Who’d been shot?God, let them live. Please let them live.
Something flew at her from her right, striking a blow that clanged through her head. Too much like the pain from when she first woke up tied to this tree.
Movement swarmed around her. But the pain and flashes of light that consumed her focus couldn’t keep up with it all.
Grant’s shout sounded through the pain ricocheting through her skull. But she couldn’t make out the words.
Was that another scream of pain?
Or maybe the blast of a rifle.
She couldn’t stand the ringing.
Her mind couldn’t contain the chaos and agony.
She tried to press her hands to her head, but she was falling.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Another blow slammed into the back of her head.
Then it all faded to black.
TWENTY-ONE
Grant stroked the hair from Faith’s brow as he studied her beautiful pale face.God, please don’t take her. Don’t take her from me.
So much had happened during that fight. The bullet from Flies Ahead’s gun had struck the other brave in the belly. He lay on the ground now, a blanket covering his lifeless body and the pool of blood around him. He’d bled out almost before they secured Flies Ahead and turned to help him.
Then a third brave had appeared. White Horse had caught sight of him in just enough time to duck the flying tomahawk. Grant’s rifle had convinced the man to give in easily after that, and now both he and Flies Ahead sat tied to trees nearby.
Faith lost consciousness during the struggle too. He still had no idea whether something struck her in the head or if she fainted from the strain. The latter didn’t seem likely. Not with the strength Faith possessed.
He glanced over her body to Steps Right, who sat on Faith’s other side. She seemed to have weathered the kidnapping as well as could be expected. The lines aroundher eyes had deepened, probably from exhaustion. She’d assured them she was well, and that nothing more could be done for Faith until she awoke.
Behind his mother, White Horse stood guard, rifle aimed at the two sullen men bound nearby. Steps Right had said she’d only seen the three men, but White Horse looked fierce enough to take on the attack of a hundred more if they swarmed into camp. Grant could well imagine the mixture of relief and anger the man must feel, seeing how his mother had been treated here.
He turned back to Faith. Steps Right said neither of them had been hurt by the braves, other than being knocked unconscious when they were kidnapped.
Was that why a second blow had laid Faith low for so long? It had been at least a half hour since the attack.
Her chest rose and fell with a steady rhythm, but her tanned skin had turned so pale. Her face that usually showed such expression lay still.
“Faith.” His throat rasped, so he cleared it. “Wake up.” The rasp was gone, but he couldn’t keep his voice from cracking. “Please.”
She’d said she loved him. More than anything, he wanted the chance to tell her the same. To take her in his arms and hold her. To never let her go.
She’d said he made her better. How on earth that could be true, he didn’t know. But he was tired of pushing her away. If she wanted to love him, he would give her everything he had. All the time and attention and everything he owned. He would protect her as best he could. No matter what it took.
And he would treasure her. The way she deserved to be treasured.
“He loves you too. More than you can possibly imagine. You don’t have to do anything to be worthyof it.”
Faith’s words threaded through his mind. They couldn’t really be true, though. Faith loved him because she was just that wonderful.
But God couldn’t love him.Didn’tlove him. He’d already proven that when He didn’t answer Grant’s prayers.
He already thinks you’re wortheverything.
