Page 101 of A Thief to Die For

‘Levi and I will take first watch,’ Samuel says. ‘The muskrats can do the second.’

‘Who are the muskrats?’ asks Rufus.

He nods at Fitzgerald and Clark. ‘The one with the handful of whiskers on his chin and the one with the teeth.’

Clark points at his mouth. ‘What’s wrong with my teeth?’

Samuel glares. ‘Did I say there was anything wrong with them?’

‘Lucky and I will take last watch,’ I say, leaving no room for Marian. Though she hasn’t complained even once about her injuries, she needs the rest the most.

Then there’s Rufus, who will never be left on watch.

After a meal of bread and dried meat, we unroll our mats and without the heat of a fire, lie together under the open sky. It looks like we’ll avoid rain tonight. Marian’s bed, although not beside mine, is still within sight – I made sure of it. I’d never sleep if she wasn’t close enough to get to quickly if we’re raided.

In the morning, I feed and saddle the horses, pretending not to notice Marian. But I do. Her sleepy eyes steal my breath as she packs up her bedroll. Strands of long, dark hair have come loose from her braid. Heat, and something I definitely should not be feeling, stirs in my gut as she raises her foot to a log, then adjusts the weapon straps on her thighs.

I turn away and force myself to think of Agatha and her possible location. We’ve seen their wagon tracks, and if she continues on the path I dreamed about they’ll be moving quickly, travelling mostly downhill. I doubt we’ll reach them today.

We ride out and soon find ourselves looking down on one of the many red forests. Marian slows her horse. The whole group follows.

‘I’ve never seen this before,’ she says.

That’s right. She’s never really been away from Notting territory, and I’m tempted to tell her more about this place.

I don’t.

‘When will the colour change back?’ Fitzgerald asks, bewildered.

‘Hopefully never,’ says Samuel. ‘It’s a warning that it’s contaminated. You don’t ever want that to go away.’

Marian looks around, thoughtful, and it hits me how much this is like a scene straight from my dream – me showing her the red forest. Except we’re not alone.

We’re barely even talking.

‘We need to keep moving,’ I say, roughly, and take off, leading the way.

For the last few hours of the day, we ride over dry, barren land that leaves us caked in dust. A light rain surprises us, turning the dirt to mud. We decide to stop an hour before sunset and make camp beside a creek so we can clean up and dry out before it gets cold.

We’re probably only hours from catching Atlas and his guards now. But better to ambush him when we’re not exhausted and have daylight to see what we’re dealing with.

Fitzgerald, Clark and Rufus go first, washing up by the water as the rest of us eat and take watch. Then Lucky, Sam, Levi and I take our turns. Because of the freezing water and remarkably strong current, only Levi and I brave a swim.

Marian waits to go last, and the moment she disappears behind the trees, it hits me that she can’t go alone.

‘Marian,’ I call and run up to her. Water drips down my face, and I scrub a hand over my hair. My shirt is damp from where I pulled it on over my soaking body.

She looks over, startled. I don’t blame her. It’s been an entire day of not talking. Of me not risking a glance her way, even though I knew exactly where she was every second. But now, I take her in like a starved man. She’s dirty and her cheeks are slightly wind-burnt. Every part of her makes my heart race.

I don’t know how I’m going to walk away from you.

The ache in my chest is suffocating. I clear my throat like that will help. ‘You can’t be in the creek without cover. You need somebody to stand watch.’

‘Okay,’ she says. Then she walks off.

For a second, my body locks in place. I didn’t mean … me.

Do you really want it to be anyone else?