Chapter 3: The Man Who Came With A Lie
The man on the ridge did not look surprised.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Any normal person would have stopped when they saw hundreds of Apache warriors surrounding a ranch. They would have turned around. They would have wondered if they had walked into a battle they could not win.
But this man simply sat on his horse and smiled.
Like he had expected to find us exactly this way.
Aiyana stood beside me, her shoulders tense.
Not afraid.
Ready.
I glanced at her.
“You know him.””
She did not look away from the rider.
“Yes.””
“Who is he?””
Her jaw tightened.
“My brother.””
The words landed harder than I expected.
I looked back at the man.
He was younger than Tahoma but older than Aiyana. His dark hair was pulled back, and his clothing was cleaner than the other riders. He carried himself like someone who believed the world belonged to him.
Two men followed behind him.
Then four more.
Not an army.
But enough to cause trouble.
The man raised a hand.
“Little sister.””
His voice carried across the valley.
Aiyana did not answer.
The man smiled wider.
“That is no way to greet family.””
I felt the tension around me increase.
The Apache warriors did not move.
But every single one of them was watching.
The rider slowly guided his horse down the slope.
Tahoma stepped forward.
“Stop there.””
The man ignored him.
Instead, he looked at me.
“So this is the rancher.””
I tightened my grip on my rifle.
“Depends who is asking.””
The man laughed.
“I like that answer.””
Aiyana’s voice cut through the air.
“Do not listen to him, Corvin.””
The man looked offended.
“Still protecting strangers before your own blood?””
Aiyana’s expression remained cold.
“Still lying to everyone who listens?””
The smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
There was something between them.
Something old.
Something painful.
The man looked back at me.
“My name is Kael.””
He said it like I should already know him.
“I came here because my sister has been missing for days. We were worried.””
I looked at Aiyana.
She shook her head slightly.
A warning.
Do not believe him.
Kael noticed.
“So she has already filled your head with stories.””
I said nothing.
He continued.
“My sister has always been stubborn. She runs from responsibility, then convinces people she is a victim.””
Aiyana took one step forward.
“Enough.””
Kael looked at her.
“Enough?””
His voice became sharper.
“You disappear. You put yourself in danger. You refuse your duty. And now you hide behind strangers?””
The warriors around us shifted.
Not because they believed him.
Because they were angry.
I looked between them.
“What duty?””
Neither sibling answered.
That told me more than words could.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“You really did not tell him?””
Aiyana remained silent.
Kael smiled.
“Interesting.””
He looked at me.
“Do you know who you gave water to yesterday?””
I glanced at Aiyana.
“She told me her name.””
“That is not what I asked.””
The wind moved through the valley.
Kael leaned forward.
“This woman is not a lost traveler. She is the daughter of a chief. A person whose decisions affect hundreds of lives.””
I looked at Aiyana.
She did not deny it.
Kael continued.
“You gave shelter to someone whose enemies would gladly burn this entire valley to reach her.””
My expression hardened.
“And you came here to warn me?””
Kael smiled.
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
I noticed.
“So why are you here?””
He looked at Aiyana.
“To bring my sister home.””
Aiyana finally spoke.
“Do not pretend.””
Kael’s face changed.
“You always hated that I understood you.””
“No.””
Her voice was calm.
“I hate that you use understanding as a weapon.””
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then Kael turned his horse slightly.
“You have no idea what she has caused.””
I stepped forward.
“And you have no idea what I saw.””
Kael looked at me.
“I saw a woman who needed water.””
Aiyana’s eyes shifted toward me.
“And I saw a man who gave it without asking what I could offer him.””
For the first time, Kael looked uncertain.
Only briefly.
But enough.
He looked back at his men.
Then at the warriors surrounding the ranch.
“This is not finished.””
Tahoma answered.
“No. It is not.””
Kael pulled the reins.
Before leaving, he looked directly at Aiyana.
“You should have stayed away.””
Then he looked at me.
“And you should have let her die of thirst.””
The words hung in the air.
I expected anger.
Instead, Aiyana looked almost sad.
Because whatever happened between them had been broken long before today.
Kael turned his horse away.
The riders followed.
But before they disappeared over the ridge, one of his men stopped.
He looked back.
And shouted something.
Aiyana’s face changed.
She understood.
“What did he say?”” I asked.
She did not answer immediately.
Then she whispered:
“He said they already found the ranch.””
My stomach tightened.
“Found it?””
Aiyana looked toward the tree line.
“They were never looking for me.””
A cold feeling moved through my chest.
“Then what were they looking for?””
She looked at my house.
At the land I had spent my life protecting.
May you like
Then she said the one thing I did not want to hear.
“Something hidden here.””
