Love on the Range: A Looking Glass Lake Prequel by Rebecca Nightsong

always took it personally when somebody messed with his neighbors.
    But these thieves weren’t like other rustlers. They were bold. And dangerous enough to open fire in order to get away with the cattle.
    But rustlers following behind on a cattle drive in daylight? That was odd. It carried a high risk of getting caught.
    Maybe they were more bold because the Paycoach Ranch ran the best beef around—Angus cattle. Angus fetched top dollar. Something any rustler would salivate over.
    More likely, they were closing in now because they’d heard Silas was gone and they figured there would be no one to protect the herd.
    Jett’s nostrils flared as he took a deep breath, blood pounding hard in anger. He’d protect this family’s ranch until his dying breath if he had to. Outnumbered and cut off from camp like this, he’d have to do some fancy maneuvering if he was going to out-think them.
    He considered their position again.
    It might be a good thing that he couldn’t see the rustlers. But it might also be very bad.
    It was possible he and Marlee hadn’t fooled them. It was possible the rustlers had followed them and were near their makeshift camp now, waiting for Marlee and Jett to settle in for the evening, so they could snatch the cattle from under their noses.
    His spine prickled.
    Marlee was down there alone.
    Jett slid over the edge and began descending as quickly and silently as possible.
    Down below, Marlee had a small fire going. She wasn’t going to like this, but they’d have to put it out. They couldn’t take any chances that they’d be seen up here.
    Already, he was starting to think maybe they should have gone on ahead to the camp with everyone else.
    Jett grunted when his foot slipped, flinging his weight back.
    Adrenaline burst through his body, blood roaring in his ears. He swallowed hard and tightened his grip on the ledge above him. His hands began to slip off the granite, but he dug in harder, ignoring the pain as the sharp rock cut into his hands.
    Stretching, he reached with the toe of his boot. Pebbles skittered loose as he scrambled to find a toe-hold in the darkness.
    But it was too late.
     
    * * *
     
    Every muscle in Marlee’s body ached from sitting in a saddle all day, and then dragging sagebrush and deadwood around cattle huddled in the cleft of the rocks.
    This cattle drive was far worse than she’d imagined it would be. So far, she was failing at everything. Cooking. Helping with the cattle. Getting out of bed on time.
    Even her body was failing, her limbs weak as she drug brush and heavy logs. Cold drove her aches and pains bone deep.
    She stumbled as she drug the last piece of brush into place.
    Could she make it? How much farther could she push herself? Already, she’d forced herself far beyond what she’d thought she was capable of. But she had to keep going.
    With numb fingers, she gathered firewood and pine needles in the failing light, and rummaged in saddle bags until she found some matches.
    When the tiny flame sputtered into life, she nearly cried. There wasn’t much she could do about blisters and an empty stomach. And she sure couldn’t waste time worrying about where rustlers might be out there in the darkness, but she could get some heat going to ease her tight muscles.
    Jett probably wouldn’t like where she’d placed the fire. He’d say it was too close to the sagebrush fence, or not close enough to where they’d be sleeping, or maybe too close to the overhanging tree boughs. But she didn’t care. He could move it when he got back if he wanted to.
    Something cracked in the darkness of the tree line.
    Marlee froze. She held her breath, her whole body straining to hear over the thump of her heartbeat.
    But there was no other noise.
    It was most likely a gray squirrel, curious about her fire. She was probably just a bit jumpy. Spooked about being out here in the dark and the cold without Jett. Or anyone else.
    Nothing but the cold breeze prickling along her