“Is that where we’re going?”
“Yeah.” He’d already packed most of his gear, and when Nhiari shifted to a nearby rock, he packed her bed.
“How far is it?”
“Not far.” He couldn’t help himself. Giving her too many exact details may come back to haunt him. She tucked her food wrapper into her pocket and struggled to her feet.
He hurried over to help her, and she let him, pressing her soft body into his side.
He ignored the pleasure coursing through him. This could all be an act. “Can you carry the small backpack?”
Nhiari nodded and slipped it on. He grabbed the heavier one and paused at the slope down. It had been hard climbing up it last night with Nhiari’s ankle unable to take any weight. “Maybe I should carry you down.”
She glared at him. “I can make it on my own.”
No, she couldn’t. He glanced around, looking for a branch she could use as a crutch, but there was nothing suitable. “You’ll need to lean on me.”
Nhiari pursed her lips, examining the slope, and tugged on her braid. Finally she said, “Fine.”
He slid his hand around her warm, lower back and her fingers brushed his neck, sending tingles down his spine, as she moved her arm around his shoulders. Slowly they made their way down the decline to where they’d left the motorbike yesterday. He uncovered it and then swapped packs with Nhiari, putting the day pack on his front so that Nhiari could sit behind him on the bike.
She didn’t cling, which was disappointing, but if she had grown up riding motorbikes, it wasn’t surprising. Her hands gripped the underneath of the seat behind her, not even touching him.
He rode slower than he normally would, conscious of the extra passenger, not wanting a sudden jolt to unbalance her and for her to fall off. The journey took almost thirty minutes and the sun was well and truly above the horizon, but on this side of the ranges, there weren’t any cars about yet.
He pulled into the small cave where he left his motorbike and switched off the engine. Nhiari was off the back almost before he’d stopped but grabbed onto the seat for balance as if she’d forgotten about her sprained ankle.
“Give me the pack.” He’d decided not to leave anything behind in the bolt hole. People would search for Nhiari until she could call off the search and he wanted nothing they could stumble upon.
He hefted the pack onto his back and helped her to the entrance. “Wait here.” He didn’t wait to see if she obeyed him. She wouldn’t get far with her ankle. Quickly he brushed out the tyre tracks, hiding their presence.
Nhiari perched like a sentinel on top of a rock at the entrance to the small cave. Stunning.
“It’s a short hike in.” Nothing he could do about that. “I can carry you, or you can use me as a crutch like we’ve been doing.”
She shook her head, scanning the ground. “Pass me that.” She pointed to a thick stick, which would be long enough to be used as a crutch.
He ignored the hurt at her not wanting to touch him. “Do you promise not to hit me with it?”
Her lips twitched in a smile, and his heart leapt in response. “Yes, I promise.”
He handed it to her, and she ripped off the side branches to make her crutch.
Though he missed having Nhiari’s body close to him, she seemed far happier with the stick, cautiously making her way over the terrain.
Lee took the lead through the bottom of the canyon. This pass had exits on both the west and east side of the ranges, as well as a canyon running south for a distance. Plenty of escape options should he be discovered.
Nhiari didn’t speak as they walked, but as they reached a trickier section her grimaces of pain spoke volumes.
“Let me help.” He stepped closer and she held up her hand.
“I can manage.”
Her autonomy meant a lot to her. He scowled, but continued until she whimpered in pain and he couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Either you let me help you as a crutch, or I carry you.”
“How much further?”
