God knew she might need to ride fast when she next mounted, and she would need the mare to be in the best shape possible. Afterward, Anna began to climb. Above her, a handful of the brightest stars already glowed against a sky bruised by the nightfall. To the west, the last stains of scarlet faded into oblivion. The full disk of the moon offered thin illumination, splashing eerie shadows in the lee of every rock. She hesitated and leaned against a cooling boulder. Climbing now was a fool’s errand. Even in the best light, the Indian trail was nearly undetectable. In the dimness, she might easily step off a steep slope or twist an ankle on loose gravel. Any injury in this place could easily prove fatal. And even when she reached the top, she would never see distant riders in the canyon. Yet after a brief rest, she pressed on as quickly as she could safely move. If she reached the top, there were some things that the darkness could not hide.
