“Take cover!”

The urgency of his words jarred her into action. Cassie wheeled her mount to the right, intent on moving into the trees.

A shot sounded, and her horse reared. Her heart jumped into her throat, and her fingers tightened on the reins. She managed to stay seated, but when the stallion reared a second time, she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground.

CHAPTER 40

Levi saw Cassie fall, and his heart stopped. He forced in a breath, his pulse kicking into high gear when Cassie’s mount raced down the hill toward the stables.

Levi drew his weapon and evaluated the area. He couldn’t think about what he would do if the shooter had been successful in killing Cassie. He had to believe she was still alive, if only to give him a reason to keep moving.

Cassie moaned and started to sit up.

Levi’s relief rose only to be overshadowed by his training.

“Stay down!” Levi shouted. He drew his weapon and urged his mount forward. He fired off a shot toward the woods, hoping to keep the shooter at bay.

His horse broke stride and jerked to the left. “Easy.” Levi urged the animal into motion again, racing forward until he reached where Cassie lay.

He swung down from the saddle and kept the horse between Cassie and the trees where the shot had originated. “Are you hurt?”

“I don’t think so.” She rolled onto her side. “Can I sit up now?”

“Yeah.” Levi put his hand on her arm. “Come on. We need to take cover.”

“Was that someone . . . ?”

“Someone was shooting at you,” Levi said. He evaluated the surrounding area. The only place the person could shoot from while hidden was the woods along the nearby ridge. That was also the only place they wouldn’t be exposed unless . . . Levi’s thought trailed off, his gaze now trained on the cliffs to their left. “I know you aren’t going to want to hear this, but I need you to hide on the cliffs.”

Panic immediately flared on her face. “Levi, I can’t.”

“You have to. The shooter is in the woods, and we can’t hide behind the horse forever.”

Another shot sounded, and Cassie squeaked in alarm. Levi’s mount jerked his head back, the reins cutting into Levi’s fingers.

Another gunshot, and the horse jerked again, this time rearing back enough to break free.

Out of options, Levi fired off two shots, grabbed Cassie’s arm, and pulled. “Come on!”

Cassie barely had her feet under her before Levi started running toward the cliffs. He squeezed off another shot to provide them cover. Levi thought Cassie’s fear of bullets had succeeded in helping her overcome her fear of heights because she kept pace with him right until the drop to the water came into view.

Immediately, her gait changed, and she stutter stepped to a stop. “I can’t.”

Levi couldn’t understand how Cassie could let her fear of heights overshadow the fact that someone was shooting at them. “It’s only a few more feet.”