'Training? I only wanted to have my fighting skills evaluated - that’s all.' Not the brightest thing to dwell on, but with the man’s easy, almost lazy manner, I simply couldn't help myself. His calm expression, framed by a short, thick beard, and those warm, deep eyes shaded under heavy brows gave me a strange sense of security - or maybe it was just the relief of him being here. After all, my leg was still clamped tight in the beast's maw.

  Whatever the case, his attitude - and especially his strength - made me believe that not all was lost.

  [Master Fighter: ??? sigils]

  This male was strong, stronger than Captain Rayden, stronger than anyone here - well, except the beasts. I didn't think for a moment that he would be able to stand up to one of the mother mossbears. It wasn’t just his odd bits of gear or the fact he was unarmed. Those beasts were simply too powerful.

  "Evaluated and pointed out your weaknesses and strengths - in my books, still training." When that scratchy yet oddly pleasant voice echoed in my mind, I froze, fear twisting in my gut. 'Did I imagine it, or...was there another mind mage, a male?'

  "Union Ring. Harcon handed it to me - smart of him to use it, but dangerous. The name's Deckard, by the way.”

  "K-Korra Grey. What do you mean, dangerous?"

  "Back in the wars, mind mages used them to hitch a ride on the link and get inside your head."

  'Shit!' The fire-wielding male never mentioned a thing about that.

  "Don't get your tail in a twist, girl."

  'Seriously, how in blazes did he know what I was thinking?' I thought I knew how to use the rings.

  "First off, I’ve met plenty of Terr'dens, so I’m able to read between the ears, if you get me. Second, these rings have an enchantment that…" He paused, eyes narrowing. "Give me a moment." In a heartbeat, he was gone. To be more precise, in just a few laws of physics-breaking strides, he returned to fire-wielder, Elira, and Vara. One of the young mossbears in the clearing decided to take advantage of his absence and pounce on them.

  Unfortunately, the no-longer-flower-smelling male and the mind-twisting female had drawn the same blasted conclusion.

  "One's that way, the other's over there," she said, jabbing her finger toward where we ran into the mother mossbears. "You and your people in front. I will follow."

  "Why don’t YOU lead this time," the male grunted, readjusting his head covering. Just because they had reached the same conclusion didn’t mean they saw eye to eye. Two pack leaders, each clawing for the top. "Your ways have already cost me more than enough men."

  "Tsk. And your stupidity will cost you even more. FINE!" She gritted her teeth, and the beast gnawing on my leg jerked forward. However, it barely took four steps before freezing. The strong male - Deckard - stood right in their path.

  "Leaving already?"

  "Be reasonable, Deckard,” the no-longer-floral-smelling male immediately growled back. “This is none of your business. So if you’d just..."

  "None of my business, Ward?" Deckard cut in, his voice hard as stone.

  "Yes, let's be real. That half-Terr'den being your apprentice is just bullshit. So please spare us the pretense. You might as well stop playing soldier, guard, or whatever, you're neither. Or did you forget?"

  ?Irritating.? It really was. As far as I knew, Ward was right. More irritating, though, was that my 'rescuer' was more keen on talking than rescuing.

  'Seriously, didn't he see that I had my leg in the beast's maw?'

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  As if to irritate me further, Deckard put on a smile, his hand slipping out of his pocket to ruffle his dark, ragged hair - barely longer than the length of a pinky. "Of course not. BUT just because I took off my uniform doesn't mean I sold my mind - unlike you. I gotta say, you've grown some balls since the last time I saw you, Ward. On the other hand, I never thought you'd fall so low as to work with a mind mage."

  The no-longer-flower-scented male shot back, "Your beloved Rayden drove me to it."

  Deckard raised an eyebrow. "Funny. I heard it was your greed."

  "Libel and slander. They just offered me more."

  "Sure they did. Always do. Tell you exactly what you want to hear. Isn't that right, mind mage? You offer sweet words, then leave nothing but hollow minds."

  "Bold words for a mere seeker," the mind-bending bitch sneered. "But I’ve broken the minds of those stronger than you."

  "If you have, then they weren't stronger, mind mage," Deckard shot back, dismissing her with a look of utter disdain.

  "You sure you want to test that claim, seeker?"

  "Are you daft, or just plain rotten in the head? I wouldn't be standing here if I feared your twisted magic, mind mage."

  That sure struck a nerve. I could feel her anger, raw and unrestrained, gnawing at my mind's defenses.

  ?Stupid!?

  "Why do you provoke her?" I pushed my thoughts through the onslaught.

  "It's way too easy. Besides, pissed-off people don't think straight. Mind mages especially."

  'Oh, so it wasn't just some small talk.'

  ?Smart.?

  "Let’s agree this ain’t the time, Deckard?" The no-longer-floral-scented male cut in. "Look, I don't know how you got here, but there are..."

  "You mean the mother mossbears? They let me pass through."

  "Bullshit!" spat the shadow-thieving male. "Why the fuck would they?"

  "Ease up, Draven. He's just messing with you. Probably slipped past 'em before they even showed up," the sword-wielding female chipped in.

  Deckard's laugh rang out, harsh and mocking. "You lot sure are a pack of brain-dead fools."

  "YOU...!" the mind-twisting bitch spat, stopping when she caught the smirk on his face. Just as she knew what strings to pull with people to steer them where she wanted them to go, he knew exactly how to get under her skin. Or rather, he knew her kind too well. The same with the mossbears, so it seemed.

  "Have none of you realized that they are taking this as a chance to teach their young? Just a moment." Once again, he vanished, off to assist Elira and Vara.

  "Traiana's tits, this is fucked up," swore the shadow-thieving male.

  "I told you, he’s only messing with us, Draven."

  "Get your shit together, Draven. Rhea's right. He's just full of crap."

  ‘Was he though?’ As far as I could tell, there was no lie in his words.

  "How do you know that? He knows the beasts."

  "For tits's sake, just don't let him get into your head."

  “That's what you told the others about her, Ward. And look at them," the shadow-thieving barked, motioning to the six Shadowbreakers fighting in the clearing with mossbears, brainwashed. "Have you forgotten that in his early army days, he was stationed in the garrison at Gran Hill? He KNOWS the beasts."

  "That's why I'm telling you he's only messing with us," the sword-wielding female insisted. "It's just well-thought-out crap."

  "Tsk. That brain rotten piece of a seeker! I'm afraid that 'crap' may be true," the twisted bitch muttered from the top of the beast’s back, its tongue now licking my leg.

  "You were able to read his mind?"

  "No, not his, Bastian. The beast's."

  'What?' I pause in my efforts to get the beast to stop. The licking was just odd... unnervingly ticklish. That aside, though, what the bitch said didn't make any sense. The last time she was in my head she only understood me because I was still thinking as a human. She didn't speak beast talk. 'Did she learn that in those few days?'

  "Oh, reminds me of that Fae shit. How long were you gonna keep it a secret that you understood them? Till they eat us all?"

  "Your incompetence is making me more and more inclined to that idea, Bastian. But no. Beasts are not human. All I can get are images. And as it turned out, if this one wasn't under my control, it would treat this as a game. Quite ironic, don't you think?"

  "Ironic? Enlighten me."

  "Before this mutt messed everything up, it was a pretty fun game, wasn't it?"

  ?Fuck you!? I growled in sync with my beast and Ward's gnashing of teeth.

  "For your own good, shut your trap, mutt. First the Fae, now this. They told me to bring you back whole, with your mind intact, but I do not share my spouse's benevolence, nor his patience. We'll learn a lot, even from a sniveling imbecile, I'm sure. So unless you want me to tear your mind apart..."

  "Are you talking about the girl?" the deep, scratchy voice cut through. Deckard was back. "If you are, I can't allow you to do that. You see, it's hard to teach a drooling idiot. In fact, as much as I enjoyed our little talk, I'm going to have your mossbear let go of the girl, mind mage."

  'Fucking finally!'