Kate explained her plan to Thane as they walked. “The way I figure it, if we’re still being hunted I’m hoping they’ll expand their search further with how much time has passed. If we run into them, which is the less preferable scenario, I’m hoping they’ll see it as a sign we’ve given up and they won’t attack us.”

Thane nodded wearily, it had been a while since he’d last been wounded like this and wasn’t used to it. He likely had made the injury worse by pulling ...