It Wakes in Me by Kathleen O'Neal Gear

Author:Kathleen O'Neal Gear
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

12

CHIEFTESS SORA CRIED OUT AND TOPPLED BACKWARD with her limbs jerking and her jaws snapping together.

Feather Dancer lurched against the restraining hands of his guards. “Let me go! She needs help. Flint, help her!”

Flint was already shoving people aside to get to the chieftess. He dropped to the ground at her side and pulled her spasming body onto his lap. “Sora, I’m here,” he said as he stroked her hair. “I’m right here.”

Her gnashing teeth turned her spittle into foam that dripped from her jaws like a rabid dog’s. Flint wiped at it futilely, and shouted, “I told you there was an Evil Spirit inside her! It chases her soul away! You have to help her. The greatest Healer in the world lives among you! Won’t you let him try to help her?”

Elder Littlefield cried, “She has the Rainbow Black! The same Spirit killed my niece!”

Strongheart moved out into the crowd, speaking softly to each person he could, gazing directly into the eyes of people too far away to speak with. Several nodded. A few shook their heads vehemently.

Horned Owl leaped to his feet, glanced down at Sora, then shouted, “This is all a trick to make you believe she’s sick! There is no Evil Spirit inside her! Can’t you tell this is a trick?”

The villagers scrutinized Sora, then looked back at Horned Owl, unconvinced.

“I tell you, she is not sick! She murdered my father!”

Strongheart boldly swung around to Grown Bear. “Matron Wink demanded that you be present at the Healing Circle held for Chieftess Sora, didn’t she?”

Grown Bear swallowed hard. “Yes, Priest. She told me I had to come and bring something that had belonged to Chief Blue Bow.”

“What did you take?”

“I presented her with the chief ’s copper breastplate. He had planned to give it to her anyway, as a token of his respect.”

“What did the other people in the Circle bring?”

Grown Bear seemed to be struggling to recall. “Several things: a copper bracelet, a shell pendant … White Fawn’s father laid a beautifully beaded wedding headdress at the chieftess’ feet. War Chief Skinner’s mother brought her son’s bones.”

“Then,” Strongheart called, “everyone in the Circle brought an item that had belonged to a person the chieftess is accused of killing.”

“Yes.”

A din of voices rose as the crowd began asking questions. This Black Falcon ritual was unfamiliar to them. They must find it very strange.

Above the fray, Strongheart shouted, “How did the Circle end?”

Grown Bear said, “The chieftess could remember none of the murders. Their high priest, an old man named Teal, said she didn’t remember because her reflection-soul had been out wandering the forest while her shadow-soul committed the murders. Then he said that, since they hadn’t been able to force her to recall what she’d done, the Healing Circle was a failure. Teal said they had to find a more Powerful priest to Heal her.”

Flint clutched Sora’s spasming body, and said, “The Evil Spirit drives out her reflection-soul! Matron Wink knew this. That’s why she sent a runner to ask Priest Strongheart if he would try to Heal her.

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