“I need you to pick off as many of them asyou can.”
He looked skeptically at the mob gainingground on them. “I can try, but my aim’s not going to be very goodwhile we’re bouncing around like this.
“I don’t need you to hit them, just make themcautious. I’m hoping it scares them into keeping their distance fora little while. Wait until they get a little closer beforefiring.”
Dane shrugged and pulled the boomer intoplace, making sure it was loaded. He gestured one of the strangersup, handing him the bag of extra ammo with instructions to hand himmore rounds when he called for it.
Shea left him to crawl back up to Witt. “Ineed you to veer right.”
He shot her a hard look before looking frontagain.
The wagon continued on its course.
“Witt, you need to go right.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You have to,” she snarled.
His jaw clenched. Damn, stubborn man.
“Witt. We won’t make it to the Highlands, andthere are too many of them to fight.”
“That way leads to the Badlands. That wayleads to madness.”
“I know.”
Shea did know and just thinking about takingthis group past that land’s border made her feel sick.
The Badlands were part of the Highlands.Technically. Only people who were crazy, desperate, or had nowhereelse to go went there. People said it was the home of evil, thatall beasts came from there and that its shadowed interior hid evengreater monsters.
Shea didn’t believe it was evil, but she hadfirst-hand knowledge that there were creatures dwelling within itsborders that hadn’t been seen since the first great cataclysm.
It was close to Edgecomb, closer than thepassage Shea and her party had used to descend from the Highlands.Gaining entrance to the Badlands would be infinitely easier thantrying to climb the cliffs with an injured man.
But, there was a reason they hadn’t made astraight path for its borders after the rescue. People who went into the Badlands rarely came out.
“I don’t think Cam can make it up some ofthose passes,” Witt told her.
“Look. I don’t like this option any betterthan you, but we won’t make it to the Highlands. They’re gainingtoo fast, and we’re about to run out of safe ground for the wagon.”Shea nodded at the shadowy hills that marked the Badland’s edge.“The incline up is gentler and less rocky. We can use the wagonlonger, and we can get to high ground before Edgecomb’s villagerscatch up to us.”
A beat passed before the wagon veered sharplyright.
“The Badlands?” a gravelly voice said next toher ear. “Sounds ominous.”
Shea turned to find whiskey eyes very closeto her hazel ones. He waited expectantly for an answer, but Sheahesitated. Everyone from Highlander to Lowlander knew about theBadlands. They shared stories around campfires and scared littlekids about what waited there.
“I take it you’re not from around here?” Shewatched as they pulled closer and closer to the Badlands.
He shrugged his massive shoulders.
Shea frowned slightly. Evasion.
They really knew nothing about thesestrangers, though she very much suspected they were some kind ofwarriors. Neither had a mark on them whereas James and Cam werecovered with bruises. They both had small scars on their hands andforearms, the sort that came from extensive sword practice. Fromwhat little Shea had witnessed, she knew both could handlethemselves in dangerous situations.
He waited expectantly, his focus entirely onher as she puzzled through the implications.
James chimed in before Shea could come to adecision. “The Badlands? I thought it was overrun with beasts. Myfather told me stories of men who tried to settle that territory.They never last long. The people are either found dead, or thevillages abandoned as if its occupants just disappeared one night.I’ve never even seen a map, not even a generic, rudimentary one ofthat land.” He paused and looked at Shea. “How are we supposed tofind our way out if you don’t have a map? Have you ever beenthere?”
