"Coleman wants them found. Says there's money in it." Rhett's blood went cold. He waited until they passed, then made his way back to the cave as quickly as he could without making noise.
Ayah looked up from the fire when he appeared, read his expression, and was on her feet instantly. "Scouts," Rhett said. "Looking for Apache. Coleman sent them."
"How many?" "Two. But if they're here, there will be more." Ayah's jaw tightened.
"We need to move deeper into the canyon, or we need to leave entirely." "And go where, Rhett? We have no money. No land. No—"
"We have our lives. That's more than we'll have if Coleman's men find us." She shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not running anymore. I spent a year running."
"I'm done." "Ayah—" "No." Her voice was hard.
"This is the last place my people touched. The last place that knows we existed. I'm not abandoning it because some territorial bastard wants to make a profit." "Then what do you suggest?"
"We hide. We stay quiet. We wait them out." Rhett wanted to argue.
Wanted to grab her and put her on a horse and ride until they hit the ocean, but he knew that look in her eyes. Knew she'd dig in her heels, and pushing would only make things worse. "All right," he said. "We hide."
"But we do it smart. No fires during the day. No noise. And if they get close, we run. Deal?"
"Deal." They spent the next two days moving everything deeper into the cave system, finding chambers that were nearly invisible unless you knew exactly where to look. Ayah showed him passages he'd never seen. Tunnels that twisted through the rock like veins, opening into spaces that felt like the belly of the earth itself.
On the third day, the scouts came back with four more men. Rhett and Ayah watched from a hidden overlook as the men spread out, searching the canyon floor. One of them found the terraces Ayah had built, the tiny sprouting plants. "Someone's been here," the scout called out.
"Recent, too." Rhett felt Ayah tense beside him. His hand moved to his gun, but she caught his wrist and shook her head. "Wait."
The men searched for an hour, checking caves, looking for tracks. One of them passed within 15 feet of their hiding spot. Rhett could see the man's face clearly. Young, maybe 20, with a rifle he didn't look comfortable holding.
The man paused, peered into the shadows where they crouched, then moved on. When the men finally gave up and rode out, Rhett let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "That was close," he said. "They'll be back."
Ayah's voice was flat. "Now that they know someone's here, they'll keep coming." "Then we need a plan." "I have a plan."