Rachael swallowed the sudden fear welling up. “Great. It isn’t like I can run from you either. They’ll offer you a lot of money to turn me over to them.” She shrugged, trying to be casual when she wanted to throw herself off the verandah and run. “Or maybe they’ll just ask you to kill me for them. Less trouble that way.”

His hand settled on her head. “Lucky for you, I’m not particularly interested in getting rich. I don’t need a lot of money living here. The fruit’s plentiful and I can easily hunt and trade for the things I need.” He rubbed strands of her wavy hair between the pads of his fingers. “I think I have a lazy streak.” He grinned at her. “Besides, you swing a mean stick. I don’t think I want to mess with you.”

“When they ask you, are you going to tell them where I am?”

“Why would I do that when I can keep you all to myself?”

Rachael tipped the rest of the juice down her throat. It was cooling and sweet. She rested her head on Rio’s shoulder and allowed herself to relax. The night was incredibly beautiful with so many different types of foliage and trees bowing gently in the wind. The rain played a melody in the background, almost soothing now that she was outside with the breeze blowing. She could see movement in the branches as gliders flitted from one tree to another.

“Are you going to let me guess, or are you just going to keep me in suspense? Why would someone be so intent on killing you?”

5

YOU know how to wreck a perfectly good evening, don’t you?” Rachael didn’t lift her head from the comfort of his shoulder, but stared out into the forest. Shadows moved from canopy to floor. A symphony of music made up of every kind of rustle, croak and insect sound accompanied the wind. “I always thought it would be quiet. The edges of the forest are so active, around the swamps. Fish jumping, and insects always busy, but for some reason I thought when I reached the interior it would be peaceful.”

“Think of it as songs of the forest. I’ve always loved the way the insects and birds sound against the leaves in the wind. It’s all music if you love it, Rachael.”

“I suppose it is. Why can’t people just leave us alone, Rio? Yes, I ran away. Does it really matter so much why I ran? Who I ran away from? What difference does it make all the way out here, in the middle of a forest?”