Sister Mine

5

"Where are we?" she looked around, shading her eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Somewhere south of where we were last time you asked." His response was slightly teasing.

"That means you have no idea." Magdaline glanced over at him but couldn't see his face.

'Well, I can't point us out on a map," he mopped his brow with his sleeve, the sun's heat reflected and amplified off the river's surface.

They'd been sailing on the smooth river for three days using the paddles, for the wind was against them and the sail was curled and tied securely to the mast. Riddick handled the oars with determined strength, becoming accustomed to the feel and balance of them, while Magdaline steered the rudder. From the first they'd been walled in by the steep red cliffs of a gorge, eventually breaking out into the sunlight, but having no place to exit the raft. There was no beach, nowhere at all to land. Their only choice was to continue.

"Logan?" her voice was behind him as she faithfully stayed at her post.

"What is it Sister?" he didn't look back at her, but kept his eyes fixed on the waterway in front of them.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to get that money back?"

Riddick didn't answer for a while, his mind working over her words. For the money itself he knew she didn't care. It was what the gold represented to those who depended on the mission, the poor, the orphaned, the needy. To them the money brought food, decent clothing, some measure of security for young children or aging parents. There had been four ten pound sacks of it on the mule and the odds were that money was long gone. He'd likely never know who had stolen it, or even see them again. The only thing Riddick really knew about the banditos were the horses they'd been riding. He always had an eye for horseflesh.

"Can't say, but it would be best to not get your hopes up. Men flush with money find quick and usually sinful ways to spend it."

"Do you include yourself in that statement?" Magdaline's tone held a small amount of censure to it and he grinned to himself.

"Aye," he admitted honestly "I've enjoyed the things money can buy a man, from time to time."

She was silent after that and he risked a look over his shoulder. Her eyes were very bright, and her cheeks were flushed a deep pink. When she saw his expression Magdaline stiffly looked away and he chuckled looking forward again, shaking his head.

"I don't think that is funny, Mister Riddick." Her cool tone only made him laugh as she grew more indignant.

"I don't know what kind of man you had me pegged for, but I'll be the first to admit I'm no saint, Sister. I've got the morals my father and mother taught me, and I've a good bit of my own judgment but I'm just a man. I've tasted my share of the seven sins,"

"I do not wish to discuss this." The words were barely out of her mouth when he pulled in the oars and dropped them to the deck of the raft, turning to face her as he stood up.

"Now, I think I'll take that tone personally," he said, moving toward her. Magdaline began to back away but realized she had nowhere to go, the open water behind her, Logan in front.

"Don't you dare take another step closer!" she warned him but he only smiled at her, closing the distance between them.

He lifted his hand as if to touch her but Riddick stopped just short of her flesh, a strange, reserved look in his eyes. Magdaline felt as though she were standing on shifting ground and Riddick let a smile creep across his lips as he looked at her, seeing a faint light of anticipation build in the amber depths. He dropped his hand but did not move, testing the strength of his determination to resist her.