Taking the Knife

would he keep his tongue about the flame runna’s powers?
    Armin pricked the inert form with his spear tip. Medo moaned and rubbed a hand across his eyes.
    “He knows,” the flame runna repeated.
    Sefe raised his spear, yet couldn’t decide where to aim it. The thought of his brother at his side again made his chest ache with longing. Did Medo even want to rejoin the tribe?
    Undaunted by Sefe’s weapon, Armin cocked his head. “What’s she saying?”
    She wants Medo dead.
    If she didn’t get her revenge, would she reveal her own secret? The tribe would not kill her. Killing a spirit healer would curse them. No, they'd leave her behind to die on the Tox . Alone, but alive. And her powers would be lost to him. Could she survive the Tox alone? She’d asked for his protection...
    Medo cracked one eye, grunted, and rolled to the side. As he attempted to sit, Sefe fought for air. Medo was his last living relative. If Sefe didn’t vouch for him, his life was forfeit to Armin’s spear right now. But if Medo spoke and revealed the flame runna’s spirit healing, Sefe would lose her power. He would soon be forced to take the Knife. Don't wake up . Not yet. Sefe’s head throbbed with indecision and his throat felt dry as the Tox .
    The flame runna moved close behind him. He could feel her breath on his shoulder, and the scent of her skin enveloped him in desire. Her voice floated to his ear like a brush of wind. "He stole me once, he'll steal me again. He left his hunters and chose to be alone on the Tox . He is a dead man."
    “Ana?” Medo sat and scowled at the dirt before raising slitted eyes to look for the girl. His lids opened wide at the sight of his brother. “ Sefe !”
    Armin pressed the spear against Medo’s chest until the hunter collapsed back into a prone position. “Why are you on the Tox alone, Hunter?”
    Medo’s hands groped at the spear shaft. “Armin, wait! Let me explain.”
    The leader looked at Sefe and raised his pierced brows.
    “No,” Sefe gasped, unsure who he was speaking to.
    “The flame runna has spirit healing!” Medo burst out.
    Only a half a heartbeat passed before Armin twisted, eyes full of question. The truth must have shown on Sefe’s face, for Armin grimaced and leapt over Medo to dart toward the trail. Sefe hesitated, but only an instant. Once Armin told the tribe, their fear would prevent him from keeping Ana . They might even shun him because of his brief association with her. He launched himselrem; font-weight:boldithiighf after the warrior, breaking through the amarantox in a shower of leaves. Armin had already reached the drop-off, slowing to navigate the narrow ledge down to the river.
    Sefe raced toward the ravine and tottered on the edge. Armin was halfway down the sloped shelf. In spite of Ana’s kiss, Sefe knew he’d never catch the man. He had to stop him. Pulling back his spear arm, he threw. The weapon clattered off the rock near Armin’s head. The warrior glanced back at Sefe and kept moving.
    Sefe blew out a despairing breath.
    A trickle of dirt rained onto Armin’s head, quickly becoming a shower of rocks. Throwing an arm up, the warrior cried out. A large rock hit him square on the temple, and he tumbled from the ledge. The clatter of falling debris echoed from the canyon walls, then ceased.
    Sefe shot a glance along the top of the ravine; Ana stood several paces away, directly above where Armin had fallen, hands still bound behind her. She turned to look calmly at him, and he took a reflexive step back.
    When she didn’t move, he craned his neck to look out over the rock and saw Armin splayed near the water, blood fanning across the bank from his skull to mix with the muddy flow. He straightened, unsure what to do next.
    Ana stepped forward. “Untie me.”
    Maintaining his distance, Sefe caressed the small eating knife at his belt. Medo had kept her tied for a reason. And she’d just killed his tribe leader. She was dangerous. “What did you offer my brother?”
    Her eyes tightened. “He stole what he wanted. From me and from his hunter brothers.”
    Sefe searched her face for signs of lying. To the unsuspecting, she looked human and frail. A girl-woman, who’d asked for his protection. Had offered him her power. Taking a breath, he grasped her bicep and turned her to place his knife to the rope. What did he have to lose? At worst, he’d be back where he’d started. Or unconscious, like Medo . “Do not run away.”
    The moment her