Axel made some sickly sound and, though bleary-eyed, Amelia scrambled to her feet. She remembered Doc's advice regarding the use of the cane as a weapon. Conk and stab. Fearing Axel was moments from death, she burst forward, the skinny tip poised, and plunged.

Another roar and a whirl. He reached back and pulled the rod from his side, then turned on Amelia, eyes blazing.

"Run," Axel choked out.

She could not. She'd frozen in fear. She'd shot, conked, and stabbed Monster Man/Dogface and now he was going to kill her. He lumbered forward, his hinged claw snapping like a grotesque lobster as he reached for her. She couldn't breathe and he'd yet to touch her. She heard a whoosh, then thunderous hooves, saw Axel struggling for his Blaster, heard a shot, then-G.o.d in heaven-saw blood spurting and gushing from the man's head. Droopy eyes wide, he faltered and reeled.

So much blood.

The edges of Amelia's vision blurred and her knees gave way just as Tucker vaulted off Peg's back and scooped her into his arms.

CHAPTER 25.

"What's wrong with her, Doc?"

"Concussion maybe. She's got a large b.u.mp on the back of her head."

"According to Ax's account," Tuck said, "she could've gotten that when she was thrown from the dinghy or knocked flat by Dogface Flannigan." He'd witnessed the latter through his spygla.s.s as he swooped down from the sky. It had sickened him, and filled him with murderous rage.

"Plus she has a fever. Maybe she caught a chill."

"Her clothes are damp."

"Get her out of them. Keep her warm. Even if she complains about being hot."

Tuck unwrapped her scarves and unlaced her boots. After making sure Axel could manage the dinghy on his own, he'd lifted an unconscious Amelia onto Peg and flown her back to the Maverick. Eli had taken Peg in hand, and Tuck had carried Amelia to his cabin. Lying in the middle of his big bed, she'd never looked so small or fragile.

Doc hovered, looking nearly as anxious as Axel when he'd confessed he'd been caught unaware. She saved my life, Axel had said. If he said it once, he said it five times.

"Also," Doc said, "I wouldn't rule out shock. Between the tussle and you shootin' Dogface dead in front of her...that's a lot to handle."

Tuck palmed her feverish brow. "Make her better. Now."

"I don't want to use my gift until I'm sure and certain of all her ailments, Marshal. Accelerated healing drains me. You know that. How severe is the concussion? Did she sustain a neck injury as well? Any internal bleeding? I don't want to waste immediate energy, only to miss something important."

"What can I do?"

"Like I said, keep her warm. Try to rouse her. Get her talking and keep her talking. Call for me when she's alert or if she takes a bad turn."

"Thanks, Doc." Tuck peeled off her duster, expecting the younger man to take his leave.

"Maybe we should turn back."

"What?"

"We've had nothing but misfortune since taking on Miss Darcy and her expedition."

"You falling in with Axel, Doc? Thinking Miss Darcy's bad luck?"

"No. No, of course not. But what if the treasure she seeks is to blame? What if it's cursed? Bad for her. Bad for us."

"It's not cursed."

"You know what the treasure is?"

Tuck paused in the middle of finessing Amelia out of a waistcoat. The layers were endless. "An invention of historical significance." He'd never known Doc to be so intrusive. It felt wrong. Bad.

"Something to do with a time machine?"

"Why would you ask, Doc?"

The man jammed his fingers through his spiky white hair. "We touched on the theory. When you were going through her things. Right after Captain Dunkirk kidnapped her. Remember?"

"I remember."

"Just saying...Just wondering...what we are getting into."

"Nothing we can't handle."

The frazzled man nabbed his medical bag. "I should see to Axel. Shout when there's a change."

Tuck spared Doc a look as he blew out of the cabin. What's goin' on with you, kid? Amelia moaned and all his thoughts turned to her. "Wake up, honey." He continued to strip off her clothes. Her chemise was bone-dry, so he stopped there and pulled the covers to her chin. "Amelia."

Her eyes fluttered open.

Thank you, Jesus.

She looked at him through glazed blue eyes. "What would you do for love?" she asked in a dreamy voice.

His heart lodged in his throat. "Just about anything, I expect." He'd sure as h.e.l.l killed Dogface without regret.

She traced her fingers along his jaw, quirked a sad smile. "Me too. Thirty percent."

"What?"

"Our deal. Help me deliver the ornithopter. If we win the prize...Thirty percent to you. That should...should be enough to buy Lily."

The mention of his sister caught him off guard. "How do you know about Lily?"

"Axel told me. You love her. You don't have to marry me to be with her. I don't...don't want to share you, so...Good-bye." Her fingers fell away. Her lashes fluttered closed.

"Amelia."

Someone knocked.

Tuck checked her breathing. Deep. Steady. She'd fallen back under. Dammit. He swung off the bed and opened the door.

Axel loomed on the threshold looking like he'd been to h.e.l.l and back. Bruised and bloodied face, scratched and discolored neck. "Why aren't you with Doc?"

"Told him I'd be back. I needed to see..." He peeked around Tuck's shoulder. "Doc said she'll be okay, but I needed to see for myself. She still out?"

Tuck moved partially into the hall and lowered his voice. "She woke long enough to mumble something about me loving Lily and her not wanting to stand in the way. Offered me a boodle of money, then said good-bye. She wasn't entirely coherent. What the h.e.l.l did you tell her, Ax?"

The big man frowned. "Just that...Oh, h.e.l.l. Don't think I mentioned Lily's your sister."

Tuck listened as Axel recounted the discussion he'd had with Amelia. He could only imagine what was going through her mind due to his engineer's fragmented story. Not that it had been his place to relate Tuck's business in the first place. "Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?"

"I shouldn't have taken her to the village. I thought...in and out. What were the chances Dogface Flannigan would be lyin' low in northern Italy? d.a.m.n slim to total zero, right?"

"Did he tell you he'd been hiding out? Maybe he'd been trackin' us all along. Revenge against us for turning him in to Scotland Yard. Or, h.e.l.l, maybe he got wind of Amelia and her treasure. Maybe, like Dunkirk, he wanted it for himself. Saw his chance to kidnap her when you two took off on your own."

"He didn't say nothin'. Just jumped me. I'm thinkin' the attack was inspired by revenge, pure and simple. Dogface was on the run, and what better place to hide than the Alps? Just my recent bad luck, he spied me alone in the village and figured he'd send you a message by way of my dead carca.s.s." Axel stole another look into the room. "She saved my life." He sounded amazed and chagrined and looked d.a.m.ned miserable. "Sorry, Marshal."

Tuck dragged a hand through his hair, absorbing his own measure of blame. "If I hadn't lost my temper and patience, I would've been aboard, where I should've been. I would've interceded before you two ever left the Maverick. You're not the only one guilty of poor judgment. Cut yourself some slack and have Doc tend those wounds."

Axel nodded. "Tell Miss Darcy I said thank you."

"You can tell her yourself when you're both on the mend." Tuck shut the door between them, figuring that from here on out Axel would be treating Amelia with the respect she'd deserved in the first place. Tuck had known from the moment he'd watched her go down with that kitecycle that she had guts. But he hadn't realized the extent of her courage and ingenuity until she'd gone up against Dogface in defense of Axel. h.e.l.l, she didn't even like the gruff engineer.

"Hot."

He turned and saw the lionhearted h.e.l.lion kicking off layers of covers. "Oh, no, you don't."

"Hot," she repeated when he tugged the blankets back up.

"Feverish. I need you to stay bundled and warm and I need you to wake up, Amelia." He gave her a shake. "Talk to me, dammit. Open your eyes." She did and he smiled. "Thirsty?"

She nodded.

He poured water from a pitcher and held the gla.s.s to her lips. She wrapped her warm hands over his and drank deeply. When she eased back against the pillow he asked, "Better?"

She nodded yes, then shook her head no. Tears sprang to her eyes. "I've never killed a man."

What the..."Amelia, look at me. Listen. You didn't kill Dogface Flannigan."

"Shot him."

"Stunned him."

"Stabbed him."

"Injured him." He gripped her shoulders. "You've got it addled in your mind, honey. Focus."

She licked her lips, breathed. "Mr. O'Donnell. No. He reached for his Blaster, but the shot came before." Clutching the blanket to her chest, she regarded him with confusion. "You?"

"I took Peg out to clear my mind. StarMan contacted me on a device we picked up on the black market. Something called a telecommunicator. We have four, although none of them work properly. At best, it's an emergency signal. A cry for aid. I a.s.sumed the Maverick was under attack. Upon return I learned you'd left the ship with Axel. I came after and..."

"You slayed the monster."

"I saw him attack you and followed instinct."

She shivered. "The blood."

"You need to put that out of your mind. Dogface was a smuggler, a coldhearted murderer who escaped persecution due to deep pockets and corruption. He had a fierce bone to pick with me and the crew. He would have killed Axel. He would have killed you." He cradled her flushed face. "Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Are you with me?"

"What?"

"You have a possible concussion and a definite fever. I need you to stay with me. Stay alert."

Another nod.

The relief was almighty. "I'll call Doc."

She grasped his arm with a feeble hand. "Please don't."

"Why not?"

"I just...I need a moment. With you."

The insecurity in her gaze shredded his soul. "You can have a lifetime with me, Flygirl."

"Don't lie."

"Lily is my sister."

"What?"

"My one and only sibling. My little sister. I'm very protective of her and worked hard to shelter her from the press. Yes, I love her. Yes, I want to go back for her. But I also want to be with you." He looked hard and deeply into her disoriented gaze. "You believe in utopia, Amelia. Believe in me."

"I want to."

"Then do it." He pulled her into his arms. "Say it."

She clung to him and sighed. "I believe."

"Hold tight to that notion, no matter what." He stroked her back, his mind racing ahead. "About your offer..."