Scars of the Heart by Joni Keever

Author:Joni Keever [Keever, Joni]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B0106PDUFA
Goodreads: 25992628
Publisher: Kindle Press
Published: 2015-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Crouching in the dense underbrush, Carly swallowed the acrid taste of an emotion she’d become too familiar with of late—fear. She strained to hear or see anything that might give her hope; hope that Kade was still alive, and hope that she would stay that way.

Once he’d been warned of the approaching danger, Kade and the other men had sped into action. She had been amazed at the quiet efficiency of the people. Even the children knew exactly what to do with little instruction. Taking only weapons with them, the Pawnee dissolved into the thick woods as noiselessly as the moon slipped behind a cloud.

Kade had helped Carly deliver Summer Song and her friends to Little Bird. As he turned to follow the men already moving in the direction the scouts had indicated, he paused. His ebony stare imprisoned Carly. Had he been trying to tell her to stay quiet, to behave? Or was the message something entirely different? Something akin to a promise?

Summer Song shivered beside her. Carly started to put an arm around the child’s shoulders, then smiled at Little Bird as her arm got there first. The dark-eyed toddler glanced from one woman to the other. Carly couldn’t imagine being that young and afraid for her life. Yes, many days lately she’d thought she wouldn’t live to see another. But to be so small, so innocent, so terrified.

She closed her eyes as her mind reconstructed the events at Sand Creek from just a few months past. Recounting Kade’s story, her imagination played out the elaborate and gruesome drama. Carly watched as women and children were struck down, and shuddered as she realized the faces were familiar. They were the faces of these gentle people she now lived among.

On the stage in her mind, Carly approached the lifeless bodies of a young mother and child, lying bloody and still on the river’s sandy bank. As she knelt beside the fallen pair, clouds skittered across the moon and pale light fell upon the faces of Little Bird and Summer Song. Carly quickly clasped both hands over her mouth to trap the scream that threatened to escape. She blinked hard to erase the elaborate drama her mind had unfolded and ignored the quizzical look on her companion’s face.

Indignation steeled Carly against the apprehension all about her. Though she couldn’t see the rest of the people, she could feel them. Would the soldiers succeed where they had failed last summer, wiping out the entire village this time, everyone . . . herself included?

Peet sweet sweet sweet sweet.

The warbler’s song tripped through the thick branches. Little Bird and the others immediately rose from their hiding places. The woman smiled at Carly’s perplexed expression.

“It is Black Hawk. Danger has passed from us this day.”

Windwalker waited until everyone had gathered about him. In a subdued yet powerful voice, he talked to his people. Carly saw many shoulders relax, several deep breaths drawn. The Indians returned to their village.

She ran to catch up with Little Bird.

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