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Page 283

| thunderous gallop close behind Ashton. The air was hot on her facethe sun scorching. Her breathing was quick, yet shallow. Her bottom ached as it bounced up and down in the hard saddle. |

| And then the rise in the land was met and quickly left behind, and down below her along the flat stretch of land was a sight that turned Sasha's stomach inside out. Everywhere she looked lay slaughtered kangaroos, blood curling from their bodies. The shooting had stopped, and the men were off their horses cutting into the slain animals, some for meat, others for their pelts. It was a gruesome sight, making a bitter bile rise into Sasha's throat. |

| She swallowed hard, but that did not seem to quell her need to retch. She pulled hard on her reins and drew her horse to a halt, then slipped from the saddle and hung her head. Her throat spasmed over and over again as she emptied her stomach onto the ground. |

| The kangarooers were taken offguard and rose quickly with their hands in the air as Ashton and his men made a wide, threatening circle around them on their horses, their rifles drawn. Trying to ignore the slaughter of the beautiful animals, Ashton began sorting through the faces of the kangarooers, trying to find Ajax among them. |

| His spine stiffened. |

| Ajax was not there. |

| But Ashton was sure that these were the men who rode with Ajax. |

| "Okay, where is he?" Ashton finally shouted, aiming his rifle into the throng of bloody, whiskered men. "Where's Ajax? He's the only one I'm inter- |

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