Chapter 10: Across the Lake

Elspeth's POV

We ran out the back door with six minutes to spare, and Merrick took the first-aid kit off the wall on the way.

The dock was forty feet of gray planks.

Tied to the end of it was an aluminum fishing boat with an outboard motor and a cracked seat.

"Get in," Merrick said.

Bastian climbed in first and held out his hand, and I took it.

His palm was warm and dry.

I sat in the bow with the kit in my lap.

Merrick put his boot on the dock, and did not step in.

"You're coming," Bastian said.

"Somebody has to be on this shore when they arrive."

"Merrick."

"They'll follow my trail up the mountain. It'll buy you the lake." He tossed the line into my lap. "Go, Sire."

"I'm not leaving you."

"You are, and I'm not asking."

He shoved the bow off the dock with his foot.

I pulled the cord on the motor.

It coughed and caught on the third try.

The water behind us went white.

We were in the middle of the lake when the cars came.

Two black SUVs came down the dirt road and stopped behind the house, and men poured out of both.

They carried long rifles.

One of them lifted his and put it to his shoulder.

I felt the crack more than I heard it.

Bastian jerked, and grunted, and his hand flew to his left shoulder.

"Down," I said. "Get down!"

He sagged onto the bottom of the boat with his back against the seat.

Another shot hit the water beside us and sent up a white spray.

I turned the motor as far as it would go, and the boat leapt forward and the shore fell away behind us.

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