Sloane’s heart ached for him.She couldn’t imagine what the experience had cost him, and she doubted that was the only loss he’d endured during his time on active duty.“I’m so sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.You’re not the prick who killed him.”
True, but she hadn’t meant to dredge up painful memories.“Did you ever catch the guys who did it?”
Navarre nodded.“The village elders didn’t want to get involved, but we finally convinced them to let us know where to search for the men responsible.We found them two days later, camped out in the mountains less than a kilometer from the border.We waited to strike until around two in the morning, when there was only one person guarding the encampment.I took out the guard, and my team took care of the rest.It didn’t make Cory any less dead, but at least we made sure those assholes wouldn’t send anyone else home in a body bag.”
Finished massaging her feet, he reached into his rucksack for the first-aid kit.
“What’s that for?”
“You have broken blisters on both heels.They need to be treated.”
That didn’t surprise her in the least.Her feet had been aching for hours.But she didn’t feel right about using their limited resources for something that wasn’t a dire emergency.“Is that really necessary?I mean, yeah, it hurts, but it’s not life threatening.Wouldn’t it be better to save that stuff in case we really need it, like if one of us gets shot or falls off a cliff?”
A brief flicker of amusement crossed his face.“If one of us gets shot or falls off a cliff, we’ll be beyond the help of anything in this bag.”He tore open the package of antibacterial wipes.“If we don’t treat them, they could get infected, which is a lot more painful and will hinder your ability to move freely.That wouldn’t be helpful in our present situation.”
Deep down, she knew he was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it.“Fine, but I’ll do it.”
“No, I got it.Just hold still for a minute.”
He made quick work of sterilizing the wounds, which was good, because it stung like crazy, but then he applied some ointment and the sting quickly faded.Then he fashioned a bandage out of gauze and medical tape that shielded the blisters from further abrasion.
“How does that feel?”he asked.
She rotated her ankle and smiled when she didn’t feel any pain.“Better.Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”He smiled, the first time she’d seen him smile all day, and it warmed her from the inside out.“Now let’s see if you can get your boots back on.”
It was a tight fit, but she managed to squeeze into them without disrupting the bandages.“All good; thanks again.”
He packed the supplies back into his bag and stood.“It’s going to be dark soon.Might as well settle in for the night.”
Sloane accepted the hand he offered, and a hum of awareness buzzed through her body.She ignored it, turning her gaze to the west, where the sun was barely a sliver over the tree line.He was right; it wouldn’t be long before twilight turned to night.Already, shadows blanketed the valley below.A breeze blew from the north, and the chill penetrated her jacket and sent a shiver through her.
Navarre made a sweeping motion for her to enter the makeshift shelter.“There isn’t much room, so make sure to go in feet-first.Take the spot by the tree trunk.It’s better insulated; you’ll be warmer.”
The entrance wasn’t more than a foot or so wide.She peered inside at the carpet of leaf litter, moss, and pine boughs.She understood the importance of having a thick layer of insulation against the cold, hard earth.But the city girl in her shuddered.“We’re going to get ticks, aren’t we?”
“It’s a possibility,” he said, not seeming bothered in the least.“But it beats the alternative.”
“Which is?”
“Hypothermia.Capture.Or worse.”
Well, he had a point there.Being uncomfortable was better than being dead, but she didn’t have to be happy about it.Still, she wasn’t about to complain.Like he said, it beat the alternative, and she appreciated his efforts to keep her safe and warm.
It’s only for one night, she reminded herself as she crawled into the shelter.When this was all over, and they were back in civilization, she was going to take the longest, hottest shower in recorded history.
“Aren’t you coming in?”she asked when he didn’t move to follow her.
“In a minute,” he said.“I need to cover our tracks.”
“Can I help?”
He shook his head.“No, I got it.”
Without much else to do, Sloane settled into the shelter.There wasn’t a whole lot of room inside, though at least it was long enough for her to stretch out her legs.But the lack of light and the constant reminder of their precarious position made her feel like a bunny hiding in a burrow.
