Her hand went to the pouch around her neck. She could use the vessel to get back to her own time. If Wo'itsa was right, and the thing had brought her back at least to the general time and area she’d been thinking of, it might be able to take her back to 2005 where she belonged.
She sat up straighter, and her heart began to pound. She could even go to the day she’d met Matt Donovan and prevent his death. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Then she could tell him that she knew about the Sky People and about time travel. He could come back to the past and help destroy the vessels, and she could live her life in peace.
And never see Wo'itsa again.
Kendra raked her fingers through her hair, then rested her head in her palms and closed her eyes. She couldn’t simply leave. What kind of detective was she if she abandoned a case? Mukua still needed to be apprehended. No telling what kind of damage he could inflict if he wasn’t stopped as soon as possible.
Cameron and Matt could take care of him.
“No, dammit. Naatoyita said it was up to me.”
She opened her eyes to look up at the sky and nearly let out a startled cry. Wo'itsa was standing directly over her. Kendra scrambled to her feet and impulsively reached for the knife she’d kept concealed.
“Did you have to sneak up on me like that and scare me to death?”
Wo'itsa smiled, glancing at the knife she pointed at him.
“I would have been disappointed if you weren’t carrying a weapon.”
Kendra shook some strands of hair out of her face and raised her chin. “Will you be disappointed if I use it on you?”
His smile faded. “You can put the knife away. I’ve come to tell you that we are in the proper time.”
“You found your village?”
He nodded. “You will be my mother’s guest. You can rest in her wickiup for the night. Perhaps in the morning we can search for your elder.”
“Your mother’s guest?” Kendra stuck the knife back in its sheath at her back.
Wo'itsa smiled, but it didn’t conceal the look of worry in his eyes. “She will feed you well and give you a warm place to sleep.”
He motioned with his arm for her to follow. When she fell in step beside him, he said, “I will explain to her that you are Cameahwait’s relative and have lost your voice, and will be moving on to visit him in the morning. There will be no need for you to speak since you do not know the language of our people.”
Kendra laughed. “Lost my voice? So, what you’re saying is, you don’t want me to talk at all while I’m at your village. That’s probably not going to happen. What if I need to talk to you about something?”
Wo'itsa glanced at her, then looked straight ahead. His jaw muscles tightened. “There won’t be a need for us to speak.”
With those words, he moved ahead of her through the dense trees, and Kendra was forced to walk behind him until they reached a clearing in the forest. Eight wickiups came into view. They were all constructed out of lodgepoles that had been erected in a cone shape and covered with hides and branches.
Several dogs barked and ran toward them, happily wagging their tails when they recognized Wo'itsa’s scent. A couple circled her curiously, but none of them approached her. Wo'itsa didn’t look at her or speak as he entered the village. The curious eyes of men, women, and children followed them.
Kendra made eye contact with the people as she walked by and smiled, but none of them returned the gesture. A few of the older women held their heads together and whispered while watching her with wide and disbelieving eyes.
Kendra’s spine stiffened as she walked. What were they all gawking at? She was wearing clothes appropriate for the time period. She definitely didn’t stick out like she would have in her regular clothes. Could they all tell that she wasn’t one of them, that she wasn’t full-blooded?
This was no different than when kids on the Rez used to whisper and gossip behind her back, except these weren’t children. She gritted her teeth and kept walking as painful memories of her childhood resurfaced. Things seemed to be the same no matter what time period she was in.
Wo'itsa slowed his steps when he came to one of the outlying huts at the other end of the village. He still hadn’t said anything to her, or even looked to see if she was still following. A woman stood, bent over a fire outside the dwelling, holding some kind of small pot. She raised her head, then slowly straightened and watched them approach.
Wo'itsa greeted the woman in the language of the Tukudeka. He nodded respectfully. “Greetings, Pia. I return from my vision journey.”
The woman returned the greeting, looked at the bandages wrapped around her son’s chest, and then her eyes went to Kendra. Her mouth opened, her eyes became round and wide, and she dropped the pot from her hands. The container shattered as it hit the ground, spilling liquid with pieces of meat and some kind of vegetables onto the dirt. As if by magic, several dogs appeared and snatched up the morsels, then quickly ran off again.
The woman’s hands clasped her cheeks, then she clutched her fists to her chest. Instantly, she rushed forward, stopped in front of Kendra, and pulled her into a fierce hug.
Kendra stood stiffly while the woman squeezed her tight. She managed to glance up for a second to see Wo'itsa standing with a perplexed look on his face. His mother finally released her, allowing her to take a deep breath to get some air.
“Pahamittsi Puhagand,” the woman exclaimed.
Her eyes filled with tears, but her smile was one of pure joy. Her hands wrapped around Kendra’s upper arms, and she held her slightly away from her and gave her a pleased once-over.
“You look just like your mother, Pahamittsi Puhagand. I always knew you would return someday.”
Kendra’s forehead scrunched. It had taken her a moment to translate the meaning of the woman’s words, but since coming to the past and having heard the old language spoken several times now, it was getting easier.
She cast another hasty glance at Wo'itsa, whose confused look made it clear that he hadn’t expected his mother’s reaction. Her gaze returned to the older woman, and she smiled hesitantly.
“You knew my mother?” Hopefully, she’d asked the question correctly. While her comprehension of the language was easier, constructing her own sentences still presented a challenge.
“Your mother and I were good friends.” She glanced at Wo'itsa, opened her mouth as if to say more, but hesitated. “She was always a trusted advisor when I needed counsel, and she was a wise healer.”
Her smile faltered, and sadness clouded her eyes. “I should not have spoken her name. We do not speak the names of those not living, but you look so much like her, Natukendra’eh weda. For a moment, I thought I was seeing her spirit.”
The woman abruptly turned her head, as if she had just remembered that Wo'itsa was also present.
“I see that you have brought back much more than a vision.”
Day Star beamed with joy, her gaze volleying between Kendra and Wo’itsa. Her eyes lingered on his bandaged torso again.
“You are hurt. Come inside, and I will take a look.”
“Thank you for your concern, Pia. Another healer tended to my wounds already.”
Day Star nodded. Her smile returned, and her focus was once again on Kendra.
“Pahamittsi hoped this would come to pass. I am overjoyed with happiness.” She embraced Kendra again, squeezing her tightly against her bosom.
Kendra’s forehead scrunched. Her mother hoped that what came to pass?
“I must seek out the counsel of the shaman, Pia.” Wo'itsa’s features tensed even more than before. He’d already taken several steps back.
Day Star nodded. “I will have food for you and Natukendra’eh when you return.”
“I will eat with the shaman.”
Kendra extracted herself from the woman’s embrace. Her eyes shot to Wo'itsa, whose gaze was glued to her. That barely concealed look of admiration seemed to now be mixed with a new sense of wonder, as well as confli
cting emotions. He looked like a guy who hadn’t read the instruction manual to a complicated plumbing project and couldn’t figure out how to proceed after he’d already taken everything apart.
“I’d like to talk to your shaman, too.”
Wo'itsa’s body stiffened even more. “No, you will remain here with my mother. She will treat you well.”
Kendra opened her mouth to argue, but that was probably not the wisest move in the middle of this village with others watching. She plastered a fake smile on her face.
“Fine. I’ll see you later, then.”
Wo'itsa didn’t answer. He nodded to his mother, then left without so much as a goodbye.
“Come, Natu, you must be hungry and tired.” Day Star continued to smile and led her past the cooking fire and into the wickiup.
Kendra followed. Her hand went to the pouch around her neck, absently fingering the vessel inside. While she was curious about this woman and her relationship with her mother, her thoughts remained on Wo'itsa and his strange behavior since coming to the village. When he’d left, he’d made it sound as if he wasn’t even coming back this evening but would be spending the night in the shaman’s hut or somewhere else.
Day Star served her a large bowl of some kind of soup with large chunks of meat and floating pieces of greens, dried venison, and some kind of nut cake. While she wasn’t accustomed to the flavors, it was still satisfying and good to get a full meal in.
She ate in silence while Wo'itsa’s mother sat across from her in the hut and kept smiling at her. She tried to make small talk, but the words still wouldn’t come quite as freely in conversation. Maybe it was because her mind was on Wo'itsa, and not how to speak the old language.
Day Star didn’t seem to know how to make small talk, either. When they’d finished eating, she immediately took Kendra’s empty bowl and left the hut. Kendra settled on the fur pallet behind her, closing her eyes. Thoughts of Wo'itsa and her impulsive kiss remained in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.
The next day, Wo'itsa was nowhere to be found. Kendra wandered the village, feeling self-conscious when people stared at her. Finally, she settled in Day Star’s hut to escape the looks of the people in the village. When she asked about Wo'itsa’s whereabouts, Day Star told her that her son was with the shaman. The older woman cast her uneasy smiles and glances, but didn’t speak much.
After Day Star had offered her some food on the third night of her stay in the village, and left the wickiup with the empty bowls, Kendra stood. Restlessness prevented her from finding peace on her sleeping mat. If her Wolf was going to ignore her, at least she could find a place away from the village with some solitude and space to think. A good walk might help her sleep and decide what to do. If he wasn’t going to talk to her, it was time to find Naatoyita on her own.
The volume of crickets chirping increased the further she walked from the village. Kendra followed the sound of flowing water. As the sun set in a glowing ball of red, she ended up along the edge of a wide stream.
The evening was still rather warm, so she sat in the tall grass and removed her moccasins. She stuck her feet in the water to let the gentle current wash away the tension. Too bad there wasn’t a place to take a full shower.
With her eyes closed, she leaned back on her elbows to enjoy the tranquil sounds. She’d had plenty of opportunities to do this as a child, but she’d never taken advantage of it. Like watching the eagle soar in the sky or gazing out at the vast expanse of the mountains, it had never appealed to her before. Until now.
She brought her fingers to her mouth as her thoughts wandered to Wo'itsa. What would a real kiss between them feel like? She shook her head. She wasn’t going to find out. Once this whole business with the vessels and Mukua was over, she was going back to New York.
“Day Star wonders where you are. She insisted I come find you.”
Kendra jumped to her feet at the unexpected voice behind her. Out of habit, she reached for the weapon strapped to her back, but she didn’t pull the knife.
“You need to stop sneaking up on me, Wolf.”
Wo'itsa shrugged. He stood a good body-length away, looking at her as if she was some unattainable treat at the ice cream shop. He masked the emotion instantly, but it had been there.
“I thought I was loud enough that you would hear my approach.”
“Guess I wasn’t paying attention,” she mumbled. She really did need to stay focused, especially in this primitive environment. She had to get her wandering mind reined in and stop daydreaming about the guy who stood in front of her now, looking all handsome and primal.
Kendra moved toward him, tilting her head. “And what do you mean, Day Star had to insist that you find me? Why have you been giving me the cold shoulder treatment since we got here?”
Wo'itsa’s brows rose. He glanced at his shoulder, then at hers. “Cold shoulder? If you require a robe, Day Star has plenty in her wickiup.”
Kendra frowned, then laughed. He was serious, and the confused look on his face sent a hefty dose of adrenaline shooting through her veins.
“What I meant was, you simply vanished after we got here. That was three days ago, Wolf. Why are you avoiding me?”
Kendra mentally rolled her eyes. Could she sound any more like a needy girlfriend? Even if what she’d said was true. Wo'itsa had pretty much dumped her at his mother’s place and let her fend for herself.
His lips twitched, then he smiled and covered the distance between them. He stood next to her, clasping his hands behind his back and looking out across the creek toward the setting sun.
“I forget that you are not used to the customs of the Tukudeka.”
“What customs would those be?”
Wo'itsa’s head turned, and he looked at her. “I do not wish to cause you any embarrassment or create gossip among my people. You are a child of the Sky People and deserve respect.”
Kendra moved in closer, leaning forward to look up into his face. She shook her head slightly. “Embarrassment or gossip? What did we do to cause that?”
Finally, he dropped his gaze to look at her. His intense eyes had gone dark again, holding her mesmerized.
“If I spend too much time in your company, it would appear as if I am ready to take a wife.”
Kendra’s brows rose. She stared up at him, but there was no hint in his expression that he was kidding. A wife? He meant her. Some odd sensation she couldn’t name slammed her in the gut.
“Oh,” she stammered, then laughed. “Well, that’s just crazy because anyone can see that there’s nothing going on between us.”
Wo'itsa didn’t seem to find it funny. “It is the custom of my . . . our people, Natukendra’eh.”
“Well, I don’t know any of the customs of the old ways, Wolf. I’m here to find the three vessels in existence so they can be destroyed. Then I can get back to my old life in the future, the life I’m used to.”
Wo'itsa glanced up at the stars that twinkled in the cloudless evening sky.
“You feel no pull or calling from your ancestors, Natukendra’eh?” He lowered his gaze to look at her.
She averted her eyes to study the tufts of grass growing along the creek bank before answering his sultry question, then whispered, “I don’t know.”
Kendra’s breath caught in her throat when Wo'itsa’s hands reached for her upper arms. It was difficult to determine whether she’d leaned toward him, or if he’d pulled her closer. The increased pounding of her heart made it difficult to hear his next words.
“You are a child of the Sky People. I should not even be speaking to you unless you wish it.” Wo'itsa’s voice held a hint of frustration, perhaps even anger. He hesitated. His eyes pored over her face, then a determined look came over him, as if he’d decided something.
“Perhaps you can learn about your ancestors, Natukendra’eh, and I can learn about your customs from the future.”
Wo'itsa’s arm was around her middle in the next instant, and he pulled her up against him. Then,
he shifted slightly forward and his mouth was on hers.
Her first impulse was to push against his chest, but her hands gripped Wo'itsa’s shoulders instead, and she moved closer. One arm wound around his neck, drawing him in. She parted her lips and leaned into him as his arm around her waist tightened, and he deepened the kiss.
Chapter 23
Wo'itsa stood at the edge of the creek, staring at nothing. The sun was slowly making its appearance, cresting in a bright golden shimmer over the distant mountains. For hours, he’d sat under one of the willows that grew near the water, waiting for night to end, yet also wishing it would stay dark.
The wounds on his chest sent jabs of pain through him every time he moved too much or took in a deep breath, but that mattered little. The pain in his heart was far greater than any wound from the bear attack.
Images and sensations from the embrace and kiss he’d shared with Natukendra’eh at sunset the night before would remain with him forever. His actions had been inexcusable, and he should have been stronger than to allow his feelings for the woman to rule his head.
The problem was, she’d been a willing participant, even if she’d pulled out of his embrace much too soon and had mumbled that nothing could ever come of their mutual attraction.
She was right, of course. Learning that she was a child of the Sky People, like his friends Matunaaga and Cameahwait, had sent an uneasy feeling through him. Hearing it from his mother had come as a shock and made it real. Had Mukua known her true identity all along? Of course the elder knew, so why would he want her to go back to the future rather than reconnect with her ancestors?
“Go back to my mother’s hut before someone sees us together.” Sending her away had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, and he’d been rather gruff about it. He would have much rather gone with her so that everyone could see that they were joined as a couple, but something had held him back.
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