Elias exchanged a glance with Naya.
Of course they had followed.
Nothing could ever be easy.
"You have two choices!" Crowe shouted.
"Funny," Elias whispered.
"I don't remember offering him any."
Naya nearly laughed despite the danger.
Another voice joined Crowe.
Sheriff Voss.
"Give us the documents!"
"Or what?" Elias yelled back.
Silence.
Then Voss answered.
"We'll kill you."
Naya rolled her eyes.
"That man lacks imagination."
The situation was serious.
Yet somehow they were both smiling.
Maybe fear lost power when shared with the right person.
The escape route appeared on one of the mine maps.
A narrow maintenance tunnel.
Collapsed in places.
Barely usable.
Perfect.
They moved quickly through the darkness.
Shots echoed behind them.
Voices grew louder.
Closer.
At one point the tunnel narrowed so dramatically they were forced to crawl.
Dust filled the air.
Loose rocks shifted beneath their hands.
Yet somehow they kept moving.
Finally sunlight appeared ahead.
Fresh air.
Freedom.
Elias climbed out first.
Then reached back for Naya.
She took his hand.
For a second neither released their grip.
Then a revolver cocked.
"Don't."
Both froze.
Sheriff Voss stood twenty feet away.
Gun aimed directly at Elias.
The sheriff appeared exhausted.
Older.
More desperate than before.
"You're making this difficult," he said.
Elias stared at him.
"You betrayed my father."
A flash of guilt crossed Voss's face.
Only for a moment.
Then it disappeared.
"Your father stood in the way."
The words struck harder than a bullet.
Naya stepped slightly forward.
Instinctively placing herself between the weapon and Elias.
Voss noticed.
His smile returned.
"You think he'll save you?"
Naya's expression remained calm.
"No."
Voss looked amused.
"Then you're smarter than I expected."
Naya pulled her knife.
"He doesn't need to save me."
The sheriff's smile vanished.
Then came the sound.
Horse hooves.
Dozens of them.
The ridge above suddenly filled with riders.
Voss turned.
Confusion flashed across his face.
Naya's eyes widened.
She recognized them instantly.
Her people.
Crowe's men emerged from the mine entrance behind them.
Only to find themselves surrounded.
The situation had changed.
Completely.
An older woman rode forward.
Strong posture.
Silver hair.
Fierce eyes.
"Naya."
The single word carried years of history.
Naya's composure cracked for the first time.
Emotion filled her features.
"You came."
The woman dismounted.
Stepping forward.
"You are family."
The embrace that followed was powerful in its simplicity.
For months Naya had believed she was alone.
Now she understood she had been wrong.
Not everyone had abandoned her.
Not everyone had wanted control.
Some had simply wanted her home.
The older woman eventually turned toward Elias.
Examining him carefully.
"So."
Elias suddenly felt more nervous than he had during the gunfight.
"This is the rancher."
"Yes, ma'am."
The woman smiled faintly.
"You protected her."
"I tried."
"No."
She shook her head.
"You succeeded."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Why?"
The question was simple.
The answer wasn't.
A few weeks earlier Elias might have said duty.
Honor.
Responsibility.
But none of those felt true anymore.
His eyes found Naya's.
And stayed there.
"Because she mattered."
Silence followed.
Naya's heart skipped.
The older woman noticed immediately.
So did everyone else.
Nobody said anything.
Because nothing needed saying.
Crowe escaped.
The realization arrived two days later.
Voss was under guard.
Several of Crowe's men had surrendered.
But Crowe himself had vanished.
The news surprised nobody.
Cowards rarely stayed to face consequences.
The problem was obvious.
He would return.
Men like Silas Crowe never accepted defeat gracefully.
Which left only one option.
Prepare.
The ranch became a fortress.
Naya's people joined Elias.
Lookouts occupied ridges.
Defensive positions were established.
Supplies gathered.
Everyone understood what was coming.
The final confrontation.
One evening, as preparations continued, Elias found Naya standing near the corral.
Watching the sunset.
The valley glowed red and gold.
Beautiful.
Peaceful.
Temporary.
"You should rest."
She smiled without turning.
"You say that often."
"You ignore it often."
"Also true."
He stepped beside her.
The silence felt comfortable now.
Familiar.
Eventually she spoke.
"Do you know what frightened me most?"
"When?"
"When I arrived."
Elias considered.
"The men chasing you?"
"No."
He looked surprised.
"What then?"
Naya turned toward him.
"You."
That answer genuinely shocked him.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Because you were kind."
Elias stared.
"I don't understand."
"I trusted danger."
Her voice softened.
"Kindness was harder."
The words lingered between them.
Elias understood more than she realized.
After losing Clara he had stopped trusting happiness.
Maybe for the same reason.
Pain made sense.
Loss made sense.
Love was far more frightening.
Because it asked people to risk everything.
Crowe attacked three days later.
Just before sunrise.
Exactly as expected.
Gunfire shattered the quiet morning.
Riders poured across the valley.
Nearly thirty men.
Armed.
Desperate.
Determined.
What Crowe didn't know was that the ranch was ready.
The hills erupted.
Rifle fire answered from every direction.
Horses scattered.
Men shouted.
Chaos swept across the battlefield.
Elias fought beside the front gate.
Naya moved through the orchard like a shadow.
Every arrow struck true.
Every movement was precise.
The battle raged for nearly an hour.
Then the attackers broke.
Most fled.
Others surrendered.
A handful continued fighting beside Crowe.
Their loyalty ended badly.
Eventually only one man remained.
Silas Crowe.
Bleeding.
Angry.
Defeated.
He stumbled into the ranch house.
Only to discover Naya waiting.
For a moment neither moved.
"You ruined everything," Crowe said.
Naya shook her head.
"No."
His breathing grew ragged.
"I was going to own this land."