Pathfinder's Way (The Broken Lands, #1)

by T.A. White

If the woman, Shea, had wanted to make him lose interest in her, she should have simply surrendered. Now, she presented a challenge. Prey to be hunted.

Shea blinked at the man in disbelief. Before she could say anything, much less act. Witt grabbed Paul by the back of the neck and slammed him face first into the wood countertop. There was a whine of pain as Witt leaned close and ground the man’s face further into the wood. “You must be some kind of stupid, boy, to be pulling this shit on a pathfinder. The very person responsible for getting us through rough country. If she wanted to, she could lead us into a beast’s nest and leave us there. Nobody would ever know what happened to you.” There was another groan as Witt picked him up and slammed him back down. “The amount of disrespect for both our pathfinder and the expedition leader that I just heard come out of your mouth infuriates me. I hear something like that from anyone else in this party, and you won’t have to worry about what she does because I’m going to rip the tongue from your head and present it to your mama so she has something to remember you by.”

“You’re quiet. You say something and expect what you say to be followed but don’t explain why.” He held up his hands when she opened her mouth to defend herself. “I know. To you, it’s obvious. To them, it’s anything but, and they need that explanation. Both the elders and the villagers fear anything outside Birdon Leaf’s walls. That’s not the case for you. You understand what’s out there and don’t fear it. For them, it’s this scary place where danger lurks. They don’t like that, and they hate admitting they’re afraid. Then this little slip of a girl tells them how things are going to be but doesn’t explain why they’re going to be that way. It freaks them out.”

It was going to be tough getting Dane to leave without Shea. He’d had a massive crush on the girl since Edgecomb. Witt couldn’t blame him. Shea was a looker. Only reason half the men in the village weren’t knocking down her door was because she intimidated the hell out of them. Her no nonsense gaze had a way of stripping a man down to size. Witt got a kick out of it every time she did it. She reminded him of another time. Another girl who had that same clear gaze.

Her squad leader said she won’t shut up if she thinks she’s in the right. Said he’s never seen someone do quiet insubordination so well.”

“You are a constantly evolving puzzle. It drives me mad, and for someone like me, who can guess an opponent’s move before they even make it, that is more attractive than a fragile thing like appearance could ever be. You ask why you. How could it be any but you?”

Shea couldn’t count the covenants Witt was breaking. If any in the Highlands found out how much he’d just revealed, he’d be marked as a traitor before being stoned. And then, just because Highlanders were slightly vindictive, they’d probably burn him.