Authors: Marie Harte
She
nibbled at her beef as she stole glances at him, wishing she felt as calm.
“Shot
how?” Wolf asked, his plate even more full than Hinto’s.
“The
usual way. With a bullet.” Hinto motioned to his father, who handed him the
pitcher of water.
Dan
turned to Thais. “Did you patch my boy up?”
“I
tried. He’s very stubborn.”
Dan
snorted. “Gets that from his mother.”
Mahpee
and Wolf exchanged a glance.
“Sure,
Dad,” Wolf said dryly. “It’s Mom’s fault. You have nothing to do with Hinto’s
hard head.”
“Do
you mind?” Hinto scowled. “I’m trying to enjoy Dozie’s cooking. Haven’t had a
meal this good since Thais fixed us some rabbit on the trail a few days ago.”
Dozie
wobbled into the room, glared at Thais, and plunked a tray of braided bread on
the table. She muttered under her breath as she left the room.
Wolf
ignored her. “You can cook?”
“Not
as well as Dozie,” Thais answered.
“Damn
straight,” came a grumble from the other room.
“You’ll
have to forgive Dozie,” Dan apologized. “She’s a mite possessive about her
boys.”
“Hey
Dozie,” Hinto called. “Can you come out here?”
The
gray haired termagant returned carrying a bowl of apples.
“My
favorite!” Hinto caught the apple she tossed him.
“I
know.” Dozie gave Thais a superior sneer and focused on Hinto again. “Whaddya
want, boy?”
“You
know everything that goes on around here. You seen a woman with a flower
painted on her cheek, name of Pilar? How about a blond man, a few heads shorter
than me? He’s ugly, cruel, and goes by the name of Bartel.”
“A
flower on her cheek, eh? Now where’d I hear about that?”
Thais
and Hinto traded glances.
Dozie’s
eyes widened. “That’s right. Friend of mine at the new Runner station brings me
word. You know how many gangs are growing ‘round them railways? Mark my words,
sooner or later we’re gonna get some marshal law around the lines. Only hope
the UTO keeps their god-awful noses out of it.”
Wolf
shook his head. “Aw, come on, Dozie. You know the UTO’s just tryin’ to keep the
peace. Without them, we’d be overrun by polluters.” He then had the temerity to
ask for an apple.
The
old woman threw it at his head. Only his quick reflexes saved the fruit, and
his skull.
“Here
we go.” Dan sighed.
“Peace
my ass,” Dozie swore. “Damned UTs kicked us off our farm when I was six.
Claimed it was official UTO property and that my pa was dirtying up the water
source out back. Lake was as clean as it ever was. Not pa’s fault the fish were
dyin’. Those sky rocks did it. Not us.”
“Your
father was dumping illegal sky rocks in the lake, Dozie.” Dan sounded as if he’d
had this discussion a number of times. “They didn’t throw you out to punish
you, but to save you.”
“Those
sky rocks were dead. Weren’t no glow left to ‘em when Pa tossed them away. We
was scared we’d be forced to move if the UTs found out. And they did. Kicked us
the hell off our own land.”
“Dozie,
those sky rocks weren’t dead, and you know it.”
The
way he said “know” made the hair rise on the back of Thais’s neck. She couldn’t
read the look Hinto shared with Dozie and his father either. The table grew eerily
silent.
Fascinated
but eager to return to the subject at hand, Thais changed the subject. “Ah, I
don’t mean to interrupt, but could we get back to the lady with the flower? Dozie,
have you heard mention of her? Has anyone seen her around here?”
Dozie
answered with a sniff at Dan. “Matter of fact, one of my friends is a Runner
who shares my hankerin’ for fancy tales and bank robbers. Your flower lady is a
part of the Flower Gang that’s been robbin’ from the railroad in Four Corners
for months. Three of ‘em, two men and a woman with a flower on her cheek, have
been stealing the railroads blind. No one can catch them, and they kill anyone
who fights back.”
“Where
exactly in Four Corners, Dozie?” Hinto asked.
“The
Watchco/Redville line.”
Hinto
turned to Thais. “That line runs right past Morrow and Little Valley.”
“They
stole over a thousand in gold just four days ago, not too far from Ermine,”
Dozie added.
“We
have to go back.” Thais pushed her chair from the table but Hinto grabbed her
arm.
“Not
yet. We need to have a plan, especially since Butch is likely to have a ton of
men out looking for us, and you in particular. Making it as far as Shine was
lucky.”
“And
safe. Butch won’t expect us this far from Morrow.”
“Exactly.
Just give me a few days more to heal and we’ll head back.”
“But
I don’t need Kitty’s information now. There’s no need to kill Gregor if I can
track Pilar myself. You could find her for me,” she realized. Hinto’s ability
to track people had impressed her. She hadn’t understood how much of a help he
might really be.
“Hell
no. First of all, Gregor and Butch need killing, if for no other reason than
that they’re monsters. They’re ruining Morrow, Thais, and they’re bullies. You
saw what they did up close, remember? If not for you, Daisy and Tilda might
have been really hurt.”
He
had a point. But after four years of searching, Thais couldn’t imagine letting
her quarry slip through her fingers.
“I
don’t need you to go with me. I’ll track down Pilar. You fight McKenzie if you
need to.”
“It’s
dangerous.” He tightened his grip on her arm.
“Life
is dangerous. I think we both know that.”
“Don’t
be stupid. I said I’ll go with you, and I will. Just give me some time. Have a
little more patience. Trust me.”
As
she stared into his white-blue eyes that blazed with an emotion she didn’t dare
examine too closely, everything else around her faded. Ever since meeting
Hinto, she’d had to question her motivation, her loyalty to her sisters. She’d
already given him her trust, and he hadn’t disappointed her. But could she
afford to lose sight of the bigger picture? Just days away from Pilar, and who
knew how far away Bartel might be. The crown might just be within reach.
And
then what?
In
less than four months, she was due to meet with her sisters and share information.
They had all agreed not to move on Bartel unless they could do it together. Yet
she couldn’t help thinking how wonderful it would be to arrive with news of
their enemy’s deaths, the crown in hand.
Is
it pride that drives you, sister, or vengeance? Would you kill them to keep us
safe, or for you own selfish satisfaction? Bringing back the crown won’t
absolve you of your sins. Only you have the power for forgive yourself.
She
could hear Yara’s steady argument in her mind; They’d had the same conversation
for years. Now as before, Yara’s words rang with truth, no matter how much Thais
longed for a different answer.
“Fine,”
she said to Hinto in a rusty croak. “I’ll give you a few days to recover. Then
I’ll follow that trail wherever it leads. With or without you.” She pushed away
from the table and left the room. Needing space, she exited the house and
walked some distance across a grassy field beginning to yellow with the onset
of a dying season.
The
clouds overhead gathered and dispersed, caught in an ambivalent wind that blew
with no seeming direction. Without her hat, her braid tossed to and fro and
finally loosened from the band she hadn’t thought to tighten after her interlude
with Hinto.
Thais
wished she could attribute her need to leave Hinto behind to an overwhelming
sense of duty. The truth, however, was harder to face. She’d come to care for
the male, very, very much. The more time she spent with him, the harder it
would be to eventually leave him. Seeing him here, in the bosom of his family
surrounded by those he loved, didn’t help. She sensed how much he held her in
esteem, and it both scared and thrilled her. Had he considered her a threat, he
would never have introduced her to his family. He’d also shown a marked
possessiveness around other males, and he’d demonstrated all too easily he
could own her, body and soul.
That
a man had any power over her at all spoke volumes about how far she’d fallen
from the Amazonian dictates she’d been raised to believe. How could she think
to return to a life where males were not only forbidden, but looked upon as
inferior? Could she ever do enough to make up for the fact her mother and
sisters had died because she’d been too busy having fun to do her duty?
Though
selected a guardian, you were still a young girl when it happened. Your mother
would not have wanted you to live with this guilt.
Yara
wouldn’t leave her thoughts today. Being around Hinto and his family reminded
her of those she loved, those she’d left behind. Homesick for the past while
wishing for a future with a man she’d never thought to have, Thais stared into
the distance. She sensed Hinto approach before she felt him at her back. He did
nothing more than hold her, and she blinked to prevent the tears from falling.
“It’s
okay, honey. We’ll find them. I promise.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I
feel lost,” she admitted. “I don’t know what to do.” About Hinto, about the
future, about her worth to a now-vanished tribe.
“Lost,
but not alone. Not anymore,” he whispered. “Thais, I hate to break it to you,
but you have family here now.” He paused, and his voice was thick when he
finished, “You have me.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Boy’s
got more bees buzzing under his tail than a damn hive,” Dan grumbled three days
later as he watched his sons argue in the middle of the corral. For the better
part of an hour Hinto had tussled with Wolf to show he’d regained his strength,
only to have Mahpee put him down with one swift kick to his thigh.
“Mahpee
is much the warrior,” Thais said beside him.
They
leaned against the railing of the corral, as did several of the ranch hands. Even
the horses took note of the wild men tumbling in their training area. Beyond
the vores watching with avid interest from a smaller pen, the Dakota boys made
quite a ruckus as they tried to outdo one another.
“Mahpee’s
a warrior, all right,” he said with quiet pride. “The best fighter of the
bunch, but none of them can match Hinto’s hunting skills.”
He
glanced at Thais out of the corner of his eye, aware she always focused her
attention on his middle son. There was an energy about the pair that would have
made his wife sit up and take notice. Sky had a feel for such things. He knew,
had she been alive today, she’d have approved of the woman Hinto had chosen, even
if his stubborn son refused to admit how he felt about the girl.
“Hinto
exposes his weakness for all to see.” Thais scowled.
It
hadn’t escaped his attention that the girl his son called an Amazon was
chomping at the bit to find the Flower Gang. Woman had more than a run of
violence in her, that much Dan could tell. Whether she could carry out her ill-intent
remained to be seen. But Dan didn’t judge. Hell, if he’d been able, he’d have
ripped through every one of the bastards who’d shot up the ranch those many
years ago. No longer bitter, he nevertheless bore the scars of that terrible
day, as did his family.
Wolf
escaped from care with women, the joy of breaking in wild creatures, and
farming
,
which had stunned Dan to no end. Mahpee avoided any woman who might make him
think of Dana, which made his acceptance of Thais’s presence all the more
interesting. And then there was Hinto. His mulish son refused to believe that death
courted his father. The lung sickness wasn’t leaving this time. Just walking
anymore took real effort to catch his breath. Though Dan had carefully planted
the seeds Thais had given him days ago, he had no real hope that he’d live past
the summer. He’d miss his boys, but he looked forward to seeing Sky again. She’d
told him enough in dreams that she waited and watched. He wondered if she’d had
a hand in throwing Thais and Hinto together, and smiled at the thought.
Thais’s
exotic accent, in addition to her unique beauty, made her a prize for any man
worth his salt. Hell, the hands had fallen in love with her from day one. Even the
gruff and lumbering Rudy, who hated anyone not born and bred in Shine, had
volunteered to help Thais with anything she might need. He’d fought with Jon to
oversee the care of Thais’s mare while she stayed with them. Jon had ceded the
fight and contented himself by guiding Thais on her many walks outside the
ranch.
“Hinto,
you put too much weight on your right leg. It’s an obvious sign of
vulnerability,” Thais shouted, coaching her “partner.”
Though
they kept pretty silent, Dan hadn’t missed the breathless cries from Hinto’s
room the other night, and he couldn’t be happier for the pair. Still, he couldn’t
wait for the downstairs to be completed. He didn’t exactly like knowing when
his son and soon-to-be daughter
made nice.