Never Surrender Read Online Free PDF

her, who pointed in his
companion’s direction.
    “No!” Kate shouted, but he prodded her shoulder,
forcing her to take a few more steps, only to stop again. Shaking her head and
widening her eyes, she had enough. “No, I’m not going up that mountain with
you. Why can’t you just release me?”
    His gaze appeared as determined as her own, and he
slowly reached for the knife sheathed at the waist of his buckskin leggings.
Her breath caught as new fear seized her stomach, knotting it.
    Kate held up her hands in protest. “Fine...I’m going.”
    She walked with the Indians, their horses trailing
behind while they traveled through a thick forest. A meadow before them on the
mountainside ended at the dense forest line ahead. Above the trees, snow covered
the mountain’s peak, amazing Kate at its height. Though sunshine began to warm
the morning, she knew the weather would grow cooler the higher they traveled.
Reluctant, she trudged on through the meadow, then followed the warrior already
entering the woods on the meadow’s far side.
    She turned around to look one last time from where
they had come. A stream snaked through the beautiful green valley below,
weaving itself around sparsely scattered trees and bushes. A warm, sage-scented
breeze caught at her hair, blowing it back from her face as she began to walk,
sending warmth into her cold, stiff muscles.
    Hours later, the soles of her feet tender, Kate
refused to give in to her need for rest, hoping instead the warriors would stop
sometime soon. She wished for her softer Asics walking shoes rather than her
good snakeskin boots she now wore. Blisters wouldn’t be forming then!
    The cool water rushing down the narrow mountain stream
would feel exquisite on her throbbing feet right now; even though she knew it
was impossible. The warriors must be in a hurry to arrive at their destination,
wherever that might be in this rocky wilderness; they seemed to trudge on
forever.
    Except for the roar of the water over the rocks, the
woods were silent. Perspiration trickled down Kate’s back. She carried the
blanket in her hand now, and she brought up her other arm up to wipe the
dampness from her face. Not daring to stop even for a moment’s rest, she moved
ahead.
    The path became steeper, and her energy waned. Her
heart raced from the exertion and the high altitude stole her breath. She
continued to climb over rocks and skirt around tree stumps. Then stepping upon
a decayed log, Kate’s foot slipped.
    She cried out as her feet scrambled to keep her
upright. Losing the battle, she stumbled downhill, unable to grasp anything to
stop her descent.
    Reaching out for trees she passed, Kate’s fingers
burned when the bark split open her skin. By digging in her heels, she steadied
her feet and slowed her pace, then tripped over a large rock. Her head and back
slammed into a tree where she landed at its base. Pain shot through her
shoulder blades and finally giving up the struggle, she allowed herself to
slump to the ground in agony.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Taima walked farther ahead of his companions, but the
woman’s scream made him turn around. He watched her slender body topple down
the hillside, watched her desperately attempt to hold on. Dropping the
parfleches he carried, Taima ran toward her, his long hair tugging on his scalp
as it caught on low branches. Before he could reach the woman, he saw her body
crumpled at the base of a pine tree, face down among the brown needles. He
hurried to her side. Though he hadn’t wanted a woman traveling with them, he
didn’t wish her any harm. He’d only brought her along to keep her away from the
treacherous Blackfoot warrior, who would have killed her for sure.
    Kneeling at her side, he lifted her long, dark braid
from her back, ignoring its silkiness. Gently, Taima touched the back of her
head, which rested on her extended arm. Something warm and sticky met his
fingers as he located the swollen bump and he looked into the dark gaze of