Legend (Legend, Colorado 1)

“No, I think I’ll pass on this one.”

Cole started walking again, with Kady following him. “Why don’t you tell me about this cannabis of yours?” he said over his shoulder. “And exactly what is it good for?”

Laughing, Kady talked as they walked down a trail flanked by the ta

ll plants, telling Cole more than he wanted to know about the problems of the twentieth century.

A little after sundown, when Kady could hardly see the trail in front of her, Cole put up his hand in warning. Instantly she halted and listened, but heard nothing.

Bending, Cole whispered to her. “The ruins are just ahead, but there are people there. I want you to remain here and wait for me while I see who it is.”

Without hesitation, Kady did as he said, slipping into the shadows behind some boulders, both packs at her feet.

Cole adjusted the quiver of arrows on his back, holding the bow in his left hand. “Stay here and don’t come out until I return,” he said.

“But what if it’s the men who want to hang you?”

“If I’m stupid enough to get caught a second time, they should hang me.” When Kady gave him a look that told what she thought of that idea, he grinned wide enough for her to see his white teeth in the darkness. “Kiss me goodbye for love?” he asked.

“Only with my fingers crossed,” she said sweetly, returning his grin.

Cole chuckled, then slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. When he kissed her, his lips soft and just barely parted, Kady could feel herself melting against him. “Who cares who the men are?” he murmured against her lips, then pulled her closer, and kissed her cheek. “Will you miss me?”

“I shall enjoy the peace.”

She could hear his laugh as he slipped into the darkness.

The minute Cole was gone, Kady looked about her, hearing the strange night sounds, and realized that when Cole was gone, she was afraid. What if something happened to him? What if those men came back? What if—

Slipping from the boulders as silently as she could, she tiptoed down the trail, stumbling now and then over rocks and holes. Within minutes she saw light coming from around a bend, and when she was near enough, she stared in wonder at what she saw.

Across a small ravine was a sheer mountain of rock rising high up into the dark sky. At the bottom of the rock, level with Kady, was a deep cut, and inside the natural hollow were the remains of ancient mud dwellings. In front of the old buildings, a fire glowed and three men sat around it, tin coffee cups in their hands.

Crouching down, Kady looked across the darkness at the men and was thinking that they didn’t look very dangerous when she saw something that truly horrified her. Hanging from a wall behind them was the carcass of an eagle. When she moved from behind a tree so she could see better, she saw there were half a dozen eagle carcasses sprawled out, their huge wings lifeless.

Kady didn’t think about what she was doing. Standing, she put her hands on her hips. “Eagles!” she said aloud, making the men look up from the fire and stare into the darkness toward her.

Instantly, a hand clamped around Kady’s mouth and she was pulled back into deeper darkness. There was no doubt in her mind that the man holding her was Cole.

“Why didn’t you obey me and stay where I told you to?” he growled into her ear. “No, on second thought, don’t bother to answer that. Come on, let’s go. They’re just hunters, no harm to anyone.”

Kady didn’t move. “No harm to anyone?” she hissed up at him. “What about the eagles?” She said the last word with great feeling.

Even in the darkness she could see Cole’s blank look. “You’re right, they’re hunters and men alone are not to be trusted. If I didn’t have you with me, I’d probably join them, but I don’t trust any man around you.”

Ignoring the compliment, Kady glared up at him. “Are you going to just walk away from this slaughter?”

In the dim light she could see emotions cross Cole’s face as he attempted to understand. Finally, enlightenment, then disbelief seemed to register. “Don’t tell me you have something against killing a bunch of carrion eaters like those birds?”

Kady took a deep breath. “The eagle is the symbol of the United States. That bird—”

“What?” Cole gasped, bending so low his nose was close to hers. “An eagle stands for our great country? Are you out of your mind? Those birds eat rotting meat. They are little better than vultures. And they are a great menace to the ranchers. They should be shot.”

With an abrupt turn on her heel, Kady started walking down the path. There had to be a way across the ravine so she could get to the ruins. She had no idea what she was going to do or say to the men when she got there, but she’d think of something to stop the slaughter.

Cole grabbed her by the waist, pulling her to him.

“Release me or I’ll scream,” she hissed, struggling futilely against his strong arm.