Chapter 14

Shadow Valley, Texas 1870

Buck watched Halona wander the fence line. The past few days she had been uncharacteristically quiet and melancholy quietness. He set his worn paperback aside and pushed open the door, the scent of honeysuckle heavy in the warm evening air. He expected her to retreat, at the sound of his approach, but instead, she stood at the worn fence, her back to him.

"Feelin' any better?" He asked gently, his boots crunching on the dry grass.

Halona turned, her eyes clouded with confusion. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hey," he said, sincerity lacing his tone. He reached out, his hand hovering before taking hers in a warm, reassuring clasp. "I'll help you if I can."

"Promise me…" She hesitated, then met his gaze with a flicker of vulnerability. "Promise me, you won't let them lock me away."

"Of course not." His startled reaction came without hesitation.

"Am I… dead?"

"No, Halona." Buck squeezed her hand gently. "You're not dead."

"Then…" she faltered, her voice cracking. "I'm afraid I'm losing my mind."

"Hey," he soothed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek with his thumb. "You're not losing your mind. Everything's just a bit… overwhelming."

"That's an understatement." She choked out, a single tear escaping and tracing a glistening path down her cheek. "What year is it?"

Buck's brow furrowed. "Eighteen seventy."

Halona squeezed her eyes shut, another tear escaping. A sob escaped her lips, muffled against his chest as she crumpled into him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice thick with emotion.

"There's nothing to apologize for," he murmured, stroking her back in a comforting rhythm.

"I fucking hate crying." Her voice muffled against his chest.

Despite the gravity of the situation, a flicker of warmth took root in his chest. He couldn't deny the pull he felt towards Halona. Sure, she was unconventional and a bit odd, but there was a light in her eyes, a humor that peeked through the cracks of her confusion.

"Hey," Buck tilted her head up and wiped her tears from her eyes. "I want to ask you something."

"Hmmm?" She looked up at him and waited.

"What's this about black tears?"

"What?" She looked at him blankly.

"My brother said you cried black tears."

She blinked, confusion giving way to a sudden realization. "Oh! Black tears?" She exclaimed, a choked laugh escaping her lips. "That was just mascara! It must have gotten in my eyes when I cried."

"Then it ran down your cheeks." Buck chuckled, the sound rich and warm. "They thought you were crying black tears."

Halona's cheeks flushed. "They probably thought I was a demon or something."

"Maybe," Buck teased, a playful glint in his eyes. "Speaking of demons, Ms. Fitz saw you… exercising… the other day. Thought you were possessed or something."

"Honestly …" She trailed off, sensing his hesitant gaze.

"Maybe just… tone it down a bit," Buck offered carefully. "Until we figure things out."

"Alright," she conceded.