The voices pass by our hidin place.
Then, Aaah! They yel out as they step into nuthin. As they tumble into our trap. The horses squeal, frightened.
Go! yel s Jack.
We leap up an rush over the top of the hil . We thunder down th’other side. Their horses, two of ’em, rear in fright an dart out a the way.
Hands up! I yel . We got you covered, you bastards!
Me, Jack an Emmi take up positions around the edge of the pit. Our weapons is drawn. We aim down at our captives.
I don’t believe it, says Jack.
What the hel ’re you doin here? I says.
Ash an Epona stare at us from the bot om of the pit where they’re lyin in a tangled heap of arms an legs.
It ain’t ezzackly the welcome we was expectin, says Ash. But I’ve had worse.
They git to their feet. Epona holds up a hand. Wouldn’t mind a lit le help git in out a here, she says.
It’d serve you right if we left you there to rot, I says. But I give her my hand an Jack gives his to Ash an we help ’em climb out. They start to brush theirselves down.
Hel , Ash, says Jack. That was more’n stupid. We could of shot you. You could of broke a leg when you fel in. Why didn’t you let us know it was you fol owin us?
We wanted to surprise you, says Ash.
Wel you did that al right, says Jack.
I frown. I thought the Hawks had some trouble to take care of, I says. Maev said somethin about a territory dispute on the western road.
They dart a look between ’em. A guilty look.
She don’t know yer here, I says. Don’t tel me … she left you two in charge of Darktrees an you snuck of .
Okay, says Ash, we won’t tel you.
Go away, I says. Turn right around an go back. An make sure you tel Maev this was al yer idea an nuthin to do with me.
Hang on a minute, says Epona. We happen to think Maev’s wrong. That she should of sent at least some of us with you to help.
This is more important than who’s got control of the western road, says Ash. From what you said—about Freedom Fields an the Tonton an the chaal—this could be about more than jest git in yer brother back. It could a ect al of us. Jest burnin down Hopetown ain’t enough. We cain’t stop there. We got a stop the whole thing. Git rid of ’em al .
Listen, I says. I don’t care about nuthin besides git in Lugh back. D’you hear? That’s it. Nuthin else. An I don’t need yer help. I don’t want it. Go home.
Why d’you always got a be such a rudesby? says Emmi. They jest wanna help us find Lugh.
But on yer lip, Emmi, I says. I got a good mind to send you back to Darktrees with ’em.
She scowls an crosses her arms over her chest. Jest try an make me, she says.
Don’t you sass me!
Now now, says Jack, let’s jest everybody calm down. I’m sure we can—
Shut up, Jack, I says. I narrow my eyes. Give Ash a good hard look. You sure there ain’t another reason why yer here? I says.
I glance at Jack, then look at Ash agin. She’s gone al red in the face.
Of course not, she says.
C’mon, Saba, says Epona. You know we’re good in a fight.
I’l say this one last time, I says. If I wanted you to come with me, I would of asked you to come with me. But I didn’t. That means I don’t.
You can be on yer way soon’s I fetch Emmi’s horse. Yer goin back with ’em to Darktrees, I says to Em.
No! she says. An you cain’t make me! I hate you, Saba!
I turn an start walkin fast towards where we tethered our horses while we found out who was fol owin us. We hid ’em wel out a sight.
Excuse us fer a moment, I hear Jack say.
He sprints after me an grabs my arm. I wanna talk to you, he says.
I yank my arm away an keep walkin. There ain’t nuthin to talk about, I says. They’re leavin an Emmi’s goin with ’em.
They wanna help, he says. They wanna do somethin. Maybe help make the world a bet er place. C’mon, Saba, what’s yer problem with that?
I keep walkin.
He goes around in front of me.
What’s the mat er with you? he says. Talk to me.
While he’s talkin, I try to dodge around him, right then left, but he blocks my way every time I move a foot. My temper’s dancin. It’s itchin fer a fight. I clench my teeth, my fists.
Git out a my way, I says.
No.
I’m goin to git the horses. Git out a the way, Jack.
Not til you tel me why you got such a burr in yer britches, he says.
Fine, I says. You wanna know what’s wrong? It’s this … crowd of people trailin along behind me, slowin me down, an I’m sick of it, that’s what’s wrong! I don’t care about makin the world a bet er place. Al I wanna do is git Lugh back. But I keep git in trapped. I leave Emmi somewhere safe an she fol ows me. The Pinches snatch us an I end up in Hopetown in the Cage. I nal y ecscape an, thanks to you, I ain’t only lumbered with Emmi agin, but here we are in the middle of nowhere an Ash an Epona’s pitched up. An why d’you think that is, Jack?
You know why, he says. They wanna help.
Are you blind? I says. They only fol owed us here because … d’you like Ash?
What kinda question’s that? Of course I like her. What’s not to like?
No, I says, that ain’t what I mean. I mean … do you like her? Because she likes you. A lot.
What? He laughs. Don’t be stupid.
What? He laughs. Don’t be stupid.
You real y cain’t see it? I says.
He shakes his head. Yer bein ridiculous, he says.
Oh am I? I says.
I push past him. Head to where the horses are. My skin’s pricklin. My bel y clenches. I’m hot al over, head to toe. I start to untether Joy an Hermes.
He strol s up with his hands in his pockets. Stands watchin me.
If I didn’t know bet er, he says, I’d think you was jealous.
Jealous! I glare at him. Whaddya mean?
I mean, he says, that you want me fer yerself. You jest don’t wanna admit it.
I stare at him. Then, Go to hel , Jack, I says.
C’mon, he says, admit it. Leave me alone!
I cain’t look at him, cain’t listen to him, cain’t think about things I don’t wanna think about. Feel things I don’t wanna feel. I can only think about Lugh. Nuthin but Lugh an git in him back.
Al I want from you is the fastest way to Freedom Fields, I says. I’m goin on from here by myself.
By yerself, he says. Are you sayin you don’t need me?
I don’t need you, Jack.
Yer wrong. You need al of us. You jest don’t know it yet. The Tonton won’t take kindly to their King bein kil ed. They’re gonna want somebody to pay the price. I’d almost put money on them goin ahead with their ceremony. If yer gonna save Lugh, yer gonna need al the help you can git. An believe me, once we reach Freedom Fields, you’l be damn glad we’re with you.
I lean my head aginst Hermes’ side fer a moment an close my eyes.
You ain’t gonna let me go by myself, I says.
No, he says.
You cain’t stop me. I could jump on Hermes, right now, an ride away as fast as I can.
We’d fol ow you.
Trapped.
You always know best, don’t you? I says.
I like to think so, he says. An that reminds me, you owe th’others a apology fer bein so rude an high-handed back there.