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It’d be night soon, and based on the last landmark they passed—the trail split at Wallow’s Creek—they still had a few miles to go.
    She lumbered on. Her right foot caught on something, and she pitched forward as pain ricocheted up her leg.
    â€œKirra!” Reef’s strong arms kept her from colliding with the ground once again.
    She tried to fight the weariness engulfing her, but it was too much. She was holding him back. He could have been to the shelter by now, and he was the one with a gunshot graze. It was ridiculous. “You go on. I’m holding you back.”
    â€œYou’re crazy if you think I’d leave you out here.”
    â€œYou can send help back for me after you reach the shelter.” After he was safe.
    â€œI’m not leaving you out here.” He bent over her, slipping his arms beneath her, and hefted her up.
    Was he crazy? “What are you doing?”
    â€œCarrying you.”
    â€œYou’ve been shot, and you’re carrying me ?”
    â€œIt was a flesh wound, Kirra. You said it yourself—the bullet just grazed me. I’m fine. Besides, the cold numbs the pain. I haven’t felt anything in hours.”
    Great. So they’d both die of frostbite and hypothermia.
    â€œYou can’t carry me.”
    He smiled, the ice cracking around his lips. “I already am.”
    â€œReef . . .”
    â€œWe don’t have far to go. I’ll be fine.”
    â€œWe’ve still got a couple miles.”
    He tightened his hold. “Is that all?”
    The man was crazy.
    Kirra prayed the men weren’t watching this last portion of the trail, but she feared otherwise.
    â€œI’m going to take us off trail for this last part,” Reef said. “Not far, but—”
    â€œThe men might be watching from near the checkpoint.” She finished his thought, or rather he’d finished hers.
    Reef nodded.
    The wind whipped hard, slashing against Kirra’s back as they moved from the trail. Fighting her instincts, she pressed tight against Reef’s body, letting him warm her, and positioning her back to take the brunt of the wind.
    Please, Father, let us make it. I’ ve never been this cold.

    â€œGage.” Darcy’s hand rested over his on the gearshift. “We need to head in.”
    â€œWe’ve got a little while longer.”
    â€œIt’s almost dark, and you’re heading away from the shelter.”
    â€œJust one more sweep.”
    â€œBen’s already let us sweep way longer than he originally agreed to.” Night and another storm were closing in. The other communication and SAR volunteers had already moved on to Rohn to get ahead of it, leaving them on sweeper duty, but they were seriously pushing the limits. Continuing the search with the burgeoning conditions was beyond dangerous, but this was his brother’s and Kirra’s lives at stake.
    Gage increased the throttle.
    â€œMaybe we’re going about this wrong,” Darcy yelled over the roar of the engine.
    He glanced over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”
    â€œWe’ve been sweeping the trail.”
    â€œRight?”
    â€œMaybe they aren’t sticking to the trail.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t they be on the trail?”
    â€œWhy would they leave their snowmobile?”
    â€œBecause the spark plugs were missing.”
    â€œWhich brings us to ask, who would take their spark plugs while they were away from the snowmobile?”
    â€œWe can ask them that when we find them.” He’d been wondering the very same thing, but he had to remain focused. Finding his brother and Kirra was what mattered. Whatever occurred with the snowmobile and why his brother and Kirra weren’t with it was troubling, but hashing and rehashing the possibilities with no way of knowing the answers would be of zero help in locating them.
    â€œI still think we should be looking for them off