Believe: The Complete Channie Series (168 page)

River mumbled something too quietly for Jonathan to hear.

The boy’s eyes widened then narrowed as he furrowed his brow. “But…merge fever’s not contagious.”

She gave him a ‘shut-up we’re being watched’ look.

He sucked both lips into his mouth but his remorse didn’t last long. He smiled at Jonathan as he extended his hand.

“Hi, I’m Gabriel.” The kid had an infectious grin and a bone-crushing grip. “I haven’t seen you around. I didn’t know Eli had a new recruit.”

Jonathan shot River a look. According to her, she’d already told the boy and his father that she’d recruited him when she met them on patrol. Was that whole ‘they already know about you so if you leave, I’ll be punished’ thing nothing more than a manipulative plot to keep him from going home?

Jonathan swallowed his anger and shook Gabriel’s hand. “I’m Jonathan. River’s recruit.”

“River’s?” The boy’s eyebrows arched over wide eyes.

River took a deep breath and exhaled, shooting a cloud of steam into the frigid air. “It’s a long story.”

“Pa’s not going to be happy about this.”

Yeah, she was guilty alright. Jonathan should be furious with her. She’d lied to him, but she’d done it because she liked him and didn’t want him to leave. That shouldn’t matter, but it did. It shouldn’t make him smile either.

River flicked a sideways glance at him then hooked her arm through Gabriel’s and turned him towards the barn. “Jonathan thinks Red’s got a loose shoe. We were just heading out to check on him.”

Maybe she’d lied about the whole accountability thing too. But how the hell was he supposed to know? He couldn’t leave River behind if there was even a shred of doubt that she might be punished for his crimes. He didn’t want to leave her behind.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder and frowned at Jonathan. “I reshod Red myself three weeks ago. His hooves and feet were in excellent condition.”

“It’s probably nothing. I haven’t been around horses in years.”

Four horses greeted them when Gabriel opened the barn door. River grabbed Jonathan’s hand and led him to the middle stall holding a sorrel mare. She rubbed the mare’s forehead then kissed her nose. “This is my horse, Sugar.”

She nibbled River’s shoulder.

River gave the mare a pat on the neck and moved to the next stall. “And this is Hot Sauce; everyone calls him ‘Saucy.’ He’s Gabriel’s horse, but he hardly gets ridden anymore now that Gabriel’s got Lightning.”

She rubbed behind Saucy’s ears and nodded at the corner stall where a large gelding pawed the ground. Old Red, Sugar and Saucy all had curly, red coats and dreadlocked manes. Lightning looked like a cross between a Quarter Horse and a Thoroughbred. His grey coat was long and shaggy, but straight, and he stood about two hands taller than the other horses.

Gabriel leaned over the door of Red’s stall. “Everything looks good to me. Which foot did you say he was favoring?”

Jonathan hadn’t planned on anyone actually checking. “The left rear?”

“He was probably just resting. Horses shift their weight around to relieve pressure on their feet.”

“Sorry about the false alarm.”

“Don’t be.” Gabriel grinned at him. “I’m glad there was nothing wrong. Anytime you think there’s a possibility of a problem with any of the horses, it’s best to check it out.”

Jonathan
tossed and turned all night. Dad had to be frantic, but worrying about him wasn’t going to get Jonathan home any quicker. And getting himself and River killed by running off without a decent plan wasn’t going to get him home at all. He needed to give up on escaping before getting hauled off to Reuben’s ranch and focus on coming up with a strategy that had a good chance of success. But every plan he came up with had at least one fatal flaw—River.

If he kidnapped her, would it be because he honestly believed it was the only way to protect her life or because he wanted her with him? Did it even matter? He’d take her with him; at least as far as Red Cliff. If she wanted to go back to her stupid cult once she was safely out, he wouldn’t stop her.

Jonathan gave up on sleep and decided to avoid the whole naked-in-front-of-River awkwardness and snuck off to the cleansing pool alone. A morning soak in the hot spring was mandatory; as was changing into clean clothes before heading to the ranch. He checked to make sure River was still asleep then stripped. He stuffed his coat, clothes and boots through the hole in the box for contaminated clothing as per the instructions carved on the front door. According to River, the ‘omegas’ would take care of it after they left. Jonathan had yet to see any of these mysterious beings, but they were under quarantine. Maybe he’d meet some at Reuben’s ranch, once quarantine was lifted.

He rushed through the cleansing ritual, peeked inside to be sure River wasn’t awake, then wiggled into the clean clothes she’d given him the night before without waiting for his body to dry off. Everyone else woke up at sunrise. Jonathan kept his gaze averted while River undressed—for the most part.

On the way to the barn, Gabriel handed out leather wrapped packets of food—two pieces of jerky, one hard-as-a-rock biscuit and a sliver of dried apple.

After living off broth and herb tea, Jonathan wanted to inhale everything, but he had no way of knowing when he’d get more. Everyone else was nibbling on their rations like mice. He’d better make his last.

Gabriel’s horse, Lightning, was a handful. He obviously wanted to be in the lead, but Gabriel kept him in the rear “to show him who was boss.” Eli rode so far ahead, he was out of sight most of the time, giving Jonathan a chance to pump River for information.

“So, what kind of ranch does Reuben own? It doesn’t seem like there’d be enough pasture for cattle.”

River laughed. “There isn’t. We breed a few horses and mountain goats but it’s the things Reuben makes in his smithy that supports the family. I was trying to find the goat herd so I could bring them to the ranch for the winter when I met you.”

“You obviously didn’t find them. What’ll happen to them? Will they starve?”

She arched her eyebrows then smirked at him. “They’re mountain goats. We bring them to the ranch during the winter for our benefit, not theirs.”

“You eat goat meat?”

“We also milk them.”

Jonathan’s mouth watered. “Do you guys make goat cheese?”

“Cheese, yogurt, butter…” River twisted around and called to Gabriel. “Hey, did anyone find the goat herd?”

“Not yet. The snow’s still too deep in the pass.”

She frowned, creasing the skin between her eyebrows. “If we don’t find those goats, it’s going to be a long, cold winter.”

“What about the buffalo hides?”

“New Eden has alliances with other groups that share our…philosophies of life.”

“Which are?”

River laughed. “Did anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?”

“All the time.”

They’d been riding due west for about two hours, climbing steadily, when they crested a summit and found Eli waiting for them. “This is as far as you go without a blindfold, outsider.”

Jonathan looked at River, but she refused to meet his gaze. “River?”

She slumped forward and sighed. “I’m sorry, but it’s the law. No outsider is allowed to see this entrance to New Eden.”

“You’re kidding. What is it? A secret passageway?”

“Yes.”

Okay, not expecting that. “How about if I close my eyes?”

“You need to let me blindfold you. It’s also a test, to prove you trust me. I’ll guide your horse, or if you’d feel safer, you may ride double with me on Sugar.”

Jonathan wouldn’t mind snuggling up against River’s back—making Eli jealous was a bonus—but he sensed that choosing to ride double would make him appear weak. “I’ll stay on my own horse, thanks.”

River’s smile validated his choice. She turned Sugar around and rode up next to Saucy, nose to tail. Her thigh pressed against Jonathan’s. He leaned over so she could tie the folded bandanna over his eyes.

“Can you see anything?”

Jonathan shook his head. “No.”

A rush of air brushed his face. “What was that?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, outsider.”

Eli
. He must have thrown something in front of Jonathan’s face to test the blindfold.

River took the reins from Jonathan’s hands. “Hang on to Saucy’s mane and tell me if you get dizzy.”

“I have ninja skills. I won’t get dizzy.”

Gabriel and River spoke at the same time. “What’s ninja?”

Eli snorted. “He’s lying. A ninja is a Japanese warrior and he’s not Japanese.”

“I didn’t say I was a ninja. I said I have ninja skills. I used some of them when I disarmed you, remember?” Jonathan knew it was stupid to goad Eli, especially blindfolded, but he couldn’t let the guy get away with calling him a liar.

Gabriel’s voice held more than a hint of reverence. “You disarmed Eli? What happened?”

Eli’s voice was full of spite. “He caught me off guard.”

Jonathan was ready to set the record straight, but Saucy jerked forward. It took all of his concentration to stay on the horse. River’s leg bumped his. Her breath tickled his ear. “It’s a serious crime for a recruit to threaten the life of an enforcer and you had a knife pressed against Eli’s throat. The only thing protecting us is his vanity.”

“Sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“See that you do.”

Jonathan
didn’t get dizzy, but he did get disoriented. He tried to keep track of the turns…two rights, left, right, two lefts, three rights…but there was no way to hold that much information in his mind. He just hoped they were on some sort of trail that would lead him home. The way Saucy lurched and stumbled challenged that hope. The frequent sound of rocks pinging off the mountainside kept Jonathan’s shoulders hunched up by his ears. River gave him a steady stream of verbal instructions: ‘lean back’ when they slid down a rocky slope…‘lean forward’ when they entered a forest with low-hanging branches that clawed at his face…and ‘hang on!’ for everything else. 

The warnings were never in time to prepare for whatever lurching, sliding or hopping maneuver Saucy had to perform. At one point, River had Jonathan dismount so she could jump Saucy over a fallen tree. Gabriel helped him climb over it and remount—all without removing his blindfold.

“Halt. Who goes there?” A stranger’s voice tensed every muscle in Jonathan’s body.

“Eli, son of Zebulon’s daughter.”

“Gabriel, son of Reuben.”

“River, daughter of Asher and Issachar’s daughter.”

“Jonathan, son of—”

“No one!” River jerked the reins. “He’s my untrained recruit.”

“You need to teach him some manners.”

“I need to teach him everything. Like I said, he’s new.”

“I need to see everyone’s Certificate of Clean Health.”

Eli said, “We are completing our quarantine at Alpha Reuben’s ranch.”

There’s that whole alpha thing again.

“On whose authority?”

“Mine.” Eli spit the word out with a growl.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I need to see some documentation.” The stranger’s voice trembled.

The sound of rustling clothing accompanied Eli’s litany of swear words. His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Does this meet your standards?”