Page 25 of Tusks & Saddles
“I ain’t gotta do fuckin’ nothing, Timothy. What were you doin’ with the cattle?” She nodded at the potion lying nestled in the grass a few feet out of reach for him.
“Simon told me to stall you. Said you were ahead of schedule. It wasn’t gonna hurt no one!” Timothy jerked only to cry out as Betty put her whole weight on his hand. “Ah! My fucking hand!”
“Better that Betty break your knuckles than I let a bolt off in your face, Timothy. What the fuck does Simon want? Why does he want to stall me?”
She felt the presence of Roger and Boone behind her, but she was too focused on the human beneath her boot. The cattle stirred, clearly awoken by the sound. Nothing like three hundred curious cows turning to watch the show. Will clicked her tongue to her teeth and Betty raised her hoof only to bring it down even harder.Snap. Multiple cracks and crunches filled the air, even with the muffling from the grass.
“Fuck!” Timothy shrieked, trying to rip away but her familiar had him pinned by the shattered hand.
“Talk, Timothy!” Will snarled.
“The push! You ain’t supposed to be pushing! We got your stupid brother drunk and broke his leg so you’d be down a man and unable to handle a push!”
Will saw red. Nothing but red as she let loose another bolt into his opposite hand. Timothy screamed and she was ripped away from him by large arms. Will’s banshee wails filled the air. “Let me go! Boone! Let me fucking go!”
“Will!” he barked, setting her down a few feet from Timothy, snatching the crossbow from her hands. Warm hands cupped her face and forced her to focus on him and not the writhing man Roger was peeling out of the grass. “Will, look at me, Baby—”
“They hurt Jacobus! They did it on purpose!” Her shouts echoed off the hide of every cow around them, her frenzied hands flinging about.
“I know!” Boone ground out the words, bobbing and weaving to keep her focus on his face and not whatever Roger was doing. “Will…Will!”
“Boone,” she pleaded, trying to get around him only to be pinned in a tight hug. Ripping left and right didn’t help; it left her pressed to his chest with hot tears spilling down her face. Angry, betrayed tears as she replayed everything she said and did before the push. Talking to her brother, reminding him that Simon and Timothy were bad news, warning him not to go.What does it matter? He don’t listen unless it comes from Boone, and even then, he didn’t listen!She croaked, “Boone, let me go, I gotta kill that motherfucker.”
“Killin’ him won’t help, Will. You know that. We need him to tell us more and lead us to Simon.” Boone steadied her with a hand to the back of her head, slowly setting down her crossbow with the other. When she felt her blood return to a steady flow and not furious lava rampaging through her veins, he nodded softly. “Breathe for me, Baby.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” he murmured, his thumbs brushing away the tears. Once she took a deep breath in, he turned back to see Roger. The ranch hand had Timothy bound and gagged, already slung over the back of Killer. Betty approached softly, her hooves tentative and gaze on Will’s. Her shoulders softened and her horse trotted up alongside her.
“What he say, Roger?” Boone called out.
“Says Simon’s got a herd, running it to the stronghold and was gonna claim it was ours. Take the money and disappear.” Roger dusted off his hands.
Will inhaled sharply through her nose.Boone’s right, you need to breathe; killin’ Two Toes won’t help right now.After a moment to cool her wrath before she burst out in wings, she left a single, strong pat against Betty’s side. “Well, looks like we’re riding early boys. You both ready to go?”
“Cows are up, my hooves are good to go.” Roger tipped his hat to her.
“Lemme clean up camp,” Boone sighed, looking between the two of them before he gave a nod to Roger. “We leave as soon as the bags are packed, go ahead and meander that way. We’ll take up the rear.”
Willamina took a moment to lead Betty to the saddle and let herself calm down enough to steady her hands as she strapped her familiar in. Betty left an affectionate boop against her side. Will threw her arms around her neck and hugged her tight.Kaffa, hold tight girl, we’re coming for you.
Good news was Simon was likely riding Kaffa like a smug asshole. Bad news, she couldn’t just bust out in wings and shoot the man from the night sky. The cattle had to come first. Getting those cows turned in first was the prime directive. Once they were accounted for and the money was in her sack…Then I’m gonna murder that idiot.
Jacobus is never allowed to make other friends again.She muttered against Betty’s neck, “He gets Boone and that’s fuckin’ it.”
“What’s that?” Boone threw himself up and into the saddle. Their bags were packed, and his hand was extended to her. She took it and threw herself up into her saddle.
“I said Jacobus isn’t allowed to make any other friends. He gets you, Roger, Levi, and Gracie. That’s fuckin’ it.”
“I’ll second that.”
Will clicked her teeth at the same time she pressed into Betty’s side, letting her familiar know they were ready to go. The cattle were already getting back into formation and moving through the night.Simon, count your fucking days!
Chapter Fourteen
Boone
Boone was taking a deep gulp of water out of his canteen, the sun barely rising above the horizon when he felt the distinct tingle up his spine of a sending spell.What the?
