Sabotaged Read Free

your business,” the man replied.
    Reef moved his hand to Kirra’s wrist, strengthening his grip on her. If they could just make it to the trees, they’d have some cover. Only a few feet . . . He held up his free hand, inching back. “Look, we don’t want any trouble.”
    The man’s arm stiffened. “I said stop moving!”
    Reef held in place, his lungs burning. Adrenaline heating his veins. His legs itching to move.
    â€œ What did Frank tell you?” the man gritted out.
    â€œHe told us he was fine, that he didn’t need any assistance,” Kirra said.
    Reef looked to her. Smart .
    â€œWhat else?”
    â€œThat’s it.” She shrugged. “He didn’t check in at Rainy Pass, so we came looking. He said he was just running behind.”
    â€œThat’s it?”
    â€œThat’s it. The storm has held up a number of mushers.”
    â€œAll right. Well, then I suppose it’s a shame I’m going to have to kill you over nothing, but I can’t risk it.”
    Reef didn’t waste a moment. He yanked Kirra into a run, pushing her in front of him. “Go!”
    The gun fired, the explosion reverberating with a hollow ping . They wove through the trees as the gun fired repeatedly. Fierce heat lanced Reef’s side.
    Kirra screamed as the ground gave way beneath them.
    Reef’s jaw slammed onto the rock-strewn ice as he barreled down a steep incline, pain throbbing afresh with each bump and bounce. Everything whirled white around him as gunshots echoed. His free fall spun in a rapidly increasing rate until he slammed into something solid with bone-shattering pain.
    â€œReef?” Kirra crawled to his side. “Are you okay?”
    He nodded, ignoring the pain surging through him. “Are you?”
    â€œYes. Come on.” She tugged his hand. “I know where we are.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Her gaze darted up the hill. “He’s coming.”
    Reef made out the form stumbling down after them.
    â€œCome on. I know where we can hide.”
    He scrambled to his feet. The pain was throbbing, but he pushed forward.
    The man’s footsteps crunched after them, unrelenting as the howling wind.
    â€œHide?” Had Kirra said hide ? “Shouldn’t we keep going?” Keep moving. Nausea roiled through him.
    â€œWe can’t outrun him. Not with you injured.”
    â€œI can keep going.”
    â€œI don’t doubt that, but this is best. Trust me.” She clamped hold of his hand.
    Jagged slits of breath burned his lungs, moisture seeping down his right side.
    â€œIt’s just ahead . . .” She surveyed the terrain as if suddenly uncertain, then pointed. “There.”
    All he saw was snow. “I don’t see . . . anything.”
    â€œThat’s the point. He won’t either.” She bent and pulled him down. He crumpled against the snow. It felt cool against his face.
    â€œWe have to go low from here,” she said, tugging him.
    Swallowing the pain, he crawled forward, following Kirra into deeper darkness.
    Branches and undergrowth slashed at their jackets, scraping the fabric with slithering sounds.
    â€œKeep low,” she said.
    The moonlight around them dimmed, debris thickened beneath them, the earth growing . . . warmer ?
    â€œJust follow the sound of my voice,” she instructed. “Only a little farther . . .”
    Queasiness sloshed in his gut.
    â€œHere,” she finally said. “Sit down.”
    Exhausted, he slumped against something hard.

2
    Kirra insisted Reef sit still while she set to making a fire. He was thankful that, though he was injured, she wasn’t. Pain throbbed in his side. Something had taken a chunk out of it, or so it felt.
    Before long the comforting scent of pine smoke filled the cave Kirra had dragged him into, wood crackling in the fire pit she’d fashioned.
    Warmth permeated his skin,