Dark Solace by Tara Fox Hall Page A

what do you want to focus on?” I asked him.
    “My saw is still bound,” one of the bears
said grumpily. “Why don’t you fix that?”
    I nodded, then went over and examined the
bound saw. “You’re in a depression,” I said. “First, is there a log
roller here? It would be about four feet long. It should have a
spike on one end, and a hinged hook.”
    “There’s one in the garage,” Lash hissed.
“Nick, go get it now.”
    Nick took off at a run.
    I took out my saw, and made sure that the gas
and oil caps were tight. I got it started after only a few tries,
then motioned the bears out of the way. I cut into the log at an
angle about three inches away from the bound saw, then made another
cut down, breaking out a large slice of wood.
    “How is that going to help—?” one bear began
sarcastically.
    “Shut up, Keith,” Lash hissed dangerously.
“She knows what she’s doing.”
    Trying not to feel drunk with his praise, I
made another cut in the open slice spot, cutting towards the saw
and the center of the log. When I was within an inch of it, the
bound blade loosened.
    I pulled out my saw, letting it idle. “You’re
free.”
    Keith lifted his saw out slowly. “I don’t
believe it,” he said incredulously.
    I grinned. “That is why you fail,” I said in
my lowest tones, then began laughing.
    Lash laughed, but most of the bears looked
confused, glancing at one another.
    “Star Wars?” I said finally, rolling my eyes.
“Know Yoda? The scene with the X-Wing and the Force?”
    “They’re too young,” Lash hissed with a
smile. “Start instructing, Jedi Master.”
    “Start with the branches first, then the
tops,” I said. “Work your way down the trees. If you cut in the
middle again, the saw will bind just like it did before. We’re in
an uneven patch of ground.”
    Several of the bears began powering up
chainsaws. Keith and I started in, quickly severing branches, then
cutting pieces to length as the majority of the bears began
stacking and mulching. When we reached the trunk, I showed Keith
how to work down it using the logroller for support and
leverage.
    “I’m not cutting straight!” Keith said with
irritation.
    “Neither am I,” I replied. “And I’ve been
doing this for years. Just do the best you can.”
    By six p.m., all the trees had been taken
care of, plus a load of wood had been stacked in my truck for me to
take home.
    “I appreciate this,” I said to Lash. “It’ll
save Theo and me a lot of work. It’s all ash and maple, good
hardwood. We were behind on wood cutting anyway with me being
pregnant.”
    Lash nodded. “Dev has no use for it anyway,
other than for bonfires. He’s only got the one fireplace.” He
turned to the bears around us. “We’re done for the day, unless
you’re on duty.”
    The group of us began slowly walking towards
the house. All of us were tired, and covered with sweat, including
Lash. He’d pitched in with the rest; he’d been the one to load my
truck with wood.
    I wiped at the layer of dried mud on my face,
tired and satisfied. I was a disaster to look at, but I felt
absolutely wonderful. I’d done something today that mattered. My
helping had made a real difference, not only in saving time and
effort, but in getting to know the men guarding me. I’d learned
their names today. That already made me feel more like someone who
belonged here and less like a visitor.
    The group of bears was now ahead of Lash and
me. I’d thought we were just slow until I caught on that Lash was
making sure they kept moving ahead of us, keeping eye contact with
any who lagged behind until they sped up.
    “Titus will teleport the rest of the wood for
you tomorrow,” Lash hissed. “And I thank you again, for your help.
I didn’t expect us to finish today.”
    “Why did you want me to come to Hayden an
extra day?” I asked. “Dev’s been swamped all this week with more
Canadian loose ends. Something’s always coming up he has to
handle.”
    Lash