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Page 297
"What happened to you?" Cyrus asked again to take his mind off the pain.
She looked at her knee, then reached down and squeezed her ankle.
"It's my own damned fault. I couldn't see shit, but I was in such a hurry I twisted my ankle coming down the trail. Then, not long after that, I slipped on some loose rocks and took a chunk out of my knee. I didn't think it was too bad until it started to swell. I had to crawl the last few yards here like some kind of animal. . . . Sorry."
She was quiet for a moment as she watched his arm heal.
"Uh, Russ? Where are they?"
He snorted angrily. "In a display of my own amazing tactical skills, I not only managed to lose my arm, but I had to slink off before I lost my head too."
"Why do you always run yourself down like that?"
"Jesus, Kyna, look at me! If by some miracle my blood hadn't sprayed in their faces we'd be dead now."
"Maybe that's what I deserve."
"Cut the crap," he snapped. "Come on. We can't stay here. How long was I out?"
"Just a couple of minutes. Your arm had started to grow back even before you fainted."
Cyrus pushed himself to his feet with his good arm. "Well, the head honchono pun intendedand his sidekick were right behind me and I don't think I'm much of a match for them right now. Time to boogie."
"I can't walk, Russ. I can't even crawl." Kyna pointed to her swollen ankle.
"I don't want to hear it, Kyna. Off your ass and on your feet."
She began to sob again. "I can't. Don't you think I tried? I didn't know who was going to be coming down that path. I can't walk and yelling at me isn't going to change anything."
He dropped to his knees and pushed his face so close to hers that she could see the veins in his eyes.
"Didn't you hear what our friend has in that little leather

 
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