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Placing his hand over hers, he removed it and kissed her palm. “Good. I promise I will get us to La Barossa in one piece.” It meant a lot to him that she could feel confident that he would not steer her wrong. One more night on the road and they would reach another town. One where he had a contact called Carlos. He would need to meet with him without Elena—better his contact did not know about her. He would wait to tell her until he knew Carlos was trustworthy.
After finishing their meals, it was siesta time, and that meant finding somewhere cool to rest. They made their way closer to the water, where a faint breeze alleviated the humid conditions a little. They made their way around a rocky outcrop, which provided much-needed shade and where they were hidden from the road. He was never more thankful for Juan’s hat than in the last two days.
They rested for a few hours and then headed back to the road until they found an alternative route to take that was away from the main road. The donkey and the cart did not like this decision, but Thomas was at once relieved they had left the road. He could tell that Elena was displeased with the path they were taking.
“The cart will fall apart if we keep going on this rocky path. The donkey may go lame if it gets a stone in its hoof.”
“I understand, I do, but it is safer this way.” He shaded his eyes and looked ahead. “It can’t be that bad ahead.”
“It could be worse. This is taking more time as well. Vipers and scorpions like these dry rocky areas.”
“Lucky I am traveling with a doctor then.”
“You think I will fall for your flattery whenever you open your mouth, don’t you?”
“Do I need to try harder?”
Placing her hands on her hips she stopped to face him. “Please do. I am intrigued by what else you might come up with.”
He laughed. “If a viper bites me, you can leave me here for the wolves, knowing that you told me so.”
“Wolves would be the least of your problems. Get bitten by a Megarian banded centipede and I may show you some compassion.”
“A centipede?”
“Not as deadly as a viper but it will still make you feel like death for longer,” she said with a smirk.
“Why not place a black widow spider in my shoe if you really want to get rid of me.”
“Lucky for you I dislike spiders. Come on, let’s keep going on this ridiculous journey we are on before I change my mind about spiders.”
“I am not sure I like this side of you, Miss Diaz.”
“You like every side of me. I can see it in your eyes; in the way you kiss me in the morning when I am still asleep.”
“Oh, but you are mistaken. That is simply to keep on your good side, which I much prefer.”
“Hmm,” she said, before hitching her skirt to start walking again.
Watching her, Thomas grinned. He had never met anyone like Elena, and likely never would again. It made his heart squeeze to think about the day he would wake up without her. That was why he must cherish this time with her, despite her mood.
A bit farther on, he stopped short.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Shh.” Thomas listened. Was that the sound of…water? “I think you might just change your mind about this new route in a minute.”
He urged the donkey up to the peak of the path, and on the other side was a miracle.
“A waterfall?” Elena came to stand beside him to stare at the sight before them. It was indeed a waterfall, on the smallish side but with a small pool at the bottom before it toppled over the edge and down the side of the hill.
“How will we pass it?”
“We won’t. We will go through it. There is still the path on the other side. We will rest here and let the donkey drink. We can cool our feet in the pool before we pull the cart through it.”
“We are never going to get to my mother’s village at this rate.”
“Of course we are, but why not enjoy the adventure as well?”
