Blood Red Road

me.
    I point at her. Yer gettin way too fresh, Emmi, I says. You jest wait till we—
    Shhh! Jack lays a finger over his lips. We crouch there, silent, not lookin at each other. Jest waitin.
    Then I hear voices. The soft snort of a horse.
    They’re comin, Jack whispers.
    We flatten ourselves into the side of the hill. Jack an me reach fer our crossbows an load up. Emmi fits a stone into her slingshot. My heart’s poundin hard in my chest.
    The voices pass by our hidin place.
    Then, Aaah! They yell out as they step into nuthin. As they tumble into our trap. The horses squeal, frightened.
    Go! yells Jack.
    We leap up an rush over the top of the hill. We thunder down th’other side. Their horses, two of ’em, rear in fright an dart outta the way.
    Hands up! I yell. We got you covered, you bastards!
    Me, Jack an Emmi take up positions around the edge of the pit. Our weapons is drawn. We aim down at our captives.
    I don’t believe it, says Jack.

    What the hell’re you doin here? I says.
    Ash an Epona stare at us from the bottom of the pit where they’re lyin in a tangled heap of arms an legs.
    It ain’t ezzackly the welcome we was expectin, says Ash. But I’ve had worse.
    They git to their feet. Epona holds up a hand. Wouldn’t mind a little help gittin outta here, she says.
    It’d serve you right if we left you there to rot, I says. But I give her my hand an Jack gives his to Ash an we help ’em climb out. They start to brush theirselves down.
    Hell, Ash, says Jack. That was more’n stupid. We could of shot you. You could of broke a leg when you fell in. Why didn’t you let us know it was you followin us?
    We wanted to surprise you, says Ash.
    Well you did that all right, says Jack.
    I frown. I thought the Hawks had some trouble to take care of, I says. Maev said somethin about a territory dispute on the western road.
    They dart a look between ’em. A guilty look.
    She don’t know yer here, I says. Don’t tell me … she left you two in charge of Darktrees an you snuck off.
    Okay, says Ash, we won’t tell you.
    Go away, I says. Turn right around an go back. An make sure you tell Maev this was all yer idea an nuthin to do with me.
    Hang on a minute, says Epona. We happen to think Maev’s wrong. That she should of sent at least some of us with you to help.
    This is more important than who’s got control of the western road, says Ash. From what you said—about Freedom Fields an the Tonton an the chaal—this could be about more than jest gittin yer brother back. It could affect all of us. Jest burnin down Hopetown ain’t enough. We cain’t stop there. We gotta stop the whole thing. Git rid of ’em all.
    Listen, I says. I don’t care about nuthin besides gittin Lugh back. D’you hear? That’s it. Nuthin else. An I don’t need yer help. I don’t want it. Go home.
    Why d’you always gotta be such a rudesby? says Emmi. They jest wanna help us find Lugh.
    Button yer lip, Emmi, I says. I got a good mind to send you back to Darktrees with ’em.
    She scowls an crosses her arms over her chest. Jest try an make me, she says.
    Don’t you sass me!
    Now now, says Jack, let’s jest everybody calm down. I’m sure we can—
    Shut up, Jack, I says. I narrow my eyes. Give Ash a good hard look. You sure there ain’t another reason why yer here? I says.
    I glance at Jack, then look at Ash agin. She’s gone all red in the face.
    Of course not, she says.
    C’mon, Saba, says Epona. You know we’re good in a fight.
    I’ll say this one last time, I says. If I wanted you to come with me, I would of asked you to come with me. But I didn’t. That means I don’t. You can be on yer way soon’s I fetch Emmi’s horse. Yer goin back with ’em to Darktrees, I says to Em.
    No! she says. An you cain’t make me! I hate you, Saba!
    I turn an start walkin fast towards where we tethered our horses while we found out who was followin us. We hid ’em well outta sight.
    Excuse us fer a moment, I hear Jack say.
    He sprints after me an grabs my arm. I wanna talk to you, he says.
    I yank my arm away an keep walkin. There ain’t nuthin to talk about, I says. They’re leavin an Emmi’s goin with ’em.
    They wanna help, he says. They wanna do somethin. Maybe help make the world a better place. C’mon, Saba, what’s yer problem with that?
    I keep walkin.
    He goes around in front of me.
    What’s the matter with you? he says. Talk to me.
    While he’s talkin, I try to dodge around him, right then left, but he blocks my