"Can I use your knife?" I asked Eddie, fluttering my eyelashes at him. As expected, he blushed and passed over the blade.

Spiridon scoffed from his spot against a boulder, hat tipped down to cover his face. "Don't cut yourself, Princess."

I gripped the wooden handle of the blade, just barely restraining myself from throwing the knife at him. Every moment he could get, Spiridon enjoyed vexing me. I looked away, focused on the apple in hand and cut out a slice; the fruit was juicy and flavourful.

Eddie and Spiridon were acting as my protectors while Dimitri and Ivan ventured ahead. I didn't question their reasons for doing so; Dimitri knew more about travelling the desert than I did. The large rock formations made the ride tedious at times, but they fascinated me.

I trailed my hand down the reddish rock wall, feeling each grove made by the passing of time. It towered over us and gave us a blessed break from the heat.

"That's a strange way of eating an apple," Eddie nodded towards my hands as I cut out another slice, whereas he was biting straight in.

I shrugged, "It's how my parents taught me to eat them. You never know if someone's placed a blade in there."

Eddie made a face. "What kind of apples do your parents eat?"

The corner of my lips twitched. He was right; it was a strange fear to have but anything was possible with the enemies Zmey made. "How long have you been riding with Dimitri?" I changed the subject.

"Around three years now."

I tilted my head, "Is he teaching you to be a man?"

Eddie laughed, loud and unrestrained. "I am a man, Miss. Dimitri is teaching me to be able to survive the world."

"Don't bother talking to her about hardships. Before they sold her to the ranch, I bet she never lifted a finger," Spiridon snipped, chuckling to himself.

"You have no idea what my life is like," I retorted, gripping the knife tightly again.

Spiridon removed his hat and smirked, "I've seen where you live, and I know how much your father paid for us to drag you back. I bet the hardest day you lived there was when you couldn't decide which dress to wear to the ball."

I moved quicker than either one of them expected. My fist collided with Spiridon's jaw, surprising him enough for me to kneel on his chest and grip the scarf he wore around his throat with one hand. The blade of the knife pressed against the skin below his jaw, the tip piercing just enough to draw a bead of blood.

A dark emotion had taken over me; rage and anguish fuelled my actions. I leaned over him and held his eyes. "You know nothing about my life," I hissed.

"Miss Hathaway," Eddie called, trying to get my attention.

"Rose," a new voice called, "Let him go."

A shiver went down my spine.

For a moment, my hand twitched, and the pressure of the blade increased in just the slightest. It was enough to make the man still completely under me. "Keep your opinions to yourself," I spat at Spiridon before I drew back, climbing to my feet and glancing over my shoulder at Dimitri. His eyes locked with mine.

He regarded me carefully. "Do we have an issue here?"

I stalked back to my spot by Eddie, returning his knife to him after cleaning the blood off the blade with the sleeve of my blouse. "Everything's fine."

I glanced at Spiridon as he held a hand to his neck, covering the minor cut I had inflicted. Spiridon growled, "Bitch."

"Yes," I replied, an icy glare aimed at him. I lifted my chin defiantly, "Don't forget it."

Spiridon advanced towards me, but Dimitri was there in an instant, preventing him from getting closer. Neither spoke, simply staring each other down until Spiridon backed away with a deep-set scowl. He stormed back to his things, gathering them together silently.

Dimitri didn't drop his guard, remaining between us. "The pass is blocked; we'll have to take a different route. Spiridon, I want you and Ivan to lead, I'll take the back," he explained, instructing like he was a military commander.

"How long is the different route?" I asked, rolling my shoulders as if it would work the tension out of them.

"Long enough," Dimitri replied shortly. I couldn't tell if he was on edge because of me, or if there was another reason. "We will have to camp for the night, but we need to hurry to reach the high ground before nightfall."

Dimitri knelt and helped gather our food, preparing to keep moving. When he stood, he held a hand out towards me; it was a simple gesture and I doubt had any motive behind it besides chivalry. Yet my breath caught at just the idea of being able to have my hand in his. His hand was so much larger than mine, the skin warm and rough. With little effort, he pulled me to my feet, and then he lingered.

I felt Dimitri's breath on my cheek as he spoke, "Keep your guard up." He drew back, eyes already surveying the area. "The rock slide that covered the main path doesn't look accidental."

"Where do you want me?" Eddie questioned.

Dimitri's hand rested on my elbow and guided me forward. "Rose is riding with you. If anything happens, your main concern is her safety. Do you understand?" His words were weighted, expression stern.

Eddie stood taller, shoulders pulled back and he reminded me of an officer obtaining his orders. "I understand." An eagerness was in his eyes, a need to do well. He quickly replaced Dimitri's hand with his own and walked toward his horse.

I tried to swallow back the anxious feeling that grew to be away from Dimitri. It shouldn't matter whether I was with him or not, I could take care of myself. Though I tried to ignore it, I preferred riding with Dimitri.

Eddie's horse, Darcy, was smaller and easier for me to mount, I only needed Eddie's help to get my foot in the stirrup. When he sat behind me, there weren't any of the sparks I felt with Dimitri. My breath didn't catch and I didn't feel flustered.

Dammit.


Dimitri reminded us to be on our guard, holding my eyes for a moment longer than the others before ordering us forward. Our previous route followed around the large rock formations, but the new one had us venturing through them; the way weaved and became tightly compacted in parts.

The warning to be on guard made me grip the handle of my pistol, still concealed in my satchel. I could occasionally see Ivan in front of us, sometimes he would wait and direct us on the best way to continue, but Spiridon was far ahead and Dimitri was far back. From the glimpses I caught of him, he was always checking behind us.

I could put the pieces together. They were expecting an attack. Dimitri said they killed everyone at the ranch; so, it couldn't be them. A chilling feeling went down my spine that there were likely still people out there who were trying to get me. Whichever of Abe's enemies that had set their sights on me was determined.

The ride was quiet if not bumpy; Eddie didn't have the same ability to guide his horse as smoothly as Dimitri did. We were nearing late afternoon, only another hour of good light, but the high walls on either side allowed little of the sunlight in. I had to keep ducking to avoid the overgrowth, spindly bushes that were wiry in appearance, snagged my hair.

"Shouldn't be too much longer," Eddie promised after helping me untangle from another one.

It made me curse my unruly hair, mumbling, "I hope not. Otherwise, I'm going to cut my hair here and now."

Eddie chuckled, and the sound echoed slightly. "After seeing you with a knife, I don't doubt your skills, but I'm worried about giving you a knife while on a horse."

"You should see me throw one," I winked, grinning at the look on his face.

"I think you would get along with Dimitri's youngest sister," he told me. I was surprised when a blush rose on his cheeks. "Viktoria is very spirited as well."

I had assumed that Eddie had little interaction or interest with women, but it seemed that he had already set his heart on one. "Viktoria," I repeated. Locking that information away. "Is she pretty?" I pressed.

Eddie suddenly became bashful. "I mean—she's…she–"

"Eddie."

I pouted that my teasing had come to an end so soon. Ivan was before us, turning his horse in a circle. The path we were on split into three directions.

"I sent Spiridon ahead to decide which way was easier," Ivan explained, the seriousness in his expression was a stark difference from his usual behaviour. He nodded behind us, calling out, "Anything?"

"I don't think we are being followed, but keep your eyes open," Dimitri replied, walking his horse to stand beside us.

They became silent, all uneasy as we waited.

"How long has Spiridon–" Dimitri's sentence was cut off by a loud crack and then he groaned in pain.

What was a deafening silence became filled with chaos. I recognised the noise of the gunshot, having a fraction of a second to realise that Dimitri had just been shot, but no chance to make sure he was okay. Dimitri and Ivan pulled out their guns, shooting in the direction of the first shot, but I barely caught sight of their target as Eddie gripped the reins and forced Darcy into a gallop.

I yelped and took hold of anything I could, my fingers wrapped around Darcy's mane.

"Hold on!" Eddie instructed and took the furthest path, leading us away from the gunfight. I could still hear the shots, but they were few and far between.

We weren't moving at the controlled pace like before, instead, Eddie took risky turns and didn't look back. I wasn't sure how long we would ride, the distance covered already was significant. But that wasn't enough.

The sound of hooves followed us.

Any thoughts of them being friendly were thrown out as another shot rang out.

Eddie ducked, risking a glance back. "Dammit. Keep your head down!"

If I wasn't holding on for my life, I would have replied sarcastically to him.

We continued to ride through the pass. As we came up to a bend with a cliff edge, Eddie asked, "Can you swim?"

"What?" I was bewildered.

Eddie took a hand off the reins and placed it on my waist. "I hope so. I'm sorry for this."

I didn't have a chance to ask what he meant before we took the bend, and I was pushed off the horse. I was weightless—a second to curse Eddie for throwing me to my likely death. I expected the unforgiving earth and immense pain to hit, but I plunged deep into cold water instead.

The temperature was a shock to my body, making me freeze up before I reacted. I kicked my legs and swam back to the surface, gasping for air. It was a struggle to remain above water; my skirts tangled around my legs and weighed heavily. The current pushed me downstream, but thankfully, wasn't strong enough to pull me below the surface.

I looked up at the cliff edge Eddie had pushed me over—a man on a horse stared down at me, his weapon aimed.

Great. I was thrown off a horse and was about to be shot in a river.

I desperately swam away, but it was a wasted effort. A shot rang out and I screamed.

The man swayed on his horse and slumped forward, falling into the small river. I turned and moved as far from him as I could. There was a small bank on the far side, leading up to another path I could climb up to.

I reached the bank and pulled myself out of the water; I scurried back and tried to find some cover from the overgrowth in case another person was eager to aim a gun at me. The body of the man slowly drifted by the bank, crimson-tinged water surrounding him.

"Rose!"

My eyes snapped back to the cliff edge, finding Eddie standing there. He frantically searched the water, finally finding me when I stepped out from behind the bush; relief filled his face.

"What the hell was that!" I shouted, tempted to pull my pistol on him.

"Sorry," he winced, "I had to make a quick decision." He held his hands up in a calming motion. "Wait there, I'll come around and get you."

I watched as he mounted his horse and rode off. A scream of irritation rose in my throat. A quick decision. Water dripped from me, my hair loose and clung to me, as did my clothes. I felt compressed and weighed down.

I peeled off my coat, twisting it in hopes of ridding some of the water. The sun was disappearing, taking the warmth of the day with it.

I was never riding with Eddie again.


Eddie tried to make conversation, but I didn't reply. I stared straight ahead and tried not to shiver. We rode alongside the river until we finally reached a clearing. The sun had practically set, with faded hues of pink in the sky.

As soon as Eddie had gathered me from the riverbank, he let out a loud whistle, following the responding sound. Ivan was waiting for us, sighing in relief at the sight of us. "Thank God," he smiled. "We made camp up ahead."

"There better be a damn fire," I grumbled.

Ivan tilted his head at me in question. "Why are you wet?"


The cracking sound of the fire was a godsend. Not even waiting for help to dismount, I dropped to the ground with a wet slap, aggressively peeling my skirts from my legs so I could move towards the heat.

Dimitri and Spiridon sat by the fire; both turned to watch as I stalked far closer to the fire than safe. Dimitri had shed his duster and had a bandage wrapped around his bicep; I could see a tint of red staining the cloth, but it didn't appear life-threatening. He jumped to his feet instantly.

"What happened?" he questioned, looking between Eddie and me.

I pointed behind me. "I am never riding with him again."

Eddie rubbed his neck sheepishly. "We were followed, and I had to get behind them. So, I…"

"He pushed me off his horse," I finished with a growl.

"Into the river," he added, "I knew she would be okay."

I rolled my eyes. I removed my coat again, laying it out by the fire and then began to undo the buttons of my skirt. The cold had set in, and I couldn't hide my shivers any longer. There was a sharp inhale when I peeled back the heavy material.

"What are you–" Dimitri began, but I cut him off.

"I'm frozen to the bone. Unless you would like me to die from the cold, I'm taking off my wet clothes!"

"Either way is fine to me," Spiridon chortled, eyes watching me in amusement.

"Turn away! All of you!" Dimitri snapped. He quickly retrieved a bundle from his pack, and gathered his duster, handing them to me. "Wear these." His eyes didn't meet mine, and he pivoted away as soon as I had taken them.

Dimitri hauled Spiridon to his feet and dragged him back to where Ivan and Eddie stood by the horses. It wasn't much privacy, but it was the best I would get. I removed everything until I was just in my corset and chemise; if they weren't also soaked, I would leave them on. I draped Dimitri's duster over my shoulders to cover myself.

The other item he had given me was one of his shirts—it smelled of him. It was large enough that I could step into the neck hole and pull it up. I quickly undid my corset and then pulled his shirt up. My chemise was the last to be taken off, and I was just in Dimitri's shirt and duster.

I thanked the dim lighting from the fire that they wouldn't be able to easily see my blush. If anyone back home learned I was in such a state of undress while with four men, I would lose all thought of virtue.

With all my clothes laid out by the fire to dry, I turned back to the men. "I'm done," I told them, clutching the duster closer. It almost came to my bare feet, covering every inch of me.

"Here," Dimitri started, pointing at the bed roll he had been beside when I arrived. He pulled back the blanket, "Stay warm, and I'll get you some food."

I kept his duster on my shoulders and pulled the blanket up. Steadily, my chills eased as I began to feel warm again. Despite his injury, Dimitri moved quickly to gather me a serving of the soup they had cooked and then sat beside me, placing himself between me and the others.

After a couple of minutes, I asked, "Is your arm okay?"

Dimitri turned his head to face me, nodding. "It's okay, just a scratch." He stroked the fire, adding another log to it. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yes," I signed with a slight smile, "Thank you, Dimitri."

The corner of his lips twitched—a ghost of a smile. "You're welcome, Rose."

I blamed the hot meal for the warmth that grew in my chest.

No other reason.


The fire continued to blaze, the crackling of the wood was the only sound besides the chirps of insects and obnoxious snoring. Spiridon had fallen asleep, seemingly dead to the world if not for the continuous sound coming from his mouth. He was unaffected by the occasional stern looks aimed at him earlier; Ivan and Dimitri seemed agitated with the man.

Granted, it seemed Dimitri was agitated in general.

He had assigned Eddie the first watch and sent him to the edge of the clearing to keep watch. I wondered if it was because of me.

I was no longer shaking like a leaf, warmed by the blanket and fire. I removed the duster from my shoulders and held it out to Dimitri. "Here, you can have it back."

I startled him, pulling his eyes from the fire to meet mine. "I don't need it," he replied after a pause.

I scoffed. "Yes, you do." Even with the fire, there was still a chill in the air. "Honestly, you should be the one wrapped up and sleeping comfortably. You were shot," I pointed out. My sight shifted to the bandage on his arm, partially hidden by the torn sleeve of his shirt.

"It doesn't hurt," Dimitri assured me. With barely any strain in his voice, I almost believed him. I had seen the toughest men cry like a baby from a bullet wound, yet Dimitri treated it more like a scratch.

"Did you treat it properly?" I questioned, peering at the bandage to determine if they had stitched it. There was barely any blood seeping through, so they must have closed it.

Dimitri gave a slight nod. "Ivan cauterised it."

I inhaled sharply through my teeth. "Oh, God."

"It's alright, Rose. It barely hurt."

A man that could travel the desert and hunt me down across hundreds of miles, and brush off burning close a bullet wound—Dimitri was not a mere man, but a god instead. He reminded me of tales I heard in church, stories of Samson and his blessed strength to help others. I eyed his long hair tied at the nap of his neck and smiled. Just the way he had reacted after being shot was a feat of its own; he barely gave himself a thought before drawing his gun.

"Those men today, were they after me?" I asked. I began to toy with my hair as an unease built.

"They were."

My fingers stilled. "How did they find us?"

Dimitri sighed. "I suspected that we might be tracked, but I hadn't expected they would catch up so quickly." He picked up a long stick and stroked the fire. "They will likely be in the bigger towns looking for a sign of you. I would like to return you to your father sooner than later, but that would involve the risk of being discovered if we travel the direct route."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Back to my father. Whoever is determined to take me will soon learn that my father will move past my loss quickly."

Dimitri paused; eyes set on me. "Why would you think that?" He angled his body towards me. "Rose, your father was very distressed when I met with him. Anything happening to you would break him."

"You don't understand," I dropped my eyes, ignoring his words. Dimitri didn't know that my father barely took notice of me since my mother's death.

Dimitri became silent, and I followed suit, running my fingers through my hair. It had dried, and if I slept with it loose, there would be no hope of taming it until I could wash it again. I didn't even have a ribbon to tie it with anymore.

"Dammit," I hissed, failing again at forming a braid.

"Would you like some help?" I glanced at Dimitri, noting the nervous expression he wore. He cleared his throat, "I have three sisters. I've been forced many times to style their hair."

Over the years, many people styled my hair, but never a man. It seemed so intimate. Even just having my hair down and loose around men I barely knew was rare, but to have Dimitri touching it…

I curled one of the strands around my finger, eyeing the mess I made from my attempts. I swallowed. "If you are sure," I replied in a small voice.

I drew the blanket up to my chin, pulled up my knees and wrapped my arms around them as Dimitri shifted to my side. His hands hesitated, hovering next to the dark brown strands. Carefully, he gathered it with his fingers, barely pulling. It was so gentle that I was surprised—Dimitri always astonished me with how gentle he was.

He ran his fingers through the length, working out the tangles I had missed. I bit my lip, holding back the hitches of breath when he would brush my neck. It was the softest touch of his fingertips, but it filled me with exhilaration.

"Do you have a preference?" he asked.

"Just a braid is fine," I answered, praying I kept the nervous tone from my voice.

Dimitri hummed in response and went to work; starting from the top of my head, he gathered three strands and began to weave them. He never snagged any of the strands and took his time to add each piece. It was relaxing, and the longer he went, the more I wished he would play with my hair endlessly.

His fingertips brushed my neck and shoulders, sure to include all of the loose pieces. I had never felt such a way from another's touch, the little tingles that travelled down my spine—I could still feel the ghost of his touch linger in each spot.

"Do you have a tie?" Dimitri's question shocked me out of my trance.

Disappointment filled me that it was already over.

"I…" I cleared my throat, "I lost it in the river."

"Okay."

I wasn't sure what he planned to do, hearing him shuffle behind me; fingers still holding the end of my braid. He wrapped something around the end, securing the hair, and laid the braid over my shoulder.

I tilted my head to see it, eyes widening. "Wow, this actually looks good."

Dimitri chuckled softly, "Did you doubt me?"

My cheeks flushed. "I wasn't sure what to expect, but this is very well done," I complimented as I ran my hands down the neat braid; it was much better than anything I could have achieved. "Thank you, Dimitri." I twisted to thank him and was greeted by a soft smile on his face, warm eyes meeting mine.

My heart skipped a beat.

The light from the fire cast shadows on his face but didn't make it look harsh as it would others; instead, I felt captivated. There was a look in his eyes that made my breath catch, and my heart beat faster. His hair hung loosely around his face, giving him a more rugged appearance.

I caught the end of the braid in my hand, caressing the tie. The thin leather strap was Dimitri's tie.

Slowly, his hand lifted to my face, hovering a moment before he carefully tucked a loose curl behind my ear.

It felt like everything stopped; I suddenly had no care of the others around the fire with us. It was just Dimitri and me. A man I barely knew anything about but felt completely at ease with. It had only been a couple of days, and yet I was completely enticed by the stoic man.

There weren't many women in my life who could give me advice about falling in love. Lissa had claimed she knew from the start, and my mother said that it was something that builds over time.

"Beware of swoons."

Janine had warned me of being overcome with feelings, and cautioned me to not give into a quick fancy—but this felt like more than that.

Could it be more than that?

Dimitri dropped his hand and the spell was broken.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it." He moved away, putting distance between us again. "You should sleep. We will need to leave early to make up for the lost time."

I shouldn't be missing his presence or his touch, but I did, and it was becoming harder to ignore it.