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“And Lance,” I added, nodding to my deputy. “A word?”
Both men stood up straighter, sensing the gravity in my voice. We stepped away from eavesdropping ears and found a quieter spot near an old water trough.
“What’s going on?” Wyatt asked, his usual humor dimmed by concern.
“It’s about Kate,” I started. Their expressions tightened—Wyatt’s with curiosity, Lance’s with caution. “I need you both to keep a close eye on her.”
Wyatt’s eyebrows rose. “You think she’s a threat?”
I sighed and glanced back toward where Kate sat under the overhang. “I don’t know what she is yet. But until we understand why she’s here and what she wants, we can’t be too careful.”
Lance nodded solemnly. “Makes sense. She’s an unknown.”
“And until we figure things out,” I continued, locking eyes with each of them in turn, “Kate stays within the village limits.”
Wyatt shifted uncomfortably. “Is that really necessary? She doesn’t seem like she’s looking to cause trouble.”
I fixed him with a firm gaze. “It’s not about what she seems like. It’s about ensuring the safety of our town.” My voice softened slightly as I added, “She’s not a prisoner—just restricted for now.”
Lance clapped his hands together decisively. “All right then, we’ll make sure she doesn’t wander off.”
“Good.” I paused before adding one more thing—something that tugged at my conscience despite my efforts to maintain order above all else. “But treat her well; we’re not rustlers here.”
Both men nodded their understanding.
“Got it,” Wyatt said with a slight smile that suggested he didn’t find this duty too burdensome.
Lance merely gave a curt nod before asking, “What will you be doing?”
“I’ve got to report this incident to the council,” I replied with a grimace at the thought of the lengthy discussions ahead. “They’ll want to know about our... guest.”
Wyatt clapped me on the shoulder in sympathy before heading back to his sirocco. Lance lingered for a moment longer.
“You really think she could be trouble?” he asked quietly.
I looked back at Kate again—her animated gestures as she shared another story from her world, her laughter ringing clear even at this distance—and felt an inexplicable twinge in my gut.
“I hope not,” I admitted. “But hope won’t protect Dust Gulch.”
* * *
The sun hammered down on Dust Gulch like the fiery anvil of a wrathful god. I’d warned Kate about the relentless heat, how it could buckle knees and sear lungs with every breath. But she had that look in her eyes, the kind that said no warning would tether her spirit.
“Remember, short excursions,” I’d said earlier, handing her a wide-brimmed hat. “The heat isn’t kind to newcomers.”
She’d tipped the hat at me, a grin tugging at her lips. “I’ll be fine, Kian. I’ve weathered worse.”
Now, as I patrolled the outskirts of the village, I caught sight of her wandering far beyond where I’d advised, curiosity painting her every step. She moved with a restless energy that made it clear she was no ordinary castaway. Wyatt and Lance trailed behind her like shadows clinging to the noonday sun.
Then it happened—she swayed. Her steps faltered as if the ground beneath her feet turned treacherous. She clutched at her head, and before Wyatt or Lance could close the distance, she crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
My heart seized. Without a second thought, I spurred my mount forward, dust kicking up beneath its hooves as we raced across the baked earth. I reached her side in moments, dismounting with haste that betrayed my calm exterior.
Wyatt arrived at my shoulder, his expression grim. “She wouldn’t stop moving, kept saying she wanted to understand everything.”
I slid an arm under Kate’s knees and another behind her back, lifting her as though she were no more than a child. Her head lolled against my chest, blonde hair spilling over my arm in contrast to the dun-colored sands.
“Get Marah,” I ordered over my shoulder as I carried Kate back to the village.
