Corbin pulled on the horse's reins, bringing him to a slow trot. On the road a few feet ahead, a crimson trail glistened under the scorching sun as if something was dragged into the field. The overgrown pasture bordered the road, therefore, an easy place to discard something dead-have it sizzle and decay under a blanket of heat. Despite his instincts telling him to keep moving, Corbin pulled on the reins, coercing his uncle's horse to step into the foliage. He followed a path of broken and bent plant life painted with streaks of scarlet, which electrified his arm hairs. Deep in his bones, he sensed Armis and Everleigh had something to do with it.

Did the blood belong to them? It looked as if someone dragged more than one body or thing-making his unease intensify.

The sun hovered above him, which indicated it was around noon as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. If he timed it right, he could make it to his destination by the next sunrise. Taking a deep breath, he clucked his tongue, signaling for the horse to continue forward.

However, the horse refused to move.

"Come on, Dusty." Corbin pulled on the reins. "I need to see."

The horse grunted-refusing to move. A cloud of buzzing flies had its tail swatting the air, and Corbin doing the same with his hand. The tiny bugs zig-zagged over two lumps on the ground, so Corbin dismounted and crept over. Sweat trickled down his back, adding to the wet patches across his shirt. The lumps weren't just lumps. It was two men. Pulling his shirt over his mouth and nose, Corbin crouched to get a better look at them. They appeared to be drifters with their tattered clothing and worn shoes. Bullet holes in their chests suggested someone shot them head-on, and Corbin couldn't help but wonder what these men got themselves into.

"Time to go." Corbin stood.

Maybe it was random, but that deep sense within him told him it wasn't. It screamed that these men met their fate at the hands of his new friends.

One thing was for sure, they attracted trouble. Yet, he kept pushing north to find them.

∆∆∆

Everleigh brought the truck to a stop and gazed at the twinkling lights ahead. She had taken over driving and there were moments when she thought about going back for Corbin. But she saw how determined Armis was to leave. After Chuck spit hit her face, his body rattle as bullets pierced him. By the time she finished wiping the slime from her face, Chuck had slid to the ground, leaving a curtain of blood on the wall. She'd never witnessed Armis become so upset and react so hastily before.

Chuck had unhinged him.

Their father taught them never to let their emotions cloud their judgment. So was Armis losing it? Did she need to worry about him? She didn't want to know what would happen if he awoke to find them heading back to Domino's home.

So, she drove and drove until reaching the twinkling lights of Bonners Ferry and then tapped Armis awake. He jolted upright, wiping the sleep from his eyes in a panicked swipe, but she nodded to the sight a few feet ahead.

"I think this is Boundary County," Armis yawned-a smile of relief stretching across his lips. "We should be in the right place."

"Do we just ask around for coyotes?"

"Let's look for shelter first. Get a feel for things," Armis replied.

Everleigh nodded and put the truck in motion again. It crawled down the hill and onto the main road leading into the border town. The small city was rural, with a mini historical downtown and trees upon trees cascading down the surrounding mountains. It was the first time either of them saw such a plethora of woodland. A cluster of street lights made the downtown area glow against a canvas of navy blue as spindly tree silhouettes swayed with the wind. Through the encompassing forest were scattered shimmers of porch lights like stars lost amongst the clouds. Everleigh took it all in and ran her fingers across the windshield, for a moment thinking it could stick to her fingers like glitter.

The town dazzled against the fading sunset, stained in amethyst and amber. Storefronts displayed furniture, mannequins in flashy clothing, and vivid produce selections in their windows. It was the first city they had driven through in months. A small one, but a city none the less, which meant they needed to be cautious. Their father warned them about the greed and crimes that existed in them. He explained how they would be forced to defend themselves, and run the risk of getting captured or imprisoned-separating them from each other. Therefore, Seaside Oregon was the only safe city where they would be protected by Armis's ex-girlfriend's family.

But now they knew Oregon wasn't an option either.

"Up ahead." Armis pointed. "There's a bar. We should get a feel for the locals and see if there is a room available."

"Ok," Everleigh replied, hiding her excitement, biting back a smile, but on the inside, her heart was dancing a drum beat.

Bars were places that only existed in her mind. Her father always said they weren't suitable places for young ladies. In his opinion, they were full of drunkards, loose women, and fistfights! However, that wasn't what clung to her mind. Instead, it was the endless supply of booze. Drinking reminded her of significant memories of Armis and her father taking turns dancing with her in their living room to old records and CDs. They were recollections filled with singing, laughter, and card games.

However, she'd never seen the inside of a bar, and Armis always refused to take her to one. During their traveling across the country, she begged him, but he said their father would spin in his grave if he did.

With that thought, Everleigh began grinning.

"What?" Armis grinned in return.

"I'm going into a bar. Will Papá be spinning?"

"Hah!" Armis threw his head back. The grin remaining on his face. "In that case, maybe you should stay in the truck."

"No way!"

"No, I think it's a great idea." Armis continued to smile.

Everleigh scowled at him, and he laughed harder but squeezed her shoulder. She pulled the truck in front of the bar, her palms sweating with anticipation. As she reached for the door handle, he latched onto her arm.

"Not so fast!" he scolded. "Are you forgetting? Weapons check."

"Sorry," Everleigh sighed and patted her sides before running through her supply. "Got my belt knife, Derringer in my bra, boot knife, gun on my hip holster and..." She squeezed the mini fanny-pack on her hip. "Extra bullets."

"Good." Armis patted his cape. "Got my knives, gun on each side, and extra bullets."

"Plus, the guns I took from that bunker!" Everleigh began counting on her fingers but then scrunched her face. "Minus two guns. I gave them to Corbin..."

"Of course, you did," Armis sighed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck-his jaw set tight.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He breathed out more calmly. "Corbin saved both of us, so it's the least we can offer."

"He did more than just save us."

"Right." Armis looked away. It had been a risk exposing himself as a water witcher. Not to mention driving them to Domino's home, where his family gave them food and shelter-never once asking for payment of any sort. But if Armis felt guilty about how they left, he didn't show it. Staring out of the window, he said, "We can't think about that. Don't forget how Chuck said Domino will do anything to protect his family. I don't care how much they deny it, I know they had a hidden motive for their generous hospitality."

"And thanks to you, we're far away from them now." Everleigh wrapped her hand around her brother's.

"Thanks for having my back." He looked at her again.

"Of course. Armis, you're my brother, and I'll do anything for you."

"I'll do anything for you too, and I'll never let someone disrespect you the way Chuck did."

"I know." Everleigh squeezed his hand, noticing the deep creases forming between his brows. "You did the right thing."

"But what he said about Domino..."

Everleigh clamped her hand over her brother's mouth, hushing him. "That doesn't matter anymore. We won't see them ever again."

After a few silent seconds, Armis put on his poker-face, and they hopped out of the truck to make their way to the bar.

Inside, Everleigh's eyes bounced over the people as they drank under dim light fixtures, casting a glow over glossy wooden tables. It was mostly men and a few older women scattered, while others talked by the bar top. The hardwood floor was scuffed, and the dull wallpaper peeling, but a giant chandelier hung in the middle of the bar, free of any dust on its crystal panes.

Armis clasped Everleigh's hand and said, "Be calm and confident. We go to the bar top, order a drink and just observe. Ok?"

They walked hand in hand towards the bar, but Everleigh's eyes swung over her shoulder as a boisterous voice caught her attention-the voice belonging to a tall man wearing a thick fur coat as if he'd worn it for ages. It complemented his overgrown beard and wild dark shoulder-length hair with salt and pepper strands weaving through it. Patrons greeted him with laughter as he slapped hands with them or took shots of liquor they offered. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him. He looked like a caveman.

"Hey, I can't get the bartender's attention, and I have to pee!" Armis nudged her. "Order us some whiskey. I'm going to the bathroom. DON'T talk to anyone, but if you have to, tell them we're just passing through."

"Yeah, sure."

"Everleigh..." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't get distracted."

"I won't! Now go." She poked him.

He turned to leaved and Everleigh watched Armis disappear into the restroom before returning her gaze to the caveman. He was having an animated conversation with a table of men and had them in tears, laughing so hard. As he waved his hands about, his piercing grey eyes caught hers, and she turned away.

However, the bartender was too busy chatting with a patron further down the bar top when she tried grabbing his attention. She exhaled a sleepy breath and stared at the detailed wood grain in the bar counter. It swirled, much like her thoughts and mixed emotions over abandoning Corbin while staying loyal to Armis. He'd gotten under her skin with his odd, charming ways-a connection she had little experience with. Growing up on an isolated farm with neighbors miles apart, she'd only known one other boy aside from her brother, but he was Armis's best friend, which meant he wasn't allowed to touch her.

Except for a kiss he stole from her one night.

Everleigh touched her lips, remembering the phantom feel of it, but then felt a presence at her side, sending prickles up her flesh. When she glanced over, her eyes were met with the fur coat. Up close, she could see the details as brown fur mixed with bristles of red, white, and black weaving through it. She raised her gaze to the man's face and was so busy studying the mixture of colors in his wiry beard that she ignored his smile.

"May I buy you a drink, Miss?"

She blinked her eyes. "Pardon?"

"A drink? Would you like one? See, Herman enjoys ignoring outsiders, but he won't ignore me," the caveman explained.

"And how do you know I'm an outsider?"

His lips parted into slits, the corners lifting and revealing white teeth. He leaned his head back with a slight laugh and brought his gaze back down to her. "You're cute."

"Excuse me?" Everleigh drew her head back, bunching her eyebrows.

The caveman leaned in closer, his gigantic frame towering over hers as he dropped his mouth to her ear. When she tensed and attempted to push him away, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into him. "Because girls who look like you don't exist here. In case you haven't noticed, we're all a shade of vanilla."

"Is my skin tone a problem?" Everleigh swallowed and slid her hand down to her gun holster.

At an early age, their father warned them about people who didn't like those who appeared different from them. However, she never experienced it before, so she removed the gun and pressed the barrel into the man's side, cocking the hammer. The smile fell from his face with the sound of the click, and his expression became cold-his face centimeters from her's.

"Little girls shouldn't play with guns."

Everleigh hardened her stare. "I'm not a little girl."

"Why are you here?" His eyes narrowed.

"Is there a problem?" Armis growled from behind them.

The man's eyes shifted from Everleigh to him. "Yeah, I've got a problem. I've got a gun pointed in my side."

"Then I suggest you let go of my sister because she doesn't bluff."

A sly, side-ways grin slid across the man's face, and the harsh creases by his eyes softened. Removing his arm from Everleigh's waist, he stepped back, but she kept the gun trained on him.

"Why are you here?" he asked again.

"Hey, Coyote," the bartender called out from across the way. "Are they giving you trouble?"

Everleigh's eyes darted to Armis and slapped her hand down on his arm, but his expression barely budged at the man's name.

Coyote called over his shoulder, "I need moonshine and..." He glanced at the siblings.

"Two whiskeys," Everleigh shouted.

"And two whiskeys," he finished.

"Is your name really Coyote?" Everleigh asked.

"Since birth," he replied and faced the siblings straight on. "Got a lot of supplies in that truck of yours. Where are you going with that?"

"What's it to you?" Armis wedged himself between the man and Everleigh.

The bartender placed a tall mason jar in front of Coyote and two tumblers in front of the siblings. As he poured their drinks, he eyed Armis with a brow raised to his hairline.

"Cheers," he grunted before walking away.

Lifting the mason jar, Coyote clinked the glass against the two tumblers and took a sip of the moonshine. Armis nudged one tumbler towards Everleigh, and they both took a large gulp, swallowing the amber liquid. A dribble of it rolled down Everleigh's chin, and she wiped at it with a grimace as the whiskey burned its way down her throat.

"Tastes like piss, don't it?" Coyote rasped, and before taking another sip, he said, "You can't cross the border with all of that stuff or with that truck."

"Who says we're crossing the border?" Armis folded his arms.

"Border Patrol will shoot you down as soon as you try to cross." Coyote eyed Everleigh. "It's pretty obvious you want to get her to neutral territory."

"How did you know that was our truck?" Everleigh asked, but Armis growled at her to be quiet.

Coyote grunted and took another sip of his drink. "You know, if you want to protect her, tell people you're husband and wife, and wear wedding bands too."

Everleigh stood on her tip-toes to look over her Armis's shoulder. "But wouldn't they know we're lying? Don't we look alike?"

"Everleigh!" Armis growled again.

"I'm sure they'd figure it out, but it would at least buy you some time. Lately, officials are sweeping smaller towns like this one and forcing women to register their status. We have seen none of them yet, but sometimes, they're dressed just like you and me." Coyote's expression hardened. "Sneaky people."

Armis's jaw locked, and his body tensed as he flexed his fists at his sides. Everleigh held onto his cape, her fingers curling into the fabric as she leaned her forehead against his spine and felt him step backward.

All the bar's sounds seemed to dissolve as people's lips continued moving, their mouths opened wide in laughter. Panic pulsed at Armis's temples as he glanced towards the exit, his gears turning with outcomes. They could shoot their way out of the place-take down Coyote first and the bartender second. Then, Everleigh could shoot the people on the way to the door. If they kept their backs together, they'd clear the entire room in a matter of seconds.

They would escape unharmed.

Unless these locals had weapons of their own? In that case, Armis would shield Everleigh, and they would run sideways towards the exit while shooting. Armis's mind scrambled as sweat collected at his temples. They wouldn't know which course of action to take until he pulled the trigger on target number one. Reaching for his holster, he froze at the sensation of cold metal pressing into his abdomen.

"I wouldn't do that!" Coyote said through his teeth and followed it with a familiar click. "You think a man like me wouldn't carry heat? I'm wearing bear fur-from a bear I grappled and killed. Now, how about we quit dancing and get to the point of why you're in this border town?"

In a quiet voice, Everleigh replied over her brother's shoulder, "We need a coyote."

"Is that true, stud?" he directed at Armis, pressing the gun barrel further.

"Yeah," Armis growled.

Coyote clicked the gun hammer back into place and tucked the weapon into his coat pocket. He adjusted the collar of his fur coat and straightened his posture. Armis was about six feet tall, but the man was taller by at least four inches. Clearing his throat, he shifted to a friendlier tone, as if the tense moment was nothing but a daydream. "Then I'm the man you need. It's going to cost you, though."

Armis scoffed and folded his arms. "And how do I know you're legit and not out to rob us? Or worse, sell us out?"

"Do I look like a man who snitches to the government?"

Armis leaned against Everleigh-her hands still gripping his cape. He rolled his eyes over Coyote from head to toe, sizing him up. Despite being tall, he wasn't bulky, so Armis could tackle him to the ground if he had to, and it wouldn't be hard. He had killed men twice Coyote's size, and so had his sister.

"We don't have money. We only have trade," Armis replied.

Coyote ran his finger in circles around the rim of the mason jar. "I'll get you across if you leave me the truck and some supplies. Deal?"

"We'll need that truck once we get across."

"No, you won't." Coyote gulped the rest of the booze and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That's a government truck. Not sure how you two ended up with it, but if you drive across the border with it, you're dead."

"Government truck!" Armis exclaimed.

"Why do you think I was asking so many damn questions?" Coyote replied. "But it's pretty clear the two of you stole it."

Armis cut his eyes over his shoulder to Everleigh. It now made sense why those men had a bunker full of supplies. Then another thought hit him, and it sent a rush of chills up his limbs. Everleigh killed four government officials.

Was her life in danger now? And how long until it caught up with them?

"So, do we have a deal?" Coyote repeated and held out his hand.

"We do," Armis replied and shook it.

"Good. As for your question earlier." Coyote looked at Everleigh. "No. Your skin tone is not a problem. My brother-in-law is Mexican, so I'd appreciate it if you don't assume I'm racist."

"That's good to know," Everleigh acknowledged. "Because I'd hate to slit your throat."

"Real cute," Coyote snorted. "Now, let's go."

The siblings downed their drinks before exiting the bar with their new companion and stepped into the star-filled night.