farther, methodically wiping away the outer trace of their presence. Niyol had pushed the motorcycle all the way to the back of the cave the first night they were here, and now she knew why.
He stood without moving, like a sentry keeping watch. She couldn’t see his face, but she could hear him chanting, and felt the vibration from the air around her.
Then just as suddenly as the wind started, it stopped. Not a blade of grass, not a leaf on the distant trees was moving. It was like the earth was holding its breath. All of a sudden, she heard the high-pitched drone of a small-aircraft engine, and from the sound, it was flying low.
She was so scared that she forgot to breathe, then as before, heard his voice inside her head.
Breathe. It will pass.
She exhaled slowly then buried her head on her knees. When she heard his footsteps coming toward her, she bolted to her feet and leaped sideways, pulling the knife from her belt just as he pounced.
He caught her arm. His eyes were dark, his expression impossible to read as she held the knife to his wrist. One good slash and he would have bled out before her eyes.
Their gazes locked.
“Only you do not die,” Layla whispered.
He turned her loose, lifted a finger toward her face, but then stopped when she followed it with the knife. But it was the expression in his eyes that told her she was safe.
She put the knife back in the scabbard and wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shaking.
“Bad people?”
He nodded.
“How did they find us?”
He thought a moment then frowned. “Someone told. It was a woman.”
She gasped. “The only people who know where I am are Dineh.”
“This one is not.”
Layla groaned. “But she lives on the rez?”
He nodded. “You have enemies?”
She shrugged. “Not enemies.”
“But also not friends.”
“I need to tell Grandfather. What if she does something that would impact the evacuation?”
“He will know,” Niyol said, then turned and began packing up their things.
“We’re moving?”
“Yes, now, before they have time to send in others.”
She ran to her things and began packing them up, then scattered the rocks around the fire and poured water on the embers.
She turned around to grab the weapons and they were gone.
“What happened to the weapons?”
“They are in a safe place.”
“We can get them back?”
“Yes. We will get them back.”
He fastened the bedrolls on the back of the bike as Layla grabbed her backpack. He gave the cave one last glance and then pushed the bike out into the light and handed her the helmet. He swung his leg over the seat as she got on behind him. The engine rumbled then roared to life. They rode out of the campsite without looking back.
Chapter Seven
Once again, Layla and Niyol were speeding through the gorge, racing against time for a safe place to hide. All of a sudden, Niyol turned the motorcycle into a spin and braked, nearly throwing her off.
“What are you doing?” she screamed.
He pointed up.
The plane was just a tiny speck in the sky, but it was visible and coming their way.
“Oh no, no, no.”
She grabbed Niyol’s shoulders and shook him. “Don’t stop! Go! Go!”
The engine was still idling as he dropped the kickstand and got off the bike. He yanked off one of the bedrolls and when he untied it, the bow and the quiver of arrows fell out.
Layla jumped off the bike. “Are you crazy? You can’t shoot down a plane with a bow and arrow?”
“But you can,” Niyol said.
Layla stared at him. “I’m not the one with magic,” she muttered.
“But you are. You just haven’t accepted it yet,” he said, and handed her the bow. “Get your arrows, Singing Bird. It’s time to step into your own.”
Layla was shaking so hard she was sick to her stomach.
“I can’t shoot down a plane. You turn the wind into a storm and knock it out of the sky.”
Niyol stopped. “No. This is your task. Look at me!”
She looked
He stood without moving, like a sentry keeping watch. She couldn’t see his face, but she could hear him chanting, and felt the vibration from the air around her.
Then just as suddenly as the wind started, it stopped. Not a blade of grass, not a leaf on the distant trees was moving. It was like the earth was holding its breath. All of a sudden, she heard the high-pitched drone of a small-aircraft engine, and from the sound, it was flying low.
She was so scared that she forgot to breathe, then as before, heard his voice inside her head.
Breathe. It will pass.
She exhaled slowly then buried her head on her knees. When she heard his footsteps coming toward her, she bolted to her feet and leaped sideways, pulling the knife from her belt just as he pounced.
He caught her arm. His eyes were dark, his expression impossible to read as she held the knife to his wrist. One good slash and he would have bled out before her eyes.
Their gazes locked.
“Only you do not die,” Layla whispered.
He turned her loose, lifted a finger toward her face, but then stopped when she followed it with the knife. But it was the expression in his eyes that told her she was safe.
She put the knife back in the scabbard and wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shaking.
“Bad people?”
He nodded.
“How did they find us?”
He thought a moment then frowned. “Someone told. It was a woman.”
She gasped. “The only people who know where I am are Dineh.”
“This one is not.”
Layla groaned. “But she lives on the rez?”
He nodded. “You have enemies?”
She shrugged. “Not enemies.”
“But also not friends.”
“I need to tell Grandfather. What if she does something that would impact the evacuation?”
“He will know,” Niyol said, then turned and began packing up their things.
“We’re moving?”
“Yes, now, before they have time to send in others.”
She ran to her things and began packing them up, then scattered the rocks around the fire and poured water on the embers.
She turned around to grab the weapons and they were gone.
“What happened to the weapons?”
“They are in a safe place.”
“We can get them back?”
“Yes. We will get them back.”
He fastened the bedrolls on the back of the bike as Layla grabbed her backpack. He gave the cave one last glance and then pushed the bike out into the light and handed her the helmet. He swung his leg over the seat as she got on behind him. The engine rumbled then roared to life. They rode out of the campsite without looking back.
Chapter Seven
Once again, Layla and Niyol were speeding through the gorge, racing against time for a safe place to hide. All of a sudden, Niyol turned the motorcycle into a spin and braked, nearly throwing her off.
“What are you doing?” she screamed.
He pointed up.
The plane was just a tiny speck in the sky, but it was visible and coming their way.
“Oh no, no, no.”
She grabbed Niyol’s shoulders and shook him. “Don’t stop! Go! Go!”
The engine was still idling as he dropped the kickstand and got off the bike. He yanked off one of the bedrolls and when he untied it, the bow and the quiver of arrows fell out.
Layla jumped off the bike. “Are you crazy? You can’t shoot down a plane with a bow and arrow?”
“But you can,” Niyol said.
Layla stared at him. “I’m not the one with magic,” she muttered.
“But you are. You just haven’t accepted it yet,” he said, and handed her the bow. “Get your arrows, Singing Bird. It’s time to step into your own.”
Layla was shaking so hard she was sick to her stomach.
“I can’t shoot down a plane. You turn the wind into a storm and knock it out of the sky.”
Niyol stopped. “No. This is your task. Look at me!”
She looked
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