Lone Star Mountain sankrasha

Not only was her meaning clear, but it was savage enough that Hex wrongly read between the lines.

The anger, the glistening maw. . . Violence in those eyes.

A child, nearby—hers? Must be.

Could simply be a mother's protectiveness, but his first thought was, as always, the madness. The madness that had claimed his friends, his love. The madness that Akavir had spoken of.

The madness from which he sought to shield his new home.

He gave her a nod, the gesture a bit shaky, and immediately backed away. He'd linger long enough to watch the pair go on their way while still making sure they steered clear of the Ridge, and then he would return and report to his warriors.

He'd commit her face to memory—and hope that she and her child did not succumb to the force of nature that had taken so much from his own life.