Bear's Heart (New Legends of the Southwest Book 2) by Weaver Corie

Author:Weaver, Corie [Weaver, Corie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Dreaming Robot Press
Published: 2013-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

~ * * * ~

“Isabel, I need to talk to you.”

The piebald sheep turned their faces towards Tomás as he approached.

“I will be finished soon.”

He took the bucket away from Isabel and scattered the grain wildly.

“Tomás!” She threw her arms up. “How can you be done in the fields already? You have your work to do as well.”

He shrugged. “That is not important right now. Right now I need to speak to you.”

“Tomás, stop.” She reached forward, grabbed his arm, halted his movement. “If I leave my chores, I’ll be scolded.” She laughed. “If Fray Alonzo even notices.” Her face sobered. “But if you are missing, he can have you flogged. I do not want that.”

Tomás nodded. “I promise. He will not notice. I have made sure my work is done. And now,” with a final shake of the grain pail, “your work is done too.”

They twisted through the streets until they reached the middle of the new town, the tall building of the mission in front of them, the wooden doors carved with stars and flowers.

Tomás led her around the edge of the building to the narrow side door. He pushed it open a crack, looked around, then slipped inside, pulling her behind him.

“What are you—”

His hand over her mouth cut off her whisper. Her dark eyes widened as he bent his face down to hers.

“You must be silent now, I will explain all later,” he hissed.

She nodded, face white, eyes fixed on his.

He uncovered her mouth, then moved away to kneel in the corner. Isabel crept closer, watched him work at the seam between two pieces of flagstone with a thin blade.

“What—”

His sharp look silenced her and he continued working while she bit her fingers.

Within moments the stone was free and he lifted it and set it to the side. He reached into the hole and came out with a handheld lantern. He lit it and the faint glow revealed a ladder stretching down into the blackness.

“Come on.” He sat on the edge of the hole and held the lantern out.

Isabel shook her head. “No.” Her lips formed the word, but no sound came out.

“Isabel, it is safe. Come down.”

The girl shook, arms crossed over her chest. “I don’t want to go down there with the snakes and spiders.”

“There are no . . .” He sighed. “If I go first, will you follow?”

She nodded.

“Really?”

She glared at him. “I have never lied to you before; I am not about to start doing so now.”

He climbed down the ladder, taking the lantern with him.

The room darkened as the lantern descended and she crept closer to the hole and the light. Within moments his voice came from the pit.

“It is all right. No snakes, no spiders.”

She gathered her skirts around her legs and sat on the edge of the pit. She felt around for the ladder, then lowered herself into the hole.

“Tomás!” she hissed.

“What now?”

“Don’t look up!”

He sighed.

The walls of the pit were formed of stacked stone. The bottom was packed earth, hardened with ox blood.

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