Sea continued. They honestly believe they can cut the map from my back and carry it away like a piece of hide. The thought sent a chill straight through my bones. Would that even work? No.
Nako made the map differently. It's bound to my blood and to my life. If they cut the skin away, the markings would disappear. But those men don't know that. Or maybe they simply don't care.
Who are they? The most dangerous one is Boon Voss. He's a ruthless treasure hunter. He has killed plenty of men and he's been hunting me for years. Where is he now?
I don't know. Her answer left the kitchen dead silent. That's why we have to move fast, she continued. We need to leave before Boon Voss finds me. I pushed back from the table and stood.
All right, then we start now. What does the map show? Seiya rose as well. Come with me. I'll show you.
We went upstairs to her room. She closed the door, turned her back to me, and once again loosened her blouse. I tried to look only at what mattered, but it was nearly impossible not to stare. Not for any improper reason, but because the thing stretched across her skin was unlike anything I had ever seen. "Look here," she said, pointing near the top of her back.
This mark shows where we are right now. A small star-shaped symbol rested on her skin. It marked the place where my ranch stood. And here, she said, pointing lower down, is the first landmark. They call it three rocks.
It's a stone formation about 3 days north of here. And what are we supposed to find there? The first clue. The map is divided into three stages. Each one takes us closer to the treasure.
What about the second stage? I don't know yet. It won't reveal itself until we reach the first. How can a map do that? Seiya glanced back over her shoulder.
I told you Nako was an Apache shaman. This map is not ordinary. It lives. The markings change depending on where we are. It sounded impossible.
Then again, after seeing those lines across her skin with my own eyes, I wasn't sure I had much room left to call anything impossible. All right, I said. Then we ride for three rocks. When do we leave? Right now.
Now. Every minute we waste gives Boon Voss one more minute to get closer. We packed quickly. food, water, weapons, blankets, and only what we could carry. I saddled two horses, one for me and one for Seiya. She had never ridden alone before, but she learned so quickly it caught me by surprise.
Within a short time, she was handling the rains like someone who had spent years in the saddle. "You ready?" I asked. "Ready?" And just like that, our journey began. We rode north beneath a desert sun that showed mercy to no living thing. For hours neither of us said much.
The only sound was the steady drum of hooves striking dry earth as miles of sand, stone, and scrub rolled past us. Not long's afternoon, Seiya finally broke the silence. Cade. Yeah. Why are you doing all this?