Yester's Ride by C. K. Crigger

Author:C. K. Crigger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gale, Cengage Learning
Published: 2019-05-05T16:00:00+00:00

KETTA

Sunlight blazing down on Ketta’s back burned through her thin dress. It felt like she was on fire, the welts from the old witch’s whip growing more painful with every degree of heat. The very air around the moving horse seemed to spin, making her dizzy. She clung to Kuo even though from the way he swayed in the saddle she thought he was half asleep.

When the horse they were riding stumbled, it caught her unaware. Kuo, too. When he slid forward, she slid forward, the saddle skirt pinching a bit of skin on her thigh between leather and horse. Unable to stop herself, Ketta squeaked.

“What the devil is the matter with you now?” Kuo groused. “Sit up and watch where we’re going.”

As if he weren’t as guilty as she. Stung, Ketta said, “How—” catching the rest of her words back just in time. She wanted to ask how she was supposed to watch the trail ahead when her view was blocked by his body. Thankfully, prudence stopped the retort in time. She knew what would happen if she said such a thing to Big Joe. Kuo was probably no different. But then, she thought, she already hurt so badly, what difference would a few more bruises make?

“How what?” Kuo looked over his shoulder at her, even though he probably couldn’t see much of her. She was small enough to be hidden.

“I can’t see around you,” Ketta said. It came out much more meekly than she intended.

“Huh. I suppose not.”

Ketta’s eyes opened wide at his agreement. And because he’d sounded almost amused.

“We’ll stop soon,” he said. “We’re almost through the shortcut. The river is just ahead. We’ll rest a while and eat before we go on.”

“Eat?”

“I had the old woman pack us some food.”

He couldn’t know how much this relieved Ketta, who welcomed even a small respite from the constant motion of the horse. She’d be glad when they crossed the area between bends of river, too. It was cooler by the water, and she liked hearing the sound as the stream tumbled over rocks and rills.

“Where are we going?” she asked after a while.

He shrugged, body moving under her hands as she gripped.

“My home.”

“You have a home?” She froze, thinking he might take offense.

“Of sorts,” he said after a pause. “I thought we might ought to hole up for a while. Until the hurrah dies down about what happened at the Noonan place. And the other.”

“Stealing horses, you mean?” Ketta knew she dared punishment with the question but couldn’t hold the words back.

Kuo’s answer was slow in coming. “Yeah,” he said after a while. “Among other things.”

Ketta wanted to ask, “What other things?” but on second thought, maybe she didn’t want to know.

They plodded on.

Her legs were unsteady when at last Kuo lifted her down. “May I go down to the water?” she asked, gazing longingly to where the river bank sloped in a steep pitch.

“Go. Fill this while you’re there.” He handed her his canteen. “I’ll water the horse.

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