Smiling, she turns to look at her husband. Ahote is grinning at her. “Time to wake up, now.”
Lifting a hand to him, she shakes her head no. “I want to stay with you, there’s no place for me in their world.”
Ahote steps towards her and the sky fills with dark clouds with thunder rolling. The ground rumbles beneath her feet. He drops his head. “Trust your heart, and don’t hold onto hatred, Kimani. One day you will forgive me.”
“No,” she takes a step to run towards him, but a strike of lightning has her leaping back in fear. “Ahote!” she screams as he shifts into a black wolf and runs from her.
Kimani drops to the ground and curls into herself, alone once more.
Harris sleeps for two days next to her bed, caring for her and waiting for her to waken. Her nightmares are bad enough that he’s afraid to leave her. Instead, he whispers to her promises and tells her stories of when they were children, purposely changing them to tempt her to wake up and correct him.
“Do you remember the horse race?”
“What race,” Billy asks.
“I was ten, and she challenged my brothers and me to a horse race.” It was the first moment he realized how amazing she was, racing across the field, bareback on that mare. “We assumed because she was a girl that she’d be easy to beat. She let us have the lead across the field for a few minutes, but the moment she leaned low over the shoulder and whispered to her horse, we didn’t stand a chance. They shot across the field, hair blowing, and it was like beast and girl were one. She was your age.” Harris grins and removes the rag from her forehead and dips it into the bowl.
“I let you win, you know,” Harris teases. I didn’t want you to feel bad. I hate it when your beautiful eyes get sad.” He dips the rag in the bowl of fresh water, dampening her lips and placing it over her forehead. Kimani frowns and Billy jumps up just as she speaks.
“Liar,” she whispers hoarsely. Turning her throbbing head to the side, she opens her eyes and stares into his as Billy runs from the cabin.
“Hey beautiful,” Harris drops to his knees and presses his forehead to hers. “God, you scared me.”
“Harris,” Is all she can say. “Harris!” she sobs his name over and over.
“It’s going to be okay, now.” He promises softly and wipes her tears. “You aren’t alone, anymore.”
Melody and Molly come running in with Billy only to stop when she hears Vanessa sob.
“They killed them all, Harris. Why?” She fists her hands in his shirt and sobs. “Why? I don’t understand.”
Melody shakes her head no at Billy and they back out of the cabin to give them some privacy. Wiping her eyes, she hugs Billy, and they go look for Trent. Molly follows slowly and closes the door behind her. “We need to pray for her.”
“I don’t know,” Harris replies climbing into the bed, he wraps her in his arms and weeps with her as memories of the tribe replay in his mind. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
“Don’t let go,” she pleads, and he holds her shaking body until she falls back to sleep and vows to keep her safe.
“Never again,” he promises.
Chapter 15
Dane Rivers rides hard with his sons across the snow-covered plains towards the Spring Tribal site. They were lucky the sun is melting the snow quickly allowing them to ride easily. Finding the location is easy, it’s the same site they’ve always gone to. The telegram from Harris had been a shock to the whole family.
‘Massacre at the Spring Tribal. All Dead. Kimani escaped. Tracking her.’
A wagon train with supplies is following behind the Rivers to the site. They rode ahead to look for survivors.
“Chief Nashoba was resigned to the fact that it was time to move North to the protected lands. He signed a treaty, ensuring the safety of his tribe. That begs the question, why were they attacked?” Dane asks his sons.
“I don’t know, but tensions have escalated between the soldiers and the native Indians. Dalton had multiple trains attacked in the past few months by Indians, innocent people were slaughtered, and weapons were stolen.”
“Chase has friends he can talk to in the government. He’s already on his way to Washington.” Pierce offers, “Hopefully, he will get some answers.”
As they break through the trees and over a rise, the land opens before them. All three horsemen stop and stare, unsure exactly what it is that they are seeing. Puffs of steam flow from the horses and they stomp in the melting snow.
“Dad?” Pierce whispers and points to the field where a frozen hand reaches into the sky. The scene unfolds and paints a picture of horror. Steele narrows his eyes and stares at the mounds and body parts.
“Oh, God…” Dane murmurs and nudges his horse forward. What’s left of the teepees lay in burned heaps near the river. Bodies are partially frozen in horror filled pleas with handless arms and headless bodies covered in melting snow.
Steele swings down from his saddle and grabs the shovel from his pack, taking a minute to compose himself he closes his eyes against the leather saddle in a quiet prayer. He isn’t ashamed of the tears that he knows will come.
“Will we bury them together?” Steele asks.
Dane wipes his eyes and nods, “Yes,” he glances at Pierce. “Son, this will be hard, but we will honor them.”
Pierce nods and jumps from his horse. “Yes, Sir.”
The dead are scattered about, in various states of decay and death. “I’ll start
