It was a lynching mob, that much I was sure of, and the only thing holding it back was the knowledge that Morrison and his gang could wipe the whole lot of them out without breaking a sweat. And the only thing keeping them from turning on me was their belief that I was the only one who could take the gang down.

To tell you the truth, I was having some doubts about that last fact myself.

"Well, Marshall? What are you gonna do now?"

The voice wasn't one I recognized and by the time I turned away from my perusal of Morrison's hideout, I couldn't decide which of the mob had snarled out the question.

Three week as Marshall of Conameara and you've managed to piss off an entire town. Good job, Russell.

Shoving the spyglass shut-- the snap of the metal segments collapsing down into one another sounding a little too much like a Canston rifle being primed for my comfort-- I ignored the rest of the mob and focused on their leader. Harland Killinger, the wealthiest man in the Territories and the one who had managed to maneuver the last Territorial Marshall out of his job after getting the short end of the stick in a water rights argument. He stood with his arms crossed and a slight smile on his face. The smile did little to ease the sharp angles of his face, and the only reason I could tell he was even smiling was by the upward tilt of the heavy mustache the man had. I got the impression Killinger had me right where he wanted me to be.

Killinger had a lot to learn.

Not willing to show my hand and curious as to what his might be, I nodded politely at Killinger and asked, "Any suggestions?" I turned to glance back at the cliff the outlaws had holed up on. "Don't see any approaches that won't give those men a heads up--"

"Just call down a damn dragon and burn the bunch 'o them out!"

That voice I knew. I looked over at Gregorson Tendger. The rancher had suffered the most under Morrison's short reign of terror, having lost several ranch hands and his youngest son before my arrival, but calling down a dragon was the last thing I wanted to do. Outside of the fact that it was illegal, spell binding a dragon would leave me pretty much defenseless-- and I wasn't sure if we'd treed all of Morrison's gang yet.

"You are within your right to demand blood for blood, Tendger, but you aren't the only one who's got that right. My job is to bring as many of them in alive so that the other's get a chance to put in their two cents in as to what their final punishment will be."

"Well," Killinger drawled, "if you're that determined to bring them in alive Marshall, a few of my boys can help ya out there. They know that country like the back of their hands. If there's a way of getting up there without being seen, they'll find it for ya."

"That won't be necessary, Harland. I'll take him up there." a new voice said. "No reason to put your men in danger." Killington's expression shifted and for just a moment I saw anger simmering there.

The speaker stepped forward. I had met Josh two weeks earlier and had yet to figure out what the man's story was. Oh, there were more than a few tall tales running through the Territories about the cowboy with the winged horse, but I was beginning to get the impression not all of what I've heard was fiction.

The man nodded his head at Killinger and touched the rim of his hat. "I can get him up there faster than your men can, and you know it."

Killington snorted and shook his head. "There ain't no way that mare of yours can carry two, Josh."

A corner of Josh's lips twitched up in a smile and his demeanor was amused, but I didn't miss the way Josh's gray eyes hardened as he answered, "She can carry two."

The two men stared at one another for a few heartbeats, then Josh turned away first to look at me. "Come on, Marshall; best we get up there before the sun gets any lower." He nodded again to Killington.

"Might want to get these men set up on Margaret's Peak in case anyone decides to scamper out of there when things start heatin' up, Harland," he said. "Only route they're gonna be able to take if they make a break for it."

A whisper ran through the mob and it was clear Killinger had no choice but to agree to the suggestion.

As the crowd broke up, I gave Josh a look. "You're going to fly me up there." It wasn't so much a question as a statement of doubt.

"Yep." Josh turned and whistled sharply. A brown mare, no more than seven hands tall, trotted up to Josh and nuzzled his hand like a dog.

"This isn't exactly a subtle approach. They're not going to have any trouble seeing her taking off with us on her."

"That's why you're not going to be the one on her." Josh caught the mare's bridle and guided her back towards the trees. As we walked, Josh dipped his head down and pulled off his hat as he looked back over his shoulder at the men saddling up to follow Killinger. Once he was satisfied by something, he turned back and changed directions. I knew there was a meadow over there, but it would also be out of sight.

"What are you up too?" It seemed a simple enough question, but I had a suspicion the answer would not.

"A little misdirection." He nodded at me. "Hope ya don't need that scabbard by the way, or we might have a slight problem."

"My scabbard?" I frowned at him but before I could ask why I'd need to give it up, two men walked forward leading some horses. The answer to my question turned out to be with the man leading a high spirited stallion.

"Conty," Josh said, "Mr. Malhourn."

"Josh." Malhourn said, "Marshall." Malhourn tapped the pommel of a calvary sword, the same length as the one at my hip, against his forehead. The scabbard for the sword was plain and the wrong color to be mistaken for mine.

I gave Josh an annoyed look. "We're riding up there?"

Josh shook his head as he took the reins on the gelding Conty was leading. "Nope. We're riding somewhere else. There's only a few snipers up there, the rest of the gang's already moved on."

"Do I want to ask why you would know that?"

A grin flashed across Josh's face. "Probably not."

"Yeah," I muttered as I unhooked my sword, "thought you might say that." Josh took the stallion's bridle to free up Malhourn's hands. The switch only took a few moments, then Malhourn nodded to us and mounted up behind Conty on Josh's mare. She tossed her head in irritation, but a soft word from Josh calmed her down. The hunk of apple Conty then held out to her to munch also helped.

Once she was done, Conty hitched her into motion. She jumped into a gallop, then brought the wings down and kicked up off the ground. Airborne, I had to admit the two of them would pass as Josh and I.

Turning away, I found Josh already on Conty's horse and holding out the reins to the stallion. "And why aren't you riding him?" I asked as I gave the horse an annoyed look. I got the look returned in equal measure.

Josh shrugged. "Fastest runner in the Territories. If ya need to get out quick, Merdock here'll be your best bet for leaving your pursuers behind."

The flaw in that logic was the fact I needed to stay on Merdork long enough to accomplish that. I walked over to the stallion's side and had to hop once when he shied away while I had one foot in the stirrup. Pulling myself into the saddle, I then gathered up the reins from Josh and gestured him to lead the way.

"Any idea on how you're going to do this?"

"I just have to see them. If I can see them, I can bind them, then worry about getting back to town in one piece."