Blood Blade Sisters Series by Michelle McLean Page B

gave out money, it would be questioned. We do give a bit of money when we can, but mostly we provide goods to keep the people from starving. The Jorgensens there,” Cilla said, nodding at the cottage beyond the trees, “they used to do a good business back when the town was full of miners, selling pans, shovels, picks…just about anything the miners needed.”
    She notched the arrow against the string again, though she didn’t draw it back yet. “Mrs. Jorgenson was in town the other day, had barely scraped together enough to buy a tiny sack of flour that won’t last her family more than a couple days. That sack,” she said, nodding at the now-covered mound in the dirt, “will last them months.”
    “And the fencing posts?”
    “We heard they’d lost part of their fence in the last storm that blew through. They could make their own posts, of course, but Mr. Jorgenson isn’t as spry as he used to be. And we had extra.”
    A trickle of what Leo suspected was shame crept through him. He tried to ignore it. He had every right to be suspicious of the secrets the sisters kept.
    “What about the arrow?” He reached out to touch a poppy that had been tied to the shaft.
    Cilla released a harried sigh that would have done his mother proud, but she answered him. “Lets them know that Blood Blade left them a present.”
    She took aim again and clumsily loosed an arrow. It didn’t fly straight, but it did hit the side of the barn with a soft thunk. Leo caught a glimpse of a faint smile before she covered her face again.
    “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a lot more work to do.”
    “Let me help.”
    She started to shake her head but Lucy chimed in before she could say no. “Come on, Cilla. The horses could move faster if they weren’t weighed down so much, and we could be done sooner and back in bed.”
    She stifled a yawn and Leo could see Cilla wavering. He was surprised at how much he wanted her to say yes. Only a few minutes before, he’d been certain that she was getting ready to bury his brother’s body in the dead of night, and now here he was nearly salivating at the chance to help her. He wasn’t sure what had caused the change of heart, though the fact that she’d been burying flour and not his only sibling went a long way in her favor.
    All he knew was that he couldn’t just leave her alone. She looked so tired. In all the time he’d been at the ranch, he hadn’t seen her stop once. She spent all day mending fences, tending their small field of crops, taking care of the animals, or doing whatever else needed doing to run the ranch, and he’d be willing to bet that while he’d been slumbering away, she’d remained awake, getting her “presents” ready for delivery like some Robin Hood–style Santa Claus.
    Finally, she nodded. “Fine. But keep quiet, do what I say, and stay out of my way. And cover your face.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” he said, yanking a handkerchief out of his pocket to tie around his face.
    Cilla and Lucy filled his saddlebags with all sorts of contraband—food stuffs, packets of seeds, vials of medicine. Even a few small bags of coin and precious gold nuggets.
    Once everything was redistributed, Cilla clasped Lucy in a quick hug. “Be careful. Meet back here in three hours.”
    Lucy nodded, mounted her horse, and was gone before Leo could say a word.
    “Where is she going?” he asked.
    Cilla mounted her own horse. “The Hudner family’s about an hour’s ride up the mountain trail. The father broke his leg, hasn’t been able to work. Frank’s been threatening to evict them if they can’t pay their rent. So Blood Blade decided to make a small donation.”
    Leo couldn’t see her face, but he could hear the satisfaction in her voice. Though he’d had no hand in the help they were providing, even he felt a twinge of gratification knowing he was helping thwart Frank in aiding the deserving family.
    “Since you’ve insisted on tagging along, Lucy can make the run up the