Chapter 10 - Silver Beneath the Sacred Ground
They returned immediately.
Voss reached the valley first.
He brought hired men and mining equipment.
But this time the people were prepared.
Judge Whitaker had issued federal protections pending investigation.
Voss ignored them.
He ordered workers to begin digging.
Naya stood in front of the equipment.
Elias stood beside her.
Then Keme.
Then Thomas.
Then dozens of families.
Voss shouted, “Move!”
Nobody did.
“This land belongs to the territory!”
Naya held up her father's original survey.
“No.”
Voss reached for a pistol.
A marshal stepped from behind Elias.
“That's enough.”
Voss froze.
Judge Whitaker had anticipated him.
The arrest was quiet.
Almost disappointingly so.
After months of fear, the conspiracy ended not with a gunfight but with handcuffs and documents.
Weeks passed.
The court confirmed the fraudulent transfers.
Land was restored.
Calder received a lengthy prison sentence after convictions for kidnapping, robbery and murder.
Officials connected to him were removed or prosecuted.
Thomas was granted leniency for cooperating, though he still had to answer for crimes committed while working undercover without authorization.
For Elias, the greatest change was quieter.
He stayed.
He helped rebuild.
He repaired roofs.
Fixed wells.
Taught children to ride his stubborn horse.
Naya watched him becoming part of a community without realizing it.
One evening she found him repairing a fence.
“You stay?”
“For a while.”
“How long while?”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“No reason.”
“Naya.”
“Yes?”
“You're terrible at pretending you don't care.”
She smiled.
“So are you.”
Elias stepped closer.
“Naya.”
Her expression changed.
He took her hand.
“You said I wasn't your husband yet.”
“Yes.”
“What would make me one?”
Her eyes widened.
For once, Naya had no clever answer.
Then Thomas shouted from across the field.
“Try asking properly!”
Elias turned.
“I swear I'll shoot him.”
Naya laughed.
But before Elias could continue, a rider arrived carrying a telegram.
It was addressed to Thomas.
He opened it.
His smile disappeared.
Calder had escaped custody during transport.
Again.
But this time he had sent a message.
One sentence.
I'M COMING FOR MERCER'S WIFE.
Naya read it.
Then looked at Elias.
“See?”
He frowned.
“See what?”
“Even Calder knows.”
Despite himself, Elias laughed.
Then he loaded his rifle.
May you like
Because the final reckoning was coming.
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