Tricky Ground: Under Carico's Moons, Book Three by Nan C Ballard

Lee Vawn-Cory and Seth Reilly discovered a community of non-human castaways whose existence threatens the future of the human settlement on the frontier planet Carico. The leader of the hidden enclave frees Seth and Lee to go back to the human settlements with one task – deliver a message of peace to Carico’s leaders. Lee and Seth have miles of wilderness to cross on horseback, pursued by a contingent from the enclave. And among their fellow humans, they don’t know who to trust and who has their own plans for the planet. The future of Carico is on the line.

“Navigating human & interspecies culture/politics, love, betrayal, and surviving the bleak landscape of Carico complicate Lee and Seth's nearly insurmountable task of saving their world from outsiders. If only they could find who on the inside was undermining their efforts before time runs out.”

-Mikko Azul, author of the Demons of Muralia series

"A satisfying conclusion full of thrills, twists, and lovably, stubborn characters overcoming obstacles."

-Karen Eisenbrey, author of the Daughter of Magic trilogy and Ego & Endurance