strong enough to stand, let alone walk very far.”
“I feel much better than when I woke, and I’d like to try. If I fall down, you can catch me.”
Ev couldn’t think of a better way to serve her needs. “All right, but I’m staying near.”
“Suit yourself. Now, help me up, please.”
Together they managed to get her standing. She staggered a bit when she walked, but anybody would in her condition.
He helped her to a sheltered spot then turned his back as she loosened her clothes to do her business.
She was steadier on the return walk to the lean-to and the fires then settled, cross-legged onto the buffalo robe. She still shivered from time to time but sweated less, and her gaze was clear-eyed. “If you’ll saddle the horses, I’ll pack up our gear, and we can get moving again. We’ll be at our destination before sundown.”
“You’re not well enough to ride.”
“I’m better than I was. Besides, if I relapse, I’d rather do it where I can sleep inside on a bed.”
Ev agreed but worried that the ride would take so much effort on her part that she wouldn’t recover. Boyd’s life depended on her recovery. Ev assured himself that Boyd’s life was the only reason he cared, not because of delirious kisses or … or, well anything besides Boyd. “Okay, but you won’t pack anything, and we stop if I say so.”
“Agreed.” She extended her hand. He shook it wondering if her grip was always this limp, or if the fever had weakened her too much.
Before noon they were on their way. Kiera swayed in the saddle, but she stayed there.
By early evening, she led them up the side of a tall slope to where low clouds clung to the ridgeline. She paused at the top with foggy wisps floating around her.
“Something wrong?” asked Quinn.
Kiera shook her head. “Just orienting myself, making certain we’re in the right spot and headed in the right direction.”
“You sure you know the way?”
“Rock certain.” A chill shook her. “From here, my horse could find the way even if I were comatose.”
“Let’s get going then, before we have to put your horse to the test.”
“Okay, but I want you to put your gelding on a leader and tie him to mine.”
“Why?”
“The ridgeline is wide and blocks the wind from blowing straight down into the next valley, so this fog is always here. It’s very thick, and at times you won’t be able to see your hand before your face. You could wander for days before you found the way down. Even then you might not find the trail that leads to my home. If we don’t want to get separated, your mount needs to be tied to mine.”
“Okay.” Ev linked the horses as she’d asked then returned to his saddle.
“Ready?”
“Yep.”
She kneed her mount forward and was swallowed in the fog before Quinn’s gelding lifted a hoof to follow.
Not even pretending to guide his horse while riding in such a thick mist created an eerie sensation. Birds still chirped, and small creatures scurried through underbrush that he couldn’t see. He felt a lot like he felt around Kat — certain that something unique was there but unable to penetrate the outer layers to discover the treasure beneath.
Eventually the trail began to slope downward and the fog thinned, disappearing as they lost altitude.
Kat pulled up on a rocky out-cropping. “Have a look, while you remove the lead rein.”
Ev dismounted, ambled over to stand beside her and her horse as he detached the rein, and looked out beyond the edge of the outcrop.
“Wow.”
He’d seen strikingly pretty sights before — the western territories were littered with dramatic scenery — but nothing had prepared him for the sight of the valley spread before them. A carpet of drought gilded grass covered the basin floor. A line of trees on the far side indicated a water source and told Ev that in years without drought, the valley would be emerald green. Toward the end farthest from his vantage point a small cluster of buildings and
“I feel much better than when I woke, and I’d like to try. If I fall down, you can catch me.”
Ev couldn’t think of a better way to serve her needs. “All right, but I’m staying near.”
“Suit yourself. Now, help me up, please.”
Together they managed to get her standing. She staggered a bit when she walked, but anybody would in her condition.
He helped her to a sheltered spot then turned his back as she loosened her clothes to do her business.
She was steadier on the return walk to the lean-to and the fires then settled, cross-legged onto the buffalo robe. She still shivered from time to time but sweated less, and her gaze was clear-eyed. “If you’ll saddle the horses, I’ll pack up our gear, and we can get moving again. We’ll be at our destination before sundown.”
“You’re not well enough to ride.”
“I’m better than I was. Besides, if I relapse, I’d rather do it where I can sleep inside on a bed.”
Ev agreed but worried that the ride would take so much effort on her part that she wouldn’t recover. Boyd’s life depended on her recovery. Ev assured himself that Boyd’s life was the only reason he cared, not because of delirious kisses or … or, well anything besides Boyd. “Okay, but you won’t pack anything, and we stop if I say so.”
“Agreed.” She extended her hand. He shook it wondering if her grip was always this limp, or if the fever had weakened her too much.
Before noon they were on their way. Kiera swayed in the saddle, but she stayed there.
By early evening, she led them up the side of a tall slope to where low clouds clung to the ridgeline. She paused at the top with foggy wisps floating around her.
“Something wrong?” asked Quinn.
Kiera shook her head. “Just orienting myself, making certain we’re in the right spot and headed in the right direction.”
“You sure you know the way?”
“Rock certain.” A chill shook her. “From here, my horse could find the way even if I were comatose.”
“Let’s get going then, before we have to put your horse to the test.”
“Okay, but I want you to put your gelding on a leader and tie him to mine.”
“Why?”
“The ridgeline is wide and blocks the wind from blowing straight down into the next valley, so this fog is always here. It’s very thick, and at times you won’t be able to see your hand before your face. You could wander for days before you found the way down. Even then you might not find the trail that leads to my home. If we don’t want to get separated, your mount needs to be tied to mine.”
“Okay.” Ev linked the horses as she’d asked then returned to his saddle.
“Ready?”
“Yep.”
She kneed her mount forward and was swallowed in the fog before Quinn’s gelding lifted a hoof to follow.
Not even pretending to guide his horse while riding in such a thick mist created an eerie sensation. Birds still chirped, and small creatures scurried through underbrush that he couldn’t see. He felt a lot like he felt around Kat — certain that something unique was there but unable to penetrate the outer layers to discover the treasure beneath.
Eventually the trail began to slope downward and the fog thinned, disappearing as they lost altitude.
Kat pulled up on a rocky out-cropping. “Have a look, while you remove the lead rein.”
Ev dismounted, ambled over to stand beside her and her horse as he detached the rein, and looked out beyond the edge of the outcrop.
“Wow.”
He’d seen strikingly pretty sights before — the western territories were littered with dramatic scenery — but nothing had prepared him for the sight of the valley spread before them. A carpet of drought gilded grass covered the basin floor. A line of trees on the far side indicated a water source and told Ev that in years without drought, the valley would be emerald green. Toward the end farthest from his vantage point a small cluster of buildings and
Similar Books
