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Page 364

| against the parched ground, made Sasha soar with a relieved joy. When she caught sight of Ashton as he swung himself out of his saddle, Crispin following his lead beside him, she began crying and silently thanking the Lord for looking out for the man she loved. |

| The rest of the men soon appeared. Everything became frantic as the horses were slapped and shoved into the river, the men following. Some ran into the water, others dove in headfirst, until they were all standing in a tight circle, breathlessly awaiting their fate. |

| Sasha gave the soaked blankets to Crispin and Ashton and as many other men as she could, then moved into Ashton's arms. She scarcely breathed as she watched the trees overhead catch fire. Then she could not help herself. She screamed and clung more tightly to Ashton when the gale-force winds driving the fire caused a vacuum into which fire-balls were sucked, then bounced from tree to tree until not a tree was spared from the red torrent rushing through them. |

| "It's time to swim to the center of the river!" Ashton shouted. He held onto Sasha and swam with her alongside him until they were out of the reach of the falling, flaming limbs. |

| Still clinging to Ashton, treading water alongside him, Sasha gaped openly at the spectacle. The water at the riverbank seemed to be on fire as the burning limbs piled up one on top of the other. The gushing sound of the racing fire and winds made a sound like that of a speeding train. |

| "Oh, Ashton," Sasha cried, turning her eyes away from the horrors of the fire. "What are we to do?" |

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