“My God…”
“Better?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Mei’s entire body relaxed.
“If it gets cold, let me know and I’ll warm it back up for you.”
Mei shifted, opening her eyes. “Warm it back up? We’d be on the road by then.”
Linus was the one to answer this time. “Not today,” he said. “Miss Violet has insisted that we take time to rest while you regain your strength.”
Mei huffed. “Horseshit. A few hours like this and I’ll be right as rain.”
Rory, his mouth messy with strawberry jam, piped up. “We don’t like it when you bleedin’, Mei. We know it hurts ya, and hurts ya bad, but you never let us help. Sides, we don’t mind stoppin’ a bit.”
“It is wise to know one’s limitations,” Sitting Bear added. “If we are caught and you are weak, we are all weak.”
Mei pushed herself up, her hair still stuck to her sweating face and neck. “Now you look here,” she began. “I ain’t no meek female. I’m worth twice any man’s weight in gold—” She stopped only when Violet laid a hand on her shoulder.