Dark Warrior: Kid (Dark Cloth Series Book 2) (19 page)

Bad Omen

Kat learned that they had detained Shae, later that afternoon, through an unexpected source—town gossip.
She stared out the window, worried. She hadn’t realized how much she’d come to care for the healer, or how much she’d come to value her healing abilities—until Shae could no longer be with them.

Guilt sat like a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach as she walked toward the bed where her grandfather lay. She’d been the one to get her involved in this. Her uncle likely only wanted Kat anyway.

She shook her head at that thought.

No—that wasn’t true, and she knew it. They wanted her grandfather dead too. Besides, Shae had come to help him because he’d once helped her. Kat couldn’t have stopped her from getting involved in his rescue. Once someone put their all on the line for someone else—that person was probably going to put everything on the line, too, to return the favor.

Who was she to interfere with such a bond?

Still, that didn’t stop her from worrying about her new friend. Had they hurt Shae because she refused to tell them what they’d wanted to know? Would they place the old woman in jail? And if they did—what were they capable of doing to her? What was her uncle capable of having them do?

Kat moved back to the window to look outside.

She’d have to go on a personal hunt for her uncle, if they did anything to harm Shae, she thought.

Kid had watched her sulking by the window, until he finally asked Jake to go and try to check on Shae. By this time, Jake agreed, and took off to find out what he could.

He’d been gone for several hours, but when he finally returned, he had Shae with him. Relief rushed through Kat’s limbs, when she spotted her, leaving her with a sweet weakness, and Kat rushed over to hug her.

Shae patted her cheek. “They questioned me in the room,” she said, “but they determined that I had nothing to do with whatever you planned. I had told them you had hired me to heal your grandfather, and that was all.” She looked at Kat. “They never took me anywhere.” She smiled and shook her head. “You shouldn’t listen to town gossip.”

Kat flushed, then grinned. She still felt as though they’d been handed a reprieve—and she didn’t care how annoying she’d been, in making sure Shae had been rescued.

Shae went to check on her patient, and Kat couldn’t help but be thankful for the break—and to know that her grandfather would get the proper care now. But this time she paid special attention to what Shae did—just in case she were to become responsible for his care again.

When they’d finished, Kat went to talk to Kid, and Jake, about when they might finally get her grandfather on the train home.

Kid sat on the rooftop, of the adjacent hotel, cleaning his rifle and watching the street. Kat had spotted him from her grandfather’s bedroom window earlier, while watching for Jake, so she didn’t waste any time meeting him up there now. As it turned out, Jake left too, to do some more scouting, trying to find the train they’d need. But before he took off, he left a couple of guards behind.

When Kat reached Kid, she sat down, glancing across the way at her grandfather’s room. “Do you know where Jake is scouting, now?” she asked Kid, watching the muscles in his arm flex, as he worked.

Kid sighted down the gun barrel. “He has an idea of a smaller town, outside some city,” he told her. “He thinks it may be the perfect place to sneak your grandfather on board.”

A thrill snaked up Kat’s spine. Within days, they might actually be on their way home. She didn’t want to think about what might happen if her uncle managed to figure out which train they’d snuck onto. But if he did, perhaps she’d get the fight she’d been itching for, after all.

She wouldn’t mind that.

She relished the idea of actually doing something, besides sneaking around in the dark. She felt furious that they’d been forced to hide. And she wanted to do something about it. She wanted to meet her uncle, face-to-face. She wanted him to account for all he’d done to her grandfather.

She came out of her thoughts, only to find that she’d been staring at Kid, watching him move as if mesmerized. And, now, she found him staring back.

Kat flushed. “Would you stop,” she demanded.

Kid’s brows shot up, the look in his eyes smoldering. His lips curled, making it difficult for her to think straight. All she could see was his sexy smile.

“Stop what?” he asked.

She gave him s baleful glare. “You know what,” she accused.

Kid smiled, and the look he gave her made her blood heat. She scooted a few inches away. “We can’t do anything on this rooftop, for all the gods to see,” she said, wagging a finger at him. “And we can’t be alone in the room we do have.”

Kid grinned. “All I wanted to do—was—
kiss you,”
he said, an innocent look replacing the smoldering one that had lit his eyes, only a moment ago.

Kat had the strong feeling that hadn’t been what he’d been about to say, but she smiled back at him anyway. “Uh-huh,” she said. “I’m
sure
that’s what you intended.” She glanced around, anyway. There were waist-high walls all around them, but that didn’t mean she intended to bare herself to the sky above—though she had to admit that the idea did tempt her.

She glanced up at the blue sky, and when she looked back at Kid, she found him watching her again. She actually blushed, afraid that he could see that he’d tempted her. She had the feeling he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. The worst part about it—she didn’t feel all that appalled at the idea, though she had an idea that she should be. Did that make her a loose woman? she wondered. She didn’t think so. She found what they felt for each other natural—not bad. All she wanted was to be Kid’s wife—be with him every moment she could steal.

They loved each other. She honestly couldn’t see how anything born out of that love could be bad. She didn’t see that at all—just the opposite.

Kid grinned at her—and she rewarded him with a dark look, before grinning at him. Then she left to go check on her grandfather. That was a safer bet anyway, considering where her thoughts had been taking her, while in Kid’s presence. He was supposed to be watching for the magistrate anyway—and her uncle’s men.

At this, Kat’s thoughts returned to her uncle’s treachery.

She couldn’t imagine the older man putting together such an elaborate plan to bring down his own father. She couldn’t imagine that he had the imagination to have pulled all of this off. He just didn’t seem to have the drive, or ambition, for such a plan—which always brought her back to Ethan. But she couldn’t see him as the mastermind behind any of this either.

Something about it didn’t make sense—and she found herself no closer to figuring out the riddle than she’d ever been. She found it pulling at something, just out of her grasp, tugging at something illusive—like her gut tried to tell her something. She couldn’t help but feel as though—if she could just get her fingers on the thread—it would unravel the whole mystery. And so she kept tugging, trying to get her mind wrapped around that elusive strand.

A Dying Man’s Wish

Kat had been watching her grandfather closely
since he’d first begun to show signs of coming to. He’d been out of it for over three weeks now, showing no signs at all of coming around at all, until now, and she waited, now, hoping, talking to spirit, willing him—to come back to them.

Kat just wanted him to wake up.

The first week, he’d stayed under, had been the worst. He’d gone through horrible sweats with a lot of vomiting—and spent a lot of time muttering, sometimes even screaming out. She’d thought him in horrible pain—and felt helpless to help him. She never wanted to watch someone go through something like that again. She never wanted to see anyone suffer in such away, ever again.

She’d spoon fed him broth, worrying that his mind might be gone.

In that moment, she told herself that if her grandfather would just wake—she’d stay with him. She wouldn’t leave him again.

She couldn’t.

Lately, he’d opened his eyes a few times but, as of yet, said nothing at all, just stared. She’d had a doctor look at him, but they had to be careful not to pick one who wouldn’t know who her grandfather really was. As it was, the doctor they choose became distressed, when realizing her grandfather had been poisoned. She’d convinced him that saying anything to the authorities would only put her grandfather in further danger. But to be careful, they’d moved her grandfather, again, anyway.

They were getting close, now, to getting him onto the train. Jake wanted to be sure they’d do so, without being followed. Yet, only that morning, Jake had spotted someone watching them. Why the magistrate hadn’t descended on them, they couldn’t be sure.

Perhaps their enemy thought it’d be simpler to just have them killed. Kat nearly smiled at that. If that was truly what he thought—he wasn’t going to find that such a simple task.

Kat moved to the window, peeking out through the shadows. Deep in thought, she didn’t hear her grandfather speak, though somewhere it
did
register. When it finally dawned on her what she’d heard—she spun around.

He was awake.

“Come here, granddaughter,” he mouthed.

Kat’s face must have shown her joy because he tried to smile at her.

“You saved my life,” he said.

She nodded, choked with tears. For a long moment, she couldn’t speak. “I’m so sorry I had to leave you alone—even for a moment. Whoever’s been poisoning you—nearly killed you before we got you out of there.”

He waved that away. “You did right,” he said. Then, he closed his eyes and slept. But this time, his sleep looked restful—and Kat finally relaxed for the first time in weeks.

When he woke again, she was bringing him real soup. He’d lost so much weight, on the broth, he’d withered into bones, and she worried that he’d never be able to walk again. The doctor had showed her how to keep moving him—to try to keep his limbs from seizing up. He’d said that he didn’t know much about it—but he’d read that they needed to keep his arms and legs moving, to try to keep some muscle on them.

Her grandfather watched her, as she sat down to feed him. “Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“We’re trying to take you to our ranch out West,” she told him.

He nodded. “When I’m well—I’m going to bury that man,” he said with more force than she’d thought him capable.

She grinned at him, then sobered, realizing.

“Who is he, grandfather? Uncle?”

He shook his head. “No—granddaughter,” he said. “My son is only controlled by his son.”

Kat stilled. Ethan?” she thought. “Surely not….”

He nodded.

She sputtered. “But he’s too much of an idiot. All he does is preen and flatter people. He could never plan such a daring takeover.

Her grandfather smiled weakly. “Precisely what he’d have people believe,” he said. “No one would see him coming.”

Kat’s gaze widened in shock. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagines that the man waiting in ambush—was nothing but her simple blabbering cousin.

“When I do return,” her grandfather said. “You must come home with me. I couldn’t bear it—if you didn’t come home with me,” he mumbled as his eyes closed.

A stone sank in the middle of Kat’s stomach—a much heavier one lay in her heart—but hadn’t she already accepted the reality of this? She just didn’t know how she’d ever tell Kid of her decision. How could she? Yet, she knew she couldn’t break her grandfather’s heart again. She’d been too young to prevent it the first time—but she was not too young to prevent it now.

Across the room, Kid had been working to put her pack back together for her. He looked up at her now. She had no doubt that his sharp hearing had picked up what her grandfather had just said to her. And as she looked up—and caught his gaze—she knew that his keen senses knew of her decision.

She didn’t have to speak it.

He nodded, then got up, coming across the room. He pulled her to her feet and took her into his powerful embrace. “Then, I will come with you,” he said.

She shook her head through her tears. “I cannot let you do that to yourself. It would destroy you.”

He held her fast to him. “I would live no better without you,” he said. “I will come with you—for however long it takes.”

Sniffing, Kat smiled through her tears. She knew she couldn’t let him do that. But dang if she could bring herself to prevent it.

When Kid released her, she glanced down at her sleeping grandfather. Her gaze narrowed. She could swear he’d just been watching them. But if he had—he slept now.

Jake came through the door at that moment, moving faster than she’d ever seen him before. “We have to move him,” he said, not moving from the quiet, deadly tones that were so much a part of him. “Now.”

Perhaps those words, said that way—the way Jake had of talking—but Kat grabbed their bags, and Jake scooped up her grandfather. They were out the door, where she found that Kid already had the wagon waiting.

They tore out of there and something told Kat there would be no more hotels—that Jake had one destination in mind. When they reached the woods, outside the small town, they sat quietly, waiting. Kat didn’t have to ask where they sat—or why. She didn’t need Jake to speak, to know what they were waiting for.

This was it. This was the moment they’d waited for. Either they’d make it to the train—or the magistrate would be waiting for them. And if they weren’t there, ready to ambush them—would they find her uncle waiting for them, instead?

When it got close to the town, where the train would be coming, Jake took them deep into the woods, had them set up camp—then sent Kid to scout the town.

An hour later, Kid came quietly back through the woods. He stared at Kat. Finally, he turned to look at Jake. The magistrate—and her uncle’s men—are all over that town,” he said.

Kat swallowed.

Jake’s gaze had narrowed on him, then he nodded. “I wonder how on earth they knew where we were heading,” he said. “I’ve taken them in circles.” Jake stopped, like something occurred to him. “I chose this town because we wouldn’t have to worry about them searching the train for more than sixty miles.” He took off his hat, moped his forehead with his bandana, then settled his hat back on his head, looking out across the hardwood trees. “Obviously, whoever wants your grandfather back is well informed—and saw the advantage of this little town as well.” His gaze narrowed.

Kat could see that Kid wondered the same thing. She glanced at Jake but said nothing. What could she say?

Finally, Jake peered across the hardwood trees. “Okay,” he said, “we’re still getting on that train here. They’ll be expecting us. And that will be our greatest asset.”

Kat frowned. “How’s that?”

Jake gave her one of his rare smiles. “Because we’ll give them what they’re looking for,” he said.

They set up a makeshift camp and settled her grandfather in the lean-to, they’d put together. Then, Jake rode out, saying he wouldn’t be back for a day, maybe more. Kid sent one of the men to another town, to pick up another wagon and some grub. The man came back a couple of hours later with the wagon full of supplies, and they hunkered down to wait.

Jake returned, late the next afternoon, and had Kat and Kid follow him back to the last town they’d ridden out of. There, he pointed out a young man and woman, who he’d had holed up in the hotel, now coming down the walk.

Kat stared across the way at them, then began to get Jake’s plan, grinning.

Just before dark, several days later, Jake handed Kat some gear to hide her hair—and her gender. She wrapped her hair and put on the overly large hat. She settled into the large overcoat and mounted up. Kid did much the same, minus wrapping his head. Kid went to buy their tickets and a berth, and Jake led Kat, with her grandfather’s wagon, through the woods toward the end of the train. They stayed in the shadows of the woods—and waited for the commotion to start.

They spotted the wagon, heading down a side-street for the train, laden down with farming supplies. The magistrate immediately converged on it, pulling the wagon over to the side of the street, near the train—and while they searched the wagon for her grandfather, Jake and Kat quietly slipped her grandfather onto the train.

A few minutes later, Kat sat, staring out the train window, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. She stared, feeling shock rock through her body. This couldn’t be happening. This didn’t make any sense. She looked up at Kid, her mind numb. She had completely trusted her cousin.

But there he stood, just the same. And he appeared not to just be standing off to one side—but seemed, instead, to be giving the orders.

Her mouth dropped, as she watched George direct some men to do his bidding.

She’d been completely taken in by him. She tore her gaze from him, once more looking up at Kid. This time, Kid’s own reaction registered, as she stared up at him.

He looked down at her, the same shock showing on his face, the way it must be showing on hers. She shook her head, mutely.

She heard Jake move behind her and turned to look at him.

His steely-gaze stared out at George. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said.

“So I wasn’t the only one completely fooled by him?” she asked, her voice hushed in her pain.

He looked down at her. “No,” he said. “We were all taken in by him.”

Kat should have felt some relief in that. If George had managed to fool Jake, he could probably fool anyone. But the simple fact was—he’d completely taken her in. He’d damaged something she trusted inside of her. He’d put a dent in the trust she’d had—in her own instincts. She wasn’t sure she could ever fully trust her gut again.

Something important had been stolen from her.

Anger rushed through her veins as she realized this. She couldn’t let him do this to her. She had to find a way to move past this—but he’d been family. Yet—then again—so had her uncle, and so had Ethan.

Still, she hadn’t liked Ethan—or her uncle. She’d
liked
George.