Brave Heart
Page 26
Serena felt pats of welcome on her shoulders and back, and heard the excited and happy Lakota voices as people began to surround her. She smiled through her tears, reaching out with her one hand to greet them in return. Dawn Sky came up and threw her arms around Serena’s legs. Kneeling, Serena gathered her other daughter into her arms. The three of them silently embraced, and Serena wept.
Gradually, she heard Wolf’s voice, low and husky, intrude into the excited chatter and laughter that surrounded her. She looked up to see him standing at her side. With a smile, she eased to her full height and handed Wakinyela to him. Their daughter gave a cry and hugged her father. Serena pressed kiss after kiss on Dawn Sky’s round face and ran her hands across her black, braided hair.
“How beautiful you’ve become,” Serena whispered as she knelt before Dawn Sky.
“Dreaming Bear said you’d return, Ina,” she cried, sniffing. “The tepee has been so empty without you and Ahtay, Father.”
“I know, I know,” Serena soothed. She held the sobbing little girl tightly.
Little Swallow touched Serena’s shoulder. “Welcome home, my sister.”
“It’s so good to be here,” Serena quavered, smiling up at Wolf’s sister.
“Your children have been very good in your absence.“ Little Swallow patted Dawn Sky’s head affectionately. “We are so glad you have come back to us.“ She gave her brother a worried look. “We were so afraid that Wolf might die in trying to find you.”
“I almost did,” Wolf joked as he held Wakinyela in his arms, “but Kagi saved me many times.”
The entire village now surrounded them. Serena was thrilled when Wakinyela wanted to return to her arms. Dawn Sky hung near her, her small hand tightly wrapped in Serena’s dress, afraid to let go of her. The younger boys who had yet to become warriors rode their horses around and around the camp, yipping and yelling their welcome. The dogs barked. The older warriors and their wives all came forward with kind words of welcome.
Throughout it all, Serena looked for Deer Woman. Wolf had told her that she’d been responsible for alerting Kingston in the first place, and that she had lied to make Kingston think that Serena had set his cabin on fire, killing his wife and son. As the crowd began to dissipate and everyone returned to their duties, Little Swallow walked with Serena and Wakinyela to Wolf’s tepee.
In a low voice that no one could hear, Serena asked her sister-in-law, “Where is Deer Woman?”
Little Swallow went into the tepee. Once inside, she said, “Deer Woman has been banished from the tribe. She was going through the village stirring up trouble. She tried to turn all of us against you, to blame you for Wolf’s absence. Chief Badger Mouth was very upset that Wolf left to find you. He was worried because without Wolf, without his medicine, some of our people could have died. Tall Crane, who is Wolf’s hunka brother, came forward with the truth. Wolf had told him before he left that Deer Woman was responsible for your being captured the first time, by Kingston.”
Serena set Wakinyela down, and the little girl promptly grabbed onto her skirt. “What did the chief do?”
Little Swallow smiled grimly. “He banished her from the tribe.”
“How long ago?”
“It happened a moon after Wolf left.”
“Where did she go?”
With a shrug, Little Swallow said, “Who knows? The girl only stirs up trouble. She does not want to be a part of us.”
Touching her throat, Serena whispered, “I’ve never before heard of someone being banished.”
“Sometimes it must be done for the good of all, Cante Tinza. Do not look ashamed or feel bad for the girl. The feelings she had were not right. They turned bad—and it was her choice. She did not have to stir up more trouble.”
“But where would she go?”
“Probably to one of the forts or to a mining camp.”
“Oh, no….“ Serena closed her eyes. “Only Lakota who drink are in those camps, Little Swallow. The women I saw—“ she drew in a ragged breath “—are soiled doves who make their living lying with the miners.”
“That is her choice,” Little Swallow said gently as she laid her hand on Serena’s shoulder. “Now that you are back, we will break camp and begin our journey north to Canada. I was praying that you would return soon. I understand it is a two-moon journey to that country. We should get there before the worst of the cold moons arrive.”
Serena nodded. So much was happening so quickly. She smiled down at Wakinyela, who had decided to sit at her feet and play with the short fringe on her dress. “Thank you for taking care of our children,” she said brokenly, and gave Little Swallow a long hug.
Blushing, Little Swallow drew away and smiled. “They are good children. Tall Crane has been a good hunka uncle. Dreaming Bear has done most of the work, and they love their hunka grandmother.”
Wolf entered the tepee and nodded to his sister. “Not much has changed since I left.“ He touched his sister’s face. “You have lost some weight?”
“Some.”
Serena smiled up at Wolf as he placed his arm around her. “We have good news for you, Little Swallow.”
“Oh?“ Her brows lifted and she smiled. “A good surprise?”
“The best,” Serena murmured, gazing lovingly up at her husband, who stood proudly at her side. “Wolf? Do you want to tell her?”
He nodded. “Cante Tinza carries our second child in her belly.”
With a gasp of delight, Little Swallow clapped her hands together. “Oh! This is great news! May I tell the people?”
With a laugh, Serena nodded. “Of course.”
With a shy touch of Serena’s belly, Little Swallow asked, “Do you feel it is a boy or a girl?”
“A boy.”
“Yes?”
Wolf smiled, pleased. “We have two daughters. Now, they will teach their brother that women are strong and courageous, like their mother.“ He gazed down at his wife and saw the utter joy in her eyes. Their lives would never be easy, but at least by moving into Canada, they would be safe from the horse soldiers and miners, who now raped and plundered their sacred land. Most of all, Cante Tinza would be safe from further threats.
He caressed her hair, knowing that for her life would take on happier times. She had a brave heart and an even stronger soul, which endured, and he knew the Great Spirit always rewarded those who had the courage to walk with their fears and move forward. Silently, Wolf promised his wife that he would make up for all the pain and loneliness she had undergone. As a medicine man, he knew the power of love was the strongest emotion given to human beings. And his love would heal her, just as her love would heal him.
* * * * *
After finding love in a warzone, Medevac Pilot Sarah Benson is taken hostage. Her last and only hope for rescue is her lover, Ethan Quinn. This SEAL will break every rule in the book to save the woman he loves! Read on for a sneak peek of DEGREE OF RISK by Lindsay McKenna, available March 2013 from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
* * *
The SEAL team located the pool cave after an hour’s walk from their landing zone. The sky was lightening in the east as Ethan crouched next to Reza, who was going to be their guide, at the lip of the cave. The SEALs were in full gear, M-4 rifles, heavy rucks, twelve mags, magazines, of ammo for their rifle. They were going in prepared. Ethan pushed his boonie hat off his brow, sweating heavily. Anxiously, he looked around the outside of the cave. Dagger and Dusty, the snipers, were carefully walking past them, alert, their eyes on the ground, searching for any possible boot prints.
“There,” Reza said, pointing past Ethan, toward the edge of the cave. He came out of his crouch and carefully stepped into the cave. Pulling out a small flashlight, the Afghan moved the beam. There was a rock alcove and he halted, frowning.
Ethan took a long drink of water from his CamelBak. He watched Reza intently, anxiety coursing through him. They had to find Sarah’s boot prints here or else the mission would be scrubbed. There was no sense in ris
king a SEAL team in this hotbed of Taliban territory if she hadn’t come this way.
Reza crouched down, his light moving here and there. He lifted his head and gave Ethan a big grin. “She’s been here.” He gestured to Ethan. “Come, see for yourself.”
All the SEALs moved quietly into the cave. Dagger cleared the area and then came back to where they were all crouched.
“Look,” Reza said, standing and pointing, “her tracks show she stayed behind this group of rocks. And you can see an impression of her ruck, too.” Reza then followed the prints toward the rear of the cave, his smile growing. He turned and said, “Her prints are coming out of the pool area. I’m going to follow them, go down to it and see what I can find.”
“Hey,” Dusty whispered, standing at the other end of the cave opening, “more boot tracks.” He gestured north. “She’s walking this way, toward Thunder.” He grinned, throwing them a thumbs-up.
Relief almost shattered Ethan. He knelt by Sarah’s tracks, closed his eyes and tried to get a hold of his emotions. He felt Trace rise beside him and pat him on the shoulder.
“Your lady is a survivor,” Trace murmured, smiling.
Choking down his feelings, Ethan rose and rasped, “I want to wait to contact Hunter until Reza returns from the pool. He might have some more intel.”
Nodding, Trace looked around the huge cave. “We’re on it, bro.”
Dagger was moving slowly around the rest of the cave. He then slipped like a silent shadow down the tunnel to the left. When he reemerged, he was scowling.
Going over to Ethan and Trace, he said quietly, “Plenty of horse prints, sandal prints and bare feet back there. All Taliban.”
Nodding, Ethan watched the right tunnel. He knew Reza would be trotting a mile to reach the pool. Anxiety sped through him. “How old?”
Dagger shrugged. “Can’t really tell except the tracks are clean and sharp. They’re not worn down by time and they haven’t deteriorated. Maybe two or three days ago, the Taliban camped in here.”
“Let’s take ten and get water and food,” Ethan told them. What had Reza found? Sarah’s prints were leading out of that tunnel, into this cave. Dusty had located her prints heading north. His hands shook as he pulled a protein bar from one of the pockets of his H-gear. Sarah was alive! She was ambulatory. Oh, God, protect her out there. Please….God…
* * *
Don’t miss DEGREE OF RISK by Lindsay McKenna, available March 2013 from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
Copyright © 2014 by Lindsay McKenna
Trained to kill, but built for love…
From New York Times bestselling author
LINDSAY McKENNA
Captain Morgan Boland is at the top of her game, as is navy SEAL Jake Ramsay, her former lover. Then a military computer selects them to partner in a special op. The mission can’t be compromised by their personal history—and they have truckloads of it.
But the Afghan assignment might provide the discipline they need to finally get it together—outside the bedroom, that is. A lot has happened over the two years since they last went their separate ways. And there’s way more to Morgan than Jake has ever given her credit for.…
Available now!
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ISBN: 978-1-4603-3410-2
Brave Heart
Copyright © 1982 by Lindsay McKenna
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