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obvious obstruction. She
suspected with the way he’d been moving earlier that one or both of
his legs were injured.
    She didn’t give voice to her concerns, just
clapped him on the shoulder. “I know you will.”
    James, watching the conversation, added, “Of
course you will. Who’s going to remind me of what a bad idea this
trip was if you aren’t?”
    Cam gave a half laugh before wincing and
clutching his side. “That’s true. With this latest scheme, I have
ammunition against you until we’re old and gray.”
    Shea was glad the two could joke with each
other. Sometimes when things got especially bad, laughter was the
only way you got through it. The journey back to their village,
given Cam’s physical shape, was going to be one of those times.
    “We’re being pursued,” the first stranger
said, his entire attention focused on the village as it grew
increasingly smaller.
    Shea looked where he indicated, not noticing
anything at first. Dust rose into the air and then small shapes
took form as their pursuers thundered after them.
    Witt chanced a glance back. “Damn, I was
hoping it would take them longer to round up the horses.”
    “How far to the cliffs?” James asked.
    Shea knew what he was really asking. How long
until they reached the Highland border? If they could just make it
to the cliffs, they would be able to lose their followers. Shea
knew a few of the hidden passages at the cliffs’ base in this area.
If they put just a little distance between them and the hunters,
they could disappear fairly easily.
    It wouldn’t take them to the Highlands, but
it should hide them long enough that the people chasing them would
give up or move on.
    She tilted her head as she calculated. It’d
taken two days to reach Edgecomb once they’d finished their descent
from the Highlands. The wagon could cut that time considerably, but
they would run out of flat ground well before they reached safety.
The clunky shape of the wagon just couldn’t navigate the bumps and
ridges of the uneven land. The first large rock they hit would
break the wagon’s axel, rendering the vehicle useless. Their
pursuers’ horses could move much faster even if the terrain delayed
them.
    “Too far.” She glanced back at their
persistent shadows. Even in such a short time they’d managed to
gain.
    Her mind raced over options, disregarding one
after another. Witt flicked the reins, urging the horses to greater
speeds. The wagon shuttered and wobbled under them. Shea prayed it
didn’t shake itself apart before they reached their
destination.
    There was one possibility. Though it was
dangerous. More risky than traveling through red back territory.
More nerve racking than trying to rescue prisoners from the
execution platform.
    “Dane, how much ammo do you still have?”
    “Not much. Why?”
    “James, trade places with Dane. I need him
back here.”
    James patted Cam on the shoulder, before
moving slowly to the front of the wagon.
    Dane crouched beside her and looked at her
questioningly.
    “I need you to pick off as many of them as
you can.”
    He looked skeptically at the mob gaining
ground on them. “I can try, but my aim’s not going to be very good
while we’re bouncing around like this.
    “I don’t need you to hit them, just make them
cautious. I’m hoping it scares them into keeping their distance for
a little while. Wait until they get a little closer before
firing.”
    Dane shrugged and pulled the boomer into
place, making sure it was loaded. He gestured one of the strangers
up, handing him the bag of extra ammo with instructions to hand him
more rounds when he called for it.
    Shea left him to crawl back up to Witt. “I
need you to veer right.”
    He shot her a hard look before looking front
again.
    The wagon continued on its course.
    “Witt, you need to go right.”
    “I can’t do that.”
    “You have to,” she snarled.
    His jaw clenched. Damn, stubborn man.
    “Witt. We won’t make it to the Highlands, and
there