She strained for any sign of a cave or another person in the area. They couldn’t yet see the cascading water, but the roar of its flow rose too loud to hear each other speak.
As they came to the edge of the expanse of tumbling liquid, she saw the river was wide here, creating a massive falls that plunged far down into a deep pool. Mist cast a breathtaking rainbow in the sunlight.
She glanced over at Grant to see his reaction. He must have felt her notice, for he turned to her with bright eyes. They spoke a silent question,Beautiful, isn’t it?
She couldn’t help a grin that offered her response.Incredible. Part of the weight in her chest had lifted, as if the power of the water had cleared away her worries.
White Horse slipped from his mount, then left the animal as he moved down the steep slope on foot. Looking for a cave behind the falls, no doubt. She slid off her own gelding, and Grant joined her as they maneuvered on foot down the slippery rocks to catch up with him.
As they descended, the mist billowed around them, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. The sound of the water was deafening. She clung to Grant’s arm for balance, his nearness igniting warmth that spread up her arm.
White Horse had nearly disappeared from sight, and she struggled to keep up with Grant’s quick pace. Finally, they reached the base of the falls, where the pool of water looked dark through the mist.
White Horse had completely disappeared.
FIFTEEN
Faith squinted through the cascade to see if White Horse had stepped behind the falling water. He must have. There was no other place where he could have disappeared to.
“White Horse?” Grant’s deep voice barely rose above the roar of the falls.
Her heart surged a little faster, her skin prickling. Something was wrong.
Grant raised a hand for her to stay, then pulled his arm from her hold and started forward. If he thought she would wait here while he found White Horse—and possibly Steps Right—he was quite mistaken.
The mist had soaked through her clothes, and the shade of the cliff cooled the air enough to send a shiver through her as she followed him. When Grant reached the place where the falling water met the cliff bank, he glanced back at her with a frown.
She was only a step behind, and she raised her brows to smile at him. He must have realized trying to keep herback was a hopeless cause, for he turned again to the falls and pointed to something she couldn’t yet see.
She moved to his side, gripping his arm for balance, then sucked in a breath as she caught sight of what he had. A flat stone ledge ran behind the water. A bit of packed mud had been pressed flat in one spot. Someone had walked through here. Many times.
She grinned at Grant, and he met her look. The sparkle in his eyes showed he felt the same way she did. This might finally be the place where they would find Steps Right.
He shifted his arm so he could take her hand, wrapping it tightly in his as he moved toward the narrow path. They slipped under the thin curtain at the edge of the falling water, and she blinked to clear the droplets from her lashes. Behind the falls was much dimmer than outside, and this ledge was barely wide enough for her feet to stand side by side.
The path widened as they advanced toward the middle of the falls, but in the shadows, she couldn’t tell if there was a cave or not. Grant’s grip on her hand tightened, and she peered around him to better see what he saw. “What is it?”
He probably didn’t hear her, for he stepped forward again, pulling her to the widest part of the path. There, just beyond the mist, loomed a dark opening in the rock.
Her heart hammered as Grant released her hand and drew the pistol from his waistband. She should have thought to bring her rifle. Was White Horse already in there? Had he found his mother?
Her hand crept up to the leather strap at her neck. She’d hung the pouch that held the bead necklace on a leather strap around her neck, then tucked it under her shirt. Should shegive the gift to Steps Right immediately? Or wait until they’d spoken with the woman, maybe in a special ceremony after they shared a meal?
First, they had to find her. Then maybe she’d know the next step.
They paused at the cave entrance, but inside was thick darkness. It didn’t seem to bother Grant, for he stepped forward, pulling her with him. The air smelled dank and musty, but also held a faint scent of herbs.
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could identify the outline of Grant’s broad shoulders. She followed close behind, still gripping his hand as he moved deeper into the cave. The scent of herbs mingled with the dank smell of the cave, and a faint glow appeared in the distance.
A campfire?
“Hello?” Grant’s voice echoed through the cave. “White Horse?”
A figure appeared in the dim light ahead, though she could barely make out the shape of a person.
“I am here.”
Her tension eased at White Horse’s familiar voice, and she stepped forward around Grant. “Have you found her?”
