I glanced away from her and met Leaping Deer’s gaze.
She studied me with a motherly concern. “If you don’t want the child, I could prepare a black root and cedar tincture. Sometimes, one of our tribeswomen gets pregnant without intending to….”
“No! I couldn’t do that. It’s just that it’s not the right time to bring new life into my world. There are many things I have to deal with, including the darkness that took your daughter’s life.”
“I understand,” Leaping Deer said, her eyes moist. “Then you must hold onto faith that all will be well. Your child choseyoufor a mother. Honor your role.”
The weight of her words struck me hard, and I took them in. I would be a mother and wanted nothing more than to protect my child from evil. I knew I would be a far better mother than my own.
“Everything will be all right, Olivia,” Emily said, smiling. “You’ll see. True love will conquer all obstacles.”
“Perhaps so—but can it conquer a demon?”
After I had another rest, Earth Bear came to the teepee and called through the door flap. “Little Moon, Grey Feather would like to speak with you again.”
I roused from my drowse and looked at Emily, who lay near me.
Leaping Deer was nowhere to be seen.
“All right, I’m coming,” I called out. I found my deerskin attire and donned it. Then, I said to Emily, “I’ll be back.”
“And I’ll be here,” she said gently.
I lifted the door flap and exited, following Earth Bear as he lumbered toward his father’s place.
Around the encampment, several children played games with sticks and a small ball made from leather. Women tended to food preparation, while men sat in a circle fashioning what looked like bows and arrows.
Inside the chief’s teepee, I bowed my head. “I apologize for my earlier behavior, Grey Feather. We had been traveling for many days, and I was quite injured. Leaping Deer has taken great care to help me heal.”
Grey Feather slowly nodded, stirring the small fire before him. It seemed he always had a fire in here, no matter the weather outside. “I understand. I was most concerned about your apparent sickness, but you seem better.”
“Much. Again, I apologize. I have hit so many dead ends I’ve grown frustrated. But I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” I hung my head.
The chief and I sat in silence.
Finally, I said, “As I mentioned, we did find Emily’s father’s journal and learned a bit about Fierce Wind. One of the things mentioned many times in the journal was a man called John James.”
I eyed Grey Feather for signs of recognition. Maybe he knew who this mysterious John James was or where to find him.
Grey Feather tipped his head to the side and rubbed the few white hairs on his jaw.
When he said nothing, I prompted him. “Do you know who John James might be?”
“I don’t believe I do. But the reason I called you back here is this. I put my mind to thinking and recollected what may be a good memory. My mind is not as keen as it once was. Age has taken a toll on me.”
I sat forward, eager to hear what he had to say.
“When Fierce Wind arrived here, she was frantic. She told us on many occasions that her life was in peril. While she stayed with us, we gave her a teepee. When she departed, my wife, Aiyana, cleaned her dwelling. She found several sheets of crumpled paper with her handwriting on it.”
“You did?” Adrenaline shot through my limbs.
The chief nodded. “I couldn’t read it, though. It was written in an unfamiliar language.”
“What did you do with it? Did you discard it?” A surge of annoyance rocked through me. Why hadn’t he told me this? Those papers could be the journal I was looking for.
“Of course not. I put it somewhere safe in case it was needed at some point. As I mentioned, Fierce Wind arrived distressed at the danger she felt she was in. I thought perhaps someone could interpret the writing at some point.”
“You should have told me!” I ran a hand through my hair and tugged on a few thick strands.
