quietly

again. I . . . I’ve been so frightened.”
He felt his throbbing cheek. “Don’t worry, Prin­cess, I really wouldn’t have left you here.”
“You idiot!” He ducked the second slap, and she stormed away, back to her own bedding.
The cool morning brought him more abuse. “Bey tells me you took on twenty-two men out there. And they’re not coming back,” Cap said, his voice hard.
For an answer Keilin pointed out into the desert landscape. In the clear, pale morning air a twist of black dots circled slowly. “More back that way,” said Keilin quietly, pointing to a second flight of vultures.
This slap rocked him on his heels. “Don’t ever