Page 60 of High Noon

Asa shook his head. “They want Eve.”

My brows shot up. “Me? For what?”

“They’re demanding that you go with them. They were ordered to retrieve you. Someone important wants to speak with you… My interpretation might be slightly wrong,” Asa mumbled, still listening.

Enoch continued to negotiate on my behalf, but his tone became shorter and more aggressive with each exchange.

“They just want you to talk to someone named Tanuk,” Asa explained.

Okay. I can talk to their friend and then come back in time to jump. It’s not a big deal.

A curse flew from my teammate’s mouth. “You’re going, aren’t you? Well, you aren’t going alone,” Titus grumbled under his breath. Maru grunted his agreement.

The argument was escalating further when Kohana dismounted and strode forward. Enoch was torn. I could see that he didn’t want to hurt their friendship, but he also didn’t want me to go with them and I wasn’t sure why.

“I’d be happy to visit, if it will ease things…” I offered. After all, it was my decision. Not Kohana’s. Not Enoch’s. No one’s but mine.

Kohana stepped around Enoch, though I didn’t miss the incredulous look Enoch flashed my way. “You will come?”

“Sure. We’re friends, after all. Right?”

He gave a single nod.

“I’ll go, but I’d like to bring my other friends.”

Kohana considered it, and in the end agreed that Maru and Titus would be welcome.

I looked down at my tech suit. “I need some clothes.” Titus was… in smelly clothes, but at least he was covered in something other than a skin-tight suit. “So does Maru.”

“A dress?” Enoch asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Ugh. I’m so sick of dresses. Until I traveled, I’d only worn one once. Do you think you have any pants that would fit me?”

He gave a lopsided smile. “I’ll see what I can rustle up.”

His slight drawl made my toes curl. He caught the movement and grinned. “I’ll find shoes for you, too.”

“And for Maru,” I reminded him.

His smile fell. “Of course. I’ll find clothes and shoes for him, too.”

* * *

The tensionfrom earlier seemingly forgotten, Kohana and his friends joked amongst themselves as they escorted us into a makeshift camp. There was a wide fire pit surrounded by five tipis. Out of the largest tipi, an ancient-looking man emerged. I didn’t know how old he was, but my guess was that he was in his nineties. His back was hunched over, his skin was loose, and I could see the bones that lay beneath it.

I realized then that my clothes didn’t matter. His shrewd eyes saw through them to the tech suit that peeked out at the neck, wrists, and ankles. He waited as I dismounted, and then waved me over to where he stood.

When Enoch tried to join me, the man soundly scolded him. I winced in his direction, but Enoch’s eyes glittered as he fought back a smile. He ticked his head respectfully toward the older man. “He is waiting for you. He doesn’t like to wait.”

No wonder. The man didn’t have much time left on this world, and sure didn’t want me wasting it.

“Is he their chief?” I guessed.

“No,” Enoch answered. “Their chief wouldn’t leave the rest of their people behind. This is their eldest healer.”

Healer?

Titus bristled. “What does a healer want to talk to her about? What if he hurts her?”

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