“I went to Dawn Ridge and asked around.”
Cassia exhaled, relief slumping her shoulders. It had just been Rylan all along.
“But you’re still one of them, aren’t you. An outlaw.”
His eyes flicked to the side as Rylan grimaced.
“I guess I’m still on the wrong side of the law. But I’m not with him anymore.”
“Oh, Rylan,” she groaned and went to sit on the bottom porch step. He joined her, resting his elbows on his knees. “What happened?”
“I ran away.”
“FromZey?”
Rylan nodded and scratched his patchy beard.
“Yeah. Things started getting bad. He got rid of a few men who tried to split ways. I had to take my time so he wouldn’t suspect me.”
“So you’re free now?” Cassia asked. She rested her head briefly on his shoulder, feeling sick to her stomach and full of gratitude all at once that he was in one piece. Why hadn’t she kept looking for him? She’d been a fool to believe him when he said he wanted to stay.
“Maybe. But now I still owe him money, and we’vebothseen too much.”
“How much money?”
“Forget it. It wouldn’t matter, anyways. I’ve got a death mark whether I pay up or not. I just needed to know if it was you they were talking about in that tavern. To know if I’d gotten you killed or not.”
“You know I’ll help you,” Cassia said. The money she had hidden under Ashelle’s mattress wasn’t much, but it was something. And she could earn more. He didn’t look like he believed her, so she added: “I’m serious. But how’d you get here?” There was no sign of any transport in front of the ranch.
“Zey’s hideout actually wasn’t too far from here,” he admitted. “I caught a cart to Dawn Ridge and walked.”
“But we’re miles from town.”
“I had to see you. But Zey will be stinging mad and he’ll want someone to take it out on. I can’t stay in Zhavek. Which means you can’t either.”
Cassia gripped the edge of the porch step with trembling hands. It felt like the world was spinning, like the steps might disintegrate and toss her down into some deep, endless hole. The stone was worn smooth and sun-warm under her fingers.
“Where are you going?” Her voice shook.
“Dunno. Anywhere. North, maybe. We can start over. You find a house to work in and I’ll learn a trade or something.”
She turned away from Rylan and squinted out at the mountains in front of them, the surreal beauty of Dawn Ridge. Rylan definitely had to leave. Unless he went to the lawmen, which would getRylanin trouble, Zey would probably kill him once he caught him. But did Cassia have to run?
She wanted to believe that she was safe on the ranch. But was it fair to put that on Aevrin and his family? Zey and his men were killers. Wouldn’t it be best for the Rivekers if she ran, too? And best for Rylan, if he didn’t have to figure out starting a new life on his own? What happened if he made a dumb decision again, and she was a thousand miles too far away to help?
She knew what he’d done was inexcusable. But that was on her, too. She’d failed him.
“Maybe,” Cassia said slowly.
“...You like it here,” Rylan observed.
She gave him a tired smile and blinked away tears that had come, unasked for, to the corners of her eyes.
“Yeah. It’s been… good, here.”
If Rylan had found her whereabouts, anybody could. What would stop Zey from asking around?
“They’re nice to you?” There was a pang of longing in his voice.
