Someone begins shuffling quietly through the dirt. We turn to see Bennett and his father backing up. If they wanted to make a quiet break for it, they’re too late.

“The Good Mother will destroy those that harm her people,” Bear Paws says in a low rumbling voice. Bennett raises his hands and starts to explain while his pop pulls his rifle around. Bear Paws is faster on the draw. He aims his antique rifle.

A gun explodes. I throw myself to the Jeep floor. Bullets ping the side of the Jeep and rattle over us. I curl myself around Ethan until the firing stops. There’s a watery moan. Then silence.

I raise my head until I can see the bodies. Bennett and his father lie on the ground. The dust beneath them puddles with blood. Before I can process this, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I swivel toward it and see our unknown shooter. Clay, his cowboy hat tucked so low that his face is all shadow, pads toward us. The silver revolvers in his hands glint in the sun. His face is a mask of deadly calm.

I’ve never been so happy to see him.

He steps into the clearing between the vehicles, completely uncovered. What is he doing? They’ll see him and he got nowhere to hide. The Riders are busy turning out Bennett’s pockets, but they’ll look up soon enough. Clay doesn’t wait for them to turn. He calls out.

“Heard you slimy bastards like making boys cry.” He thumbs down his safeties with a decisive click. “Let’s see how you like me.”

Three Riders snap around, raising their weapons, but their movements are slow like they were moving underwater. Clay fires so fast, his hands are a silver blur. The dual shots crack through the canyon like twin smacks of a bullwhip.

A bullet sinks into the taller twin’s neck with a thud. He lurches back, eyes wide. He gurgles, clutches his throat and falls to his knees. His clawing hands can’t stop the blood pouring through his fingers, splattering the side of our Jeep, coating his chest. He falls into the sand, in a red, muddy puddle.

So much blood. My breathing hitches and my hands tremble. But Clay’s here. For a moment, I think it’ll be all right. Then Bear Paws raises his rifle to his shoulder and fires at Clay.