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Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Elizabeth Goddard
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. FIFTY-THREE
  60. FIFTY-FOUR
  61. FIFTY-FIVE
  62. FIFTY-SIX
  63. FIFTY-SEVEN
  64. FIFTY-EIGHT
  65. FIFTY-NINE
  66. SIXTY
  67. SIXTY-ONE
  68. SIXTY-TWO
  69. SIXTY-THREE
  70. SIXTY-FOUR
  71. SIXTY-FIVE
  72. A Preview of Book 2 in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURAGE Series
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgments
  75. About the Author
  76. Back Ads
  77. Back Cover

Though fire played a natural role in forest management, it was a destructive force to be reckoned with.

Especially when you were in the middle of it!

Terra was on the side of the blaze opposite of where Jack would have approached on the trail. She hadn’t been able to text him again.

Terra rubbed her temples.

If only she could let him know she’d made it out of the cabin alive. The only way to do that was to make her way to safety and tell him herself. Even though the fire was heading east, the direction could change at a moment’s notice, putting her in danger. Depending on how hot the fire burned, it could rage through previously soaked areas, which could slow it down but sometimes not enough.

As it was, trapped on this side of the fire line was bad enough without the fact that the arsonist was out there somewhere too. He could still be a threat. Terra did a 360. Her breath caught when she spotted more flames coming in from the west. The arsonist?

Whatever the reason, her escape route options were diminishing fast.

A wave of heat hit her. She turned back to the closer fire racing this direction. Trees crackled and burst into flames much too close for comfort. A small swath of evergreens still remained between her and the Grayback River to the north of her no more than two miles away.

Terra scrambled down and over the rocky outcropping, heading for the thick woods that would soon be engulfed. Making it to the river before the flames caught up would be a race against time. She would have to run even though she was already dehydrated. Terra paced herself as she dashed between trees, over dry pine needles, and around shrubs and undergrowth. Here most of it was dry and would feed the fire.

Terra gasped for breath. Sweat beaded on her face, her back, every inch of her body. She couldn’t afford to lose more fluid, but what could she do?

What’s more, her limbs cramped and threatened to give out.

Hot flames bore down on her from behind as she made her way to the river. Hundreds of glowing sparks floated and swirled in the air.

Chuff, chuff, chuff.

A helicopter.

She glanced up and spotted the chopper swooping over the forest. Terra was in the trees. They would never see her. She had another half mile or more to get to the river. Leaning over her knees, she caught her breath. Sucked in the dry, hot air. Pushed through a coughing spasm before she pressed on.

As she neared the river, the terrain grew rocky. A wide band of large boulders lined the river all the way to the bank. At least it wasn’t a canyon or a ravine that could trap her in the forest. She could climb down.