“Understood.”
When they were within a dozen meters of thefire, Kali called out, not wanting to surprise anyone with twitchyreflexes. “Sebastian?”
Sebastian bolted to his feet, eyes largerthan Francis Barton’s prize nuggets. “Kali?”
“Yes.”
Despite Sebastian’s acknowledgement, the manbeside him grabbed his shotgun. He raised it to his shoulder andKali tensed, ready to throw herself to the ground. A riflethundered a foot away from her ear. The shotgun flew from itsowner’s hands. Cursing, the man flung himself behind a log even asthe rest of Sebastian’s cronies lunged for their weapons.
Cedar fired two more times.
“Sebastian!” Kali ducked and scrambled behinda stump. She found her own rifle, but she did not want to fire, notif this was a misunderstanding. “What’re you-”
“Stop!” Sebastian called. “Everyone stopgrabbing for your firearms.”
None of his men had managed to fire a shot,not with Cedar preempting them, but they had all found cover, andirritated snarls came from behind the rocks and logs.
“I invited her up here,” Sebastianwent on. “She’s the one I told you about. Albeit, I wasn’texpecting her so soon.”
A twinge of irritation ran through Kali. Whyhad he expected her at all? Did he truly think his offer thatirresistible? If not for Cedar, she would not have taken a singlestep in Sebastian’s direction.
A shadow moved at her elbow, Cedar joiningher behind the stump.
“Have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying theenhanced chambering speed your modifications have granted myWinchester?” he asked while Sebastian calmed down his men.
“Not since Thursday. Do you think that onewas going to shoot me?” Kali asked, already unimpressed withSebastian’s comrades.
“If I thought that, I would have shot hischest, not his firearm.”
“Ah, so that was merely a warning for anambiguous action.”
“Precisely.”
“Kali?” Sebastian called. “Who’s withyou?”
“Cedar,” she said. “The, uh, fellow you metat my workshop.”
“He wasn’t invited,” Sebastian said.
“He’s willing to work too. Why turn down anextra hand? He’ll take a cut of my share. No need to pay him.”
“That so?” Cedar murmured.
She elbowed him.
“He willing to take a cut of your rationstoo?” Sebastian asked. “Because we don’t have enough to feedsomeone that big.”
“We brought our own food,” Kali said.
“You didn’t even bring a blanket,” Cedarwhispered.
“Sshh.” She could see nothing of his featuresin the dark, but sensed his humor was tickled by the situation. Ormaybe gun-slinging put him in a good mood.
“Come in,” Sebastian said. “We’ll work outthe details in the morning. It’s late. Long past when respectablefolk ride up on a camp.”
“Yes…we were delayed.”
Kali stood and walked toward the fire, armsspread to show she had no weapons in hand. She supposed thecourteous thing to do would be to mention that a dangerous womanmight be about and that Kali’s presence could bring danger to theentire camp.
“Getting sexed up, probably,” Sebastianmuttered to the man at his side who snorted and nodded.
Kali narrowed her eyes and reconsidered thelevel of courtesy she would show the man. Such as, maybe shewould warn him if she saw a grenade plummeting toward his head.
Cedar did not stray from her side as sheapproached, and she admitted a smug satisfaction at having himlooming there. She knew Sebastian would not be jealous-that wouldhave required him to have had an actual interest in her-but atleast Cedar’s presence proved she was not so undesirable as hebelieved. Except, she reminded herself, Cedar was not her beau andshe had lied to Sebastian. Her smugness faded.
“You arrived sooner than I expected,”Sebastian told Kali. “The steam equipment isn’t here yet. We’ll bebringing it up on a raft from Dawson soon.”
“That’s fine. We can help with the sluice boxor whatever you have set up so far.” Kali glanced around. Thoughshe and Cedar had passed numerous claims with such equipment, shehad not noticed any on Sebastian’s land. Maybe she had missed it inthe darkness.
“Good. We have lots to set up,” Sebastiansaid. “We’ve barely got the tents pitched.”
“Is there room for us in one?” she asked.
“Sorry,” he said in a tone that assured hewas not. “They’re already claimed. You can bed down over there.” Hesmiled and pointed to rocky ground near the fire.
“Thanks,” Kali said, glad the air did notsmell of rain.
The men watched Cedar as he moved fartheraway from the fire than Sebastian had indicated. He ignored them.Well, Kali doubted that, but he acted as if he was ignoringthem. The way nobody introduced themselves struck her as odd, butthe gunfire greeting had probably set the men on edge. Thus far,the night did not hint of future friendships, so she hoped Cedarcould complete his business with John Wilder within a day ortwo.
She laid down her gear and, under the guiseof performing her nightly ablutions, checked the two smoke nutsnestled in her pocket. She decided to sleep with them and the knifeon her belt as well. While she doubted anyone would bother her withCedar around, she did not like the camp atmosphere.
When she returned from washing at the riverand saw Cedar’s all-in-one bed-blanket-pillow stretched over therocks, she remembered she would be expected to spend the nighttucked into it. With him.
Though the rest of the men had disappearedinto the tents, Sebastian sat on a log by the fire. He probablywanted to see if another man would actually share a bed with her.She glowered at Sebastian and stalked over to join Cedar.
He crouched beside his blanket, waiting forher. He lifted a hand, perhaps asking if she wanted to get infirst. She waved for him to go. Sebastian glanced their way, andshe dropped her hand. Presumably people who shared beds workedthese details out early in their relationships, though she supposedshe could claim this was their first night on the trail together ifanyone voiced suspicions.
Cedar removed his boots, though thankfullynone of his other clothing. A part of her would not mind seeing himsans garments some day, but not with an audience nearby. He slidbetween the blankets and laid his rifle close by.
“Not sleeping with it tonight?” Kali sat downto remove her own boots.
“I didn’t want you to get jealous.”
She snorted.
“Will you be all right here if I leave laterto scout Wilder’s claim?” Cedar whispered.
“I think so,” Kali said. Thus far Sebastian’sstory had panned out, though admittedly coming in at night meantshe had seen little of his claim and his operation. “But on thechance he’s planning something squirrelly, when would you beback?”
“Morning. Early.”
“I suspect I can keep myself out of troubleuntil then.”
“Hm.”
Kali poked around for a way into thecocoon-like bedding. Cedar lay on his side to provide more room forher. Her options were facing him or not. The former seemed far toointimate, so she laid on her side with her back to him. Hard, lumpystones pressed into her ribs, and cold seeped through the blanket.Spring might have come to the Yukon, but all that meant was sheprobably wouldn’t wake with ice crystals freezing her eyelashesshut.
“Can you slip me one of my vials?” shemurmured. “Just in case I can’t keep myself out of troublewhile you’re gone?”
The blanket rustled. The small container hepressed into her hand was warm, and she wondered where he had beenkeeping it. Kali wriggled about, finding space to draw her knee up,and she slipped the vial into her sock. She pillowed her head withher arms and closed her eyes.
“Does this mean we’re not putting on ademonstrative display to convince him of the veracity of ourrelationship?” Cedar asked, his words tickled with amusement.
“You’re my beau,” she whispered, “not myhusband. For all he knows, we’ve just begun our courtship andhaven’t had, er, you know, yet.”