ignoring the grunt of irritation and glare a soldier gave him as Tyronian made his way over to her.

“Hello, beautiful! Finally decide to ditch your husband and come to me, have you?” Tyronian grinned shamelessly, wiggling his eyebrows. Leawyn laughed in amusement, used to Tyronian’s playful flirting.

“I’m afraid not, good sir. I came simply to ask a question.”

He frowned in mock disappointment. “Well, that’s no good.”

Leawyn giggled, making Tyronian smile at the sound. He heaved a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging. “I suppose since you have not come to accept my offer, I have no choice but to answer the question you have come to ask me.”

Leawyn motioned her chin at the movement around the camp. “What’s going on?”

Tyronian sighed yet again, taking off his own cloak and wrapping it around Leawyn’s shoulders as he answered her. “We’re packing up. Most of us are going back to the village while some men stay here to keep a lookout.”

Leawyn frowned. “Who gave the order?” she asked, pulling Tyronian’s big cloak closer to her body to snuggle into the warmth.

“Tristan did.”

Leawyn’s frown deepened as her eyes narrowed in thought. “Xavier isn’t strong enough to travel. Why would he give such an order?”

Tyronian shrugged, not having the answer. “Perhaps you should ask him.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Leawyn snapped, her face scrunched in an adorable look of irritation only a woman could express. Tyronian wisely kept that thought to himself, though, and instead pointed to the direction he saw Tristan last.

“He went that way,” Tyronian told Leawyn, a little too gleefully.

“Thank you, Tyronian.” Leawyn nodded, patting his corded forearm before she held onto the cloak and trudged off in the direction Tyronian had pointed.

“Let me know if you get cold at night, I’ll happily warm you up!” Tyronian called after her, chuckling at the way she waved at him over her shoulder. Tyronian sighed, resting his knuckles against both his hips.

“Poor Tristan.” Tyronian chuckled to himself, shaking his head at the image of the little spitfire confronting his cousin.

“Did you give the order for the men to pack camp and move out?” Leawyn demanded, crossing her arms as she stopped behind Tristan.

Her brother-in-law sighed as he finished tying the dried meat into a straw sack before he turned around to face her.

“Yes.”

Leawyn narrowed her eyes. “Why would you do that?” she demanded, turning her body sideways as Tristan walked past her to the other side of the cluster of trees they were in and grabbed another straw sack.

“Because I can, and it’s what we need to do.” Tristan threw the bag at his feet and kneeled down to start putting more food into it.

“What about Xavier?”

“What about him?” Tristan replied, pulling the knot he created tighter.

Leawyn’s mouth dropped open at his flippant tone. “Xavier is not strong enough to make this move, Tristan! He only just started to gain back his strength. If we move him, all the strength he regained and the recovery he made would diminish.” She strode over to stand directly in his sight. “Tristan!” she said sharply when he did not respond.

She met his eyes dead on when he slowly turned his head to look up at her. “He cannot make this move,” she repeated firmly, her expression unrelenting. She softened her tone to some degree as she stared at Tristan in confusion. “How could you not care about that?”

Tristan shot to his feet. Leawyn reeled back when she suddenly found him in her face. “Why do you?” he hissed angrily.

“What do y—”

“You know exactly what I mean, Leawyn!” Tristan cut her off, his words sharp.

She recoiled more, her neck stretching to put some space between Tristan’s face and hers.

“He’s my husband—”

Tristan scoffed, pushing himself away from her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Leawyn asked, baffled.

Tristan whirled around, and Leawyn could not manage to hide her gasp when she suddenly found herself pressed against a tree, his furious face level with hers.

“I have watched what he has done to you!” Tristan said vehemently, searing her with his heated gaze. “It was my ears that burned with the sounds of your screams.” Leawyn flinched, turning her face away from him. “It was I who heard your sobs as he left you like some common whore!” He raised his voice as he shook her a bit, causing her to straighten her shoulders and snap her gaze back to Tristan’s.

“And yet you take care of him. Like a dutiful little wife when, weeks before, it was
me
you begged to help you escape,” Tristan snarled bitterly, his expression transformed into a look of disgust as he let go of her shoulders and stepped away.

“Yet, here you stand, worried about his health.” He laughed without humor, shaking his head. “You’re pathetic.”

Leawyn swallowed, her eyes clouding over with tears as she hugged herself. Never before had Tristan raised his voice at her, or even gave any indication he felt this way. For the first time, Leawyn truly saw the resemblance between Tristan and Xavier.

“Xavier was mortally wounded, Tristan. I couldn’t just let him die,” she said softly, wrapping her cloaks tighter around herself. “It was the right thing to do, and if I was a lesser woman, I would have let him die. But I’m not.” She raised her chin in proud defiance when Tristan turned to look at her. “Out of everyone, I thought you understood that.”