Page 17 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

“That’s what she said,” Riley smirked.

It took me a minute to realize Riley had made a real joke. It felt like forever since I’d heard her say one. Willow and I shared a look, dragging out a moment of awkward silence, and then I was laughing so hard I almost missed the turn off.

“What’s so funny?” Harper stretched out her arms, waking as we bumped over the dirt road.

“Nothing,” the three of us said as one, trying to get our faces straight.

Riley pulled out her phone from where it sat on the charger. “Still no service.”

“There won’t be,” I said. “We can try and get some in town if the local cell towers are still standing. But even before the quakes, we didn’t get any service out here.”

Out here was the middle of nowhere, where I was born and raised. The familiarity of the terrain gave me a sense of déjà vu.

This was the place my grandfather cultivated by raising steers, and where my father continued the business until he’d been forced to sell the herd and surrounding land to the government.

This dirt was in my blood.

There was the gnarled pinyon tree I’d crawled into and hid for hours when they told me I had to start kindergarten. Later, I used it as a hiding spot to watch the road and read books I had no business reading at twelve years old.

Past the tree was the dirt trail where I’d spent hours riding Mule up to the mountains and caves beyond.

Addie would whine dramatically when we left her in the corral. But she was too precious to risk hurting during our silly mountain escapades.

I smiled to myself, feeling the tug ofhomeall around us. Despite how long I’d been gone and what had happened when I left, this was my land.

No one could take that from me.

I chuckled a little, hearing those words as a distant memory, spoken in my dad’s voice. He’d been so sure I’d come back someday.

Well, Daddy, you were right.

Here I was. Home.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes.

“Was that fence always there?” Riley asked.

My eyes shot open as the Bronco coasted down the hill. “No.”

“Did we take the wrong road?” Willow leaned over the front seat.

“No.” I slowed to a stop, feeling my jaw tick in anger. I knew exactly where I was, but I didn’t know why there was a gate and padlock on my property.

“Did someone move out here?” Willow looked around, offering a solution. “You could have new neighbors. That might be nice.”

“Grab me the pistol from the glovebox.” I put the Bronco into park on the dirt road.

“The… what?” Willow gasped.

Riley popped open the hatch, handing my Smith and Wesson M&P 22 over to me.

“Does Auntie Ember have a gun?” Harper screeched from her car seat.

A pistol up front and her dad’s old .410 rifle in the back.

Women can never be too prepared.

“She does.” I turned to smile at Harper. “You never touch this. Understood?”

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