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Why don’t you see us off?”

Tam picked up Storm and looked at Cara warily. He looked so human. He might have been a loving husband and father. Jak moaned and snapped her out of her reverie. She must not forget they were Savages.

“We’ll all go,” Bab said. “We can’t stay the night in this place of death.”

Brady cursed softly. He lowered his gun but didn’t put it in its holder. “Let’s go then.”

Bab pressed her lips together and nodded. The Savages had little in the way of belongings besides a few bags of food and some hides for sleeping. Jak moaned weakly, but he seemed to be unconscious. Cara spared him one last glance. He was like so many of those …

those animals who’d destroyed her life and her future. But this time they didn’t get her. She’d beat them.

“Cara?” Brady lifted a dark brow in a question. He stood tall and bruised before her.

His gun belt rode low on his hips and emphasized his lean waist compared to his broad shoulders. He was so beautiful physically compared to the Savages. She wanted to sit him down and wash the blood from his hair, make him a hot tea and then sleep beside him. First they had to reach a place where they could both sleep without one of them standing watch at all times.

Brady was as tense as she was as they walked along the river bank. A dozen Savages trailing them made for more than a little discomfort. Bab nursed the babies as she walked, with Tam looking over her shoulder and grinning proudly at the infants. Cara searched for the sense of distaste she should feel at the sight but instead a small hint of envy prodded her chest. Tam, Bab and the babies were a family, a family like she would never have. Never, because of creatures like them. But not like them.

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Brady strode at her side, his gun in hand and his other hand on his sword. His eyes were never still as he swept his gaze constantly over the Savages trudging along beside him.

It took nearly an hour to find the spot where their raft had drifted to the bank. The sun hovered a short distance from touching down on the western mountains. Brady frowned and stared across the river. “Maybe we should wait until morning.”

“I don’t want to spend another night.” Not here, with them.

Brady nodded his understanding. Their packs were in the same place, undisturbed. They still had a little food and most of the bullets.

“You will go?” Bab gestured at the river. “How can you make it across the water?”

Cara had never heard of a Savage swimming, but then she wasn’t very good at it herself.

“Our tribes know how to travel the waters.”

“But you will return someday?” Bab asked.

Brady exchanged a look with Cara. “Someone from our tribe will be back.”

Another shiver crawled up Cara’s spine. Could they really ally themselves with these …

animals? Then Angel gurgled some baby word, and Bab smiled at her daughter.

“Our people will expect certain things from their trading friends,” Cara said. “You have to make sure of it, Bab.”

“What

things?”

“Safety for our people when they come to you. And clean places to sleep. Clean goods to trade. Your people need to take care of themselves like you and Tam. And our women cover their breasts except when we feed our children.”

Bab nodded in understanding. “Because your men like to touch your breasts when you mate. I know now it feels good. Tam showed me.”

Cara’s face heated. She hated being reminded Bab had watched her and Brady making love. “Yes. Men are easily distracted by attractive females.”

“But your men still take only one mate?” Bab’s hungry gaze swept over Brady.

“Yes. Our tribes are like that.” Cara couldn’t believe she was having this discussion with a Savage. “We have a celebration to make promises about taking care of each other.”

“You and Brady have made these promises to take care of one another?”

Cara found she couldn’t lie about it, but Brady stepped in and did it for her.

“We’re going to as soon as we return. Though we’ve yet to say the words, in our hearts we’re already promised to each other.”

Tam put his arm around Bab. “Would you say the words to us? Then our entire tribe will know that Bab is my only woman, and I’m her only man.”

Brady’s expression provoked a snicker from Cara despite the absurdity of the entire day.

He’d brought it on himself. He recovered quickly.

“I will. Take Bab’s hand, Tam, and say these words.”

Cara wasn’t sure where Brady came up with the words, but his deep voice and serious tone made it all sound very solemn and official.

“I, Tam, take Bab to be my one and only mate. I promise to watch for her in all things, sickness, injury and sadness. I will provide for her and all her children. I will give her only affection and never strike her in cruelty or anger. This I promise on all my strength as a man.”

Tam repeated the words, his brow crinkled with concentration. Did he understand the meaning of all the words and the spirit behind them?

“Now, Bab, you say these words to Tam. I, Bab, take Tam as my only mate for all our lives. I promise to be a good mother to our children, to keep a warm, safe home for our family ONE GOOD WOMAN SUSAN KELLEY 108

and stand beside you in all things. I will teach my children the goodness of life and laughter and welcome you in my arms for all my days. When we are old, I will stay to your side to the end of our lives.”

Bab repeated the words without a stumble. Brady put his hand on top of their joined ones, but his other hand still held his pistol. “With all the authority of a Captain of the Realm, I pronounce you the first husband and wife of this tribe.”

Bab and Tam smiled at each other. A few of the watching males made grunting sounds that might have been approval.

“Now you should kiss each other,” Brady said.

“Kiss?” Bab and Tam asked together.

Brady put his arm around Cara and pulled her close. There was laughter in his blue eyes as he leaned down to take her lips with his. His mouth moved skillfully on hers and with a familiarity she’d come to cherish. He broke it off soon enough but kept his arm around her shoulders. “That is one way we show affection to our mates.”

Tam looked skeptical, but Bab touched his cheek and brought her lips to his. It looked awkward, and they kept it short. Both appeared surprised when they pulled away from each other.

“I understand,” Tam said with a smile. “It wakes my rod.”

Brady laughed. “Yes, it has that affect. Now, to show our happiness at having you as our partners, I will release thunder into the sky.”

Brady pointed his gun across the river and pulled the trigger twice. Even though they weren’t far from the crashing waterfall, the boom of the gun smashed against Cara’s ears. The Savages jumped and a number of them ran away for a short distance.

The babies cried out their protests with lusty health. Tam and Bab tried to soothe them though they looked quite frightened themselves. Perhaps that had been Brady’s intention.

“What name should I give my people for your tribe?” Brady asked after the infants quieted.

Bab shrugged and looked confused.

Cara pointed to herself. “My tribe is called Solonian. Brady’s tribe is the Realm. What shall we call you?”

The oldest Savage took a step forward. He wore an angry scowl more typical of the Savages she’d met before, but his voice wasn’t heated with rage or spite. “I once heard us called Vitans. When I was a boy, one of the old men said when we were Vitans, we had the power to go on the water and travel to other villages.”

“Then you shall again be called the Vitans.” Cara wondered how much history and culture had been lost here. Had these primitives descended from some proud, seafaring colony?

“Maybe one day you’ll learn to travel the waters again.”

The old Savage shook his head, and now he looked more like a tired old man than a dangerous beast. “Water is dangerous. It grabs you and pulls you down to death.”

“It doesn’t if you know what you’re doing.” Brady picked up both packs. “We’re going across the water now. When we return, we’ll come this way. Watch for us before the cold season.”

“You could stay with us for a time. Teach us more things,” Tam said.

Cara couldn’t stay among them any longer no matter how far their strides toward civilization. Brady apparently felt the same way.

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“We must be going. We’ve been gone longer than we expected. More of our tribe will come looking for us if we don’t return soon.” Brady held out his left hand to Tam. “This is how we make promises. Take my hand and we agree to be traders together.”

Tam put his hand in Brady’s. Cara couldn’t quite believe the sight of Brady’s long-fingered hand clasped in the thick broad hand of a Savage.

Bab reached out and touched Brady on his cheek. “I will hold memory of you always, Brady with the eyes of the sky.”

Brady nodded solemnly. “You and Tam will be famous among your village and mine.”

Bab nodded to Cara, but resentment still seethed in her eyes. She would never forgive Cara for being Brady’s mate.

Brady took off his boots and shirt. He piled them with the weapons and packs on the raft.

The Vitans stood back from the bank so he could speak to her without being overheard. “Cara, you’re going to have to help me paddle. I’m pretty sure a few of my ribs are cracked.”

The Vitans watched them with wide, curious eyes. “Maybe we should stay long enough for you to heal.”

She feared the water nearly as much as she did the Savages. The experience coming over the falls had only added to her terror.

“No, I don’t know if their peace will hold. For all we know they could all turn on Bab and Tam. Or Bab could decide she wants two husbands.”

She sighed in relief. He didn’t trust them any more than she did. “I’m not a good swimmer.”

Brady grinned. “Cara, I remember enough of our arrival here to think you’re not a swimmer at all, not even a poor one. Get our paddles.”

She took off her boots and sword, securing them with his in the middle of the raft. He held the logs steady so she could straddle the raft in the back section. Her knuckles were white around the branch intended to be an oar, but she couldn’t find it in herself to relax.

Brady pulled the logs out into the water until it reached his knees. He swung one of his long legs over the raft, and they were afloat. Her heart leaped all about in her chest as he adjusted his seat to find his balance. The logs rocked and bucked before settling into a swaying, unstable seat.

“Brady!” Bab called.

He raised his hand in farewell, but Cara could not let go of her oar let alone look over her shoulder. Water lapped at her thighs and over the edge of the logs.

“Don’t look down. Keep your eye on the far bank.” Brady used his branch in a sweeping motion as if he wanted to direct them upstream. The logs pitched and dipped as he forced them to fight the current.

No matter his efforts, the current carried them steadily toward the sea. When they neared the center of the river, it carried them even faster. It was a fight, Brady’s will against that of the water. And to lose that battle was to lose all.

Cara’s fear-frozen muscles thawed. She would not yield now to anything when they were so close to safety. The strokes of her oar seemed to make little difference as she added her efforts to Brady’s. Sweat coursed down his back and over the purple bruises marking his torso.

The falls growled behind them, but the uneven voice of the sea was slowly overwhelming the noise of the cascading water. The southern bank looked miles away and already her arms were tired.

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Her arms screamed with fatigue, but she focused on the bunching and stretching of Brady’s shoulder and back muscles as he fought the river. Without her, he might have tried to swim the width and likely would have made it. He’d fashioned this log raft for her. Her presence might cost him his life.

The water lapping against her legs appeared green and hid its depths. How deep was it?

“Cara, stop leaning like that!” Brady shouted. “Paddle harder. We’re almost there.”

She snapped her head up. The water had almost bespelled her into falling in head first.

The bank was closer, and the river slowed as it neared the sea and had to fight its way into the larger body of water.

Her back joined her arms in screaming in protest, but they were going to make it.

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Brady stretched his legs out toward the fire. His gun sat by his side, but he wasn’t sure he had the energy to lift it and fire it should they be attacked.

Cara ran her fingers through her wet hair, having washed it in a calm pool along the bank of the river. His insatiable cock took notice even though every part of him ached or was just plain exhausted. Had he ever been so tired? And it wasn’t only physical fatigue.

The entire period of time, over half a month, since he’d stepped on Oman’s cursed rope bridge had been nothing but one test for his nerves after another. And when was the last time he’d slept without his gun in hand and his mind on edge?

But they were alive and finally away from the Savages. They should celebrate.

“Do you think Tam and Bab will manage as leaders?” Cara paused in the tending of her hair and stirred the oats cooking near their small fire. They only had a little food left, but it should last them another two days.