‘‘Where are we?’’ Helaina asked groggily. She tried to sit up, but Leah wasn’t ready yet to do battle with her.
‘‘Stay where you are. We’re taking off in a minute. We’re just resting the dogs.’’
Helaina stretched up. ‘‘I think I feel better. It doesn’t feel so hard to breathe.’’
‘‘That’s because of the medicine I’ve been giving you. I have some more you should take.’’ Leah went to where she had what remained of the stinkweed concoction. ‘‘It would probably taste better hot, but you need to drink this down.’’
‘‘Is it going to put me back to sleep? I don’t want to sleep. I need to make plans for capturing Chase. Where is he, anyway?’’
‘‘It isn’t important.’’ Leah shoved the bottle into Helaina’s hands. ‘‘Drink this now.’’ She pushed Helaina’s hands toward her mouth. ‘‘Hurry. A storm is moving in and we need to get going.’’
Helaina drank the mixture and yawned. ‘‘Leah, you aren’t making any sense. What’s going on?’’
‘‘Look up and you’ll see for yourself. The clouds are thickening, the wind is picking up. Already the temperature is much colder than it was just a few hours ago. Now settle back down. We need to be on our way.’’
Helaina had no sooner eased back on her furs than Leah wrapped a scarf around her neck, adjusted her parka hood down, and called to the dogs. ‘‘Up, up, boys! Hike!’’ She pulled the hook and gripped the sled as they once again headed down the trail.
Leah thought that Helaina was trying to say something to her from the basket, but she pretended not to notice. She figured that once Helaina realized the full impact of what Leah had done, there would be little or no peace. For now, Leah just needed time and distance to feel safe.
But safety wasn’t to be had. The dogs began frantically barking. They pulled toward the right, but Leah held them fast. ‘‘Haw! Haw! Marty, haw!’’ And then she spied something coming out from the side of the trail. It was nearly fifty yards ahead, but the outline was one Leah recognized immediately.
‘‘Whoa!’’ She held fast to the sled and jumped on the brake at the same time. ‘‘Stop, Marty!’’ He had no interest in stopping. Leah did the only thing she could think to do. She threw one of the snow hooks and prayed it would catch and halt the team.
At first it didn’t catch, but the drag helped enough that Leah could get the team under control. Finally the hook caught in a snow-covered tussock, jerking Marty backward as it did. They were stopped. And none too soon.
A grizzly stood not twenty yards from them. He seemed very interested in the dogs. Much too interested. Leah figured he was a young male who hadn’t made it to a den prior to the snowfall and storms. Sometimes the animals were confused and remained out of their winter dens, seeking additional food.
Leah reached for the rifle and squared it against her shoulder. The meat would be good to have. She’d hate to take the extra time to dress out the beast, but it would definitely benefit them. After all, she had no idea how many days it would take to reach home.
She had no idea which path would get them there in the most direct route.
Breathe, she reminded herself. Jacob was always chiding her for holding her breath whenever she was about to shoot. She forced a deep gulp of air into her lungs and sighted the swaggering animal.
Breathe. Just breathe.
The dogs were frantic now, pulling at the sled, trying to get to the bear. The bear lowered his ears and then his head. Leah wasted no time. She squeezed the trigger before he could charge. The bullet hit the grizzly in the shoulder. She worked the lever to eject the casing. The reassuring click of the next round loading gave her renewed confidence. She took aim again and fired.
This time the bullet grazed the bear’s head. He’d had enough, but rather than drop, he turned and ran. The dogs howled in sorrow that they could not give chase. Leah, however, was fretful over what she should do. A wounded rogue bear was nothing to leave running free, but she was limited on ammunition and on knowledge of the area. If she left this trail to follow the bear, she might get hopelessly lost.
She took in a deep breath and relaxed the rifle. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it and hear it in her ears. There was no time to waste, she reminded herself. She put the rifle away and reached for the hook. They needed to press on.
Chapter Thirteen
With the village nearly three hours behind them, Jacob noted the thickening clouds. They would have to either press on or make camp. He felt a deep sense of frustration. The terrain was unfamiliar to them and the threat of complications were everywhere. He brought the dogs to a stop, hoping to rest them and confer with the others as to what they wanted to do. As if he didn’t already know.
‘‘Why are you stopping?’’ Jayce asked as his team came up behind Jacob.
‘‘Look at those clouds—a storm’s gathering. I figured we should discuss what to do. Do we press on?’’
‘‘Of course we press on,’’ Jayce declared as John came to join them. The other men waited with the sleds.
‘‘If Brownie hadn’t gone lame we would have missed them turning west,’’ Jacob offered. ‘‘What if they change direction again? We might waste a great many hours.’’
‘‘I can check the trails,’’ John offered. He looked up at the sky. It was just starting to snow. ‘‘Looks bad.’’
‘‘Feels bad too.’’ Jacob didn’t like the sense of foreboding that permeated the pristine beauty around them.
Then the silence was broken by the sound of a single shot ringing out. All three men looked toward the north. It wasn’t that far away. A second shot rang out. Jacob stiffened and looked to Jayce.
‘‘Let’s go!’’
The other men ran for their sleds while Jacob offered a prayer and pulled his sled hook. He felt sick in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t help but wonder if Chase had killed Helaina and Leah.
Two women.
Two shots.
Jayce could hardly bear the images racing through his imagination. Chase had to be responsible for the gunfire. He could believe no other explanation. Never mind that it could be a hunter from the village foraging for food. His gut told him that Chase was somehow involved.
If he’s hurt her, I’ll kill him.
Jayce thought only of his wife. His heart seemed to beat in a rhythm that called her name.
Le-ah. Le-ah. Le-ah.
He tried not to think of how reasonable it might seem to Chase to end the lives of his hostages now that he was this far north. No doubt Chase figured he’d thrown off any pursuit. If he thinks that, then he doesn’t know me at all, Jayce thought.
He clenched his jaw. Throughout this pursuit and search he had tried hard to keep an even temper. He’d tried to pray that somehow God might turn his brother to the truth before his life ended. Now that Jayce had put his faith in God, he hated to think of his own brother dying and going to hell. His entire life had been spent worrying about and dealing with the trouble Chase got into, but this was something he couldn’t help him with. Chase would face his Maker on his own. Maybe sooner than he planned.
Jayce might even be the one to end Chase’s life. Especially if he just killed Leah. A fire started somewhere in the pit of his stomach and spread. Why had this happened? Why couldn’t Chase have been caught by someone else? Jayce felt so torn. He knew this had to be done. Chase had forced Jayce’s involvement when he posed as his brother during his crimes. But still, it seemed so unfair—so unnatural that one brother should turn against another in this way.
They moved along the trail for two, maybe three, miles when a dog sled team came into sight. The view was somewhat obscured by the snow. The team approached them from the opposite direction and there seemed to be only one person on board—and that was the driver.
Jayce did nothing to slow his dogs. He wanted to close the distance as quickly as possible. If the driver was his brother—if Chase had done the worst—Jayce knew the responsibility shoul
d be his to bear.
But as he drew closer, Jayce realized the figure was too small for his brother. Disappointment washed over him as he figured the driver to be a local native. He was ready to give up hope when Jacob called out, ‘‘That’s Marty in the lead. It’s them!’’
Jayce looked again and realized that the driver was a woman.
‘‘Leah.’’ He barely breathed the name. He stepped on the brake and called to the dogs. ‘‘Whoa! Whoa now!’’
The dogs were none too eager to stop; after all, there were other dogs to meet up ahead. But Jayce got them stopped in short order. He was in no mood to brook nonsense. He secured the hook and stepped from the sled. He allowed the other driver to approach and pushed back the hood of his parka as he waited.
The driver stepped from the sled and pushed back the shielding hood that kept her face obscured. Jayce instantly recognized his wife, although she looked quite tired. She locked gazes with him and shook her head ever so slightly. Jayce covered the distance between them in long, easy strides. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
‘‘Thank God you’re safe. I feared the worst.’’ His voice broke.
Jayce buried his face against Leah’s hair and silently thanked God for her return. Leah said nothing at all. She stood rather stiff in his arms, neither embracing him nor rejecting him.
Jayce finally pulled away and took Leah’s face in his hands. ‘‘Are you all right?’’
Leah looked at him for several seconds. She almost seemed to be searching him for some answer. ‘‘I left Chase drugged. He’s back to the north—at least he was. That was last night.’’
‘‘We heard gunshots,’’ Jayce began. ‘‘I feared the worst.’’
‘‘I shot a bear. It only wounded him.’’
‘‘But you weren’t harmed?’’
‘‘The bear ran off. He didn’t have a chance to attack me or the dogs.’’
Jayce felt a strange sensation wash over him. She hadn’t answered his question. She looked away from him as Jacob came up. Something wasn’t right.
‘‘Leah. You’re a sight for my eyes,’’ Jacob said, hugging her. Again Leah remained rather stiff, almost as if she were separating herself from her brother.
‘‘Helaina’s very sick. She’s there in the basket. She’s better than she has been, but I think she has pneumonia.’’
Jacob went immediately to the sled. Jayce moved closer, mainly to be at Leah’s side, but he figured he might as well see Helaina for himself.
‘‘She’s had some stinkweed tea. She should be waking up soon,’’ Leah said in a rather monotone voice. ‘‘I had to keep her sedated or she would never have cooperated.’’
Jacob looked at his sister. ‘‘What do you mean?’’
‘‘She intended to take Chase into custody. She wanted me to drug him and bring him back for her. I refused.’’
‘‘I’m glad,’’ Jayce said, putting his arm around Leah. ‘‘Chase is very dangerous. He might have hurt you.’’
Leah looked at him as if she might comment, then turned back to Jacob. ‘‘I’m out of herbs. I can’t help her anymore. She’s been so ill, I thought for sure she would die.’’
Jacob knelt down on the sled. He put his hand to Helaina’s cheek, but she didn’t stir. ‘‘There’s a village a ways back. We can get her there. Maybe they have medicines to treat her.’’
John finally interrupted them. ‘‘The storm is bad, Jacob. We should make camp. After that, I can look for a closer village.’’
‘‘There’s a rogue bear out there somewhere,’’ Leah reminded them. ‘‘I shot him twice. Hit him both times, but the second shot was just a grazing blow to the head.’’
John nodded. ‘‘We’ll find him. Bear like that will be dangerous.’’ Leah shrugged. ‘‘I’ve got a tent. I’ll set it up.’’
Jayce watched her, sensing that there was something very wrong with his wife. Perhaps it was just that the entire ordeal had worn her out. She had endured great physical demands, as well as emotional ones.
Leah was already pulling the tent from the sled as Jayce joined her. ‘‘Let me help you.’’ She cringed slightly as he reached toward her. ‘‘Are you angry at me?’’
Leah looked surprised. ‘‘No. I’m . . . I’m tired. We need to get the tent up quickly.’’
He nodded but said nothing. What could he say? What should he say? Leah seemed a completely different woman. He helped her put up the tent while Jacob and John were busy putting up their own shelters. When they finished, Helaina was starting to rally. Jacob lifted her from the sled and took her to Leah’s tent.
‘‘Why are you bringing her here?’’ Leah asked. She was already busy unrolling the bedding, while Jayce worked to set up the oil stove.
‘‘I don’t suppose it would be appropriate to have her lodge with me,’’ he said rather sheepishly. ‘‘John’s tent is already pretty crowded, so I figured some of the guys could share my quarters. I know you and Jayce would probably like your privacy, but this seems the best solution.’’
‘‘She can stay with us,’’ Jayce replied. ‘‘We’ll soon be home and have all the privacy we need. It’s all right. She’ll need Leah’s help.’’
‘‘She wouldn’t have needed anyone’s help had she just listened to her brother,’’ Leah snapped. She quickly turned away.
Jayce exchanged a rather confused look with Jacob. Leah’s attitude puzzled them both. ‘‘I see she’s waking up.’’
Helaina moaned and struggled to open her eyes. Jacob gently positioned her on one of the pallets Leah had just arranged. ‘‘Helaina, it’s me, Jacob. Wake up.’’
Helaina murmured something and tried to stretch. ‘‘I hurt so much.’’ She opened her eyes and seemed startled to find Jacob.
‘‘Where are we?’’
‘‘I’m not entirely sure,’’ Jacob said with a grin. ‘‘Alaska is about the only answer I have.’’
‘‘That’s a very big answer,’’ she said, rubbing her neck. ‘‘Oh, I’m so sore. Everything hurts. It has for days—maybe weeks. How I long for my warm feather bed in New York. I think I’d sell my soul to be back home.’’
Jayce saw the sobering affect this had on Jacob. ‘‘Look,’’ Jayce interjected, ‘‘we need to finish caring for the dogs. The storm is really building.’’
Helaina looked past Jacob to where Jayce was kneeling. She studied him for several moments, then looked back to Jacob. ‘‘That’s Jayce—right?’’
‘‘Right.’’ Jacob appeared to recover his good nature. He smiled again. ‘‘You don’t think I’d let Chase share a tent with you if I had any say over it.’’
She relaxed a bit. ‘‘Where is Chase? I hope you’ve tied him up good.’’
Jacob looked to Leah and then to Helaina. She hadn’t missed the exchange. Fighting to sit up, she squared her gaze on Leah. ‘‘You did tie him up—right?’’
Leah narrowed her eyes. ‘‘I told you for days that I had no plan to help you capture Chase at the cost of our success. I left him on the trail. I left him there drugged and asleep. He has a knife and a pack of food, a fur, and a wool blanket.’’
‘‘Leah, how could you!’’ Helaina’s voice was weak but clearly angry. ‘‘I had a job to do and you interfered.’’ She began to cough.
Leah balled her fists. ‘‘You nearly died. I should have let you, for all the gratitude you show.’’ With that, Leah left the tent.
Jacob and Jayce were stunned by Leah’s words. They had never known her to be so ugly with anyone.
‘‘She blames me for all of this,’’ Helaina said. The coughing dissipated and she fell back against the pallet. ‘‘I deserve it, but I don’t like it.’’ She closed her eyes. ‘‘I can’t believe she let him go. Now I’ll have to start all over.’’
‘‘You have to get well first,’’ Jacob said firmly. ‘‘You’re still very sick.’’
‘‘I’m going to help Leah,’’ Jayce said, noting that Jacob had the situation und
er control. Jayce slipped from the tent and felt the blast of Arctic wind against his face. The darkness and storm made visibility nearly impossible. ‘‘Leah?’’
‘‘I’m here,’’ she said. ‘‘Getting the supplies from my sled.’’
He walked against the wind, feeling the icy particles against his face. Jayce pulled his parka hood closer.
Leah met him halfway. ‘‘This is all we need.’’
‘‘Let me take it.’’ She gave the box over to him without protest. ‘‘Hold on to me while we make our way back. This weather is not going to show us any mercy, and I don’t want to lose you again.’’
‘‘I’m fine. Just get the supplies to the tent.’’ She spoke out against the wind, but to Jayce it almost seemed to be an angry demand.
Rather than argue, he pressed forward. They were soon back in the tent, but Jayce was completely uncomfortable with the way Leah was acting. She wanted very little to do with any of them. Something had happened; he was certain of it. He put the box on the tent floor beside the stove and considered his options. If he took issue with her now, she would have to explain in front of Helaina and Jacob. Obviously that would be most uncomfortable.
‘‘Do you have anything for Helaina’s cough?’’ Jacob asked as Leah rummaged through the box.
She shook her head, not even looking up. ‘‘I told you. I gave her the last of the tea. I’ll put some water on the stove. The steam will help her. Otherwise, she needs to just rest and not talk.’’
Jacob nodded, but Jayce noticed Leah’s attention was focused on the stove. The wind howled mournfully outside. The small tent shook rather violently but held fast.
‘‘What do you have to eat?’’ Leah asked no one in particular.
Jacob replied before Jayce could answer. ‘‘We have some fresh reindeer meat. We traded for it back at the village. I’ll go retrieve some from John. We can definitely feed you well.’’
Leah plopped down on her pallet as Jacob opened the outside flap. Cold air rushed in, causing the seal oil lamp to flicker and nearly go out. Jayce watched as she did her best to protect the flame. His glance then went to Helaina, who watched him very closely.
[Alaskan Quest 02] - Under the Northern Lights Page 12