It Dreams in Me by Kathleen O’Neal Gear Read Free Book Online Page B

Village?”
    Flint’s jaw dropped open. “Of course not. How could I have known?”
    “I thought perhaps you were waiting for him.”
    “Is your soul out wandering? That’s insane!” Flint replied in irritation.
    “I can’t fathom any other reason you would have returned to the burned village—except to meet someone.”
    “Are you accusing me of conspiring—”
    “With your own relatives?” Strongheart interrupted. “Yes, I am. Were you?”
    Sora strode forward, shouldered between the men, and said, “I’m tired. I would like to reach Sassafras Lake before it’s completely dark—which is not going to happen if you two keep stopping in the middle of the trail.”
    As she marched ahead of them, they fell into line behind her. Flint grumbled what sounded like a taunt beneath his breath. Strongheart did not respond.
    As they walked through the cool shadows of the magnolias, Strongheart said, “Forbidden Village is just up ahead. Why don’t you let me lead the way, Chieftess?”
    Sora slowed her pace. As he passed by her, he lightly brushed her arm with his hand; it was a comforting pat, nothing more, but …
    Flint grabbed her arm and pulled her backward so hard she almost lost her footing. He allowed Strongheart to get twenty paces ahead before he whispered, “When he goes to sleep tonight, we should slip away.”
    “I don’t want to slip away.”

    “He’s been trying to Heal you for a quarter moon. I was wrong to bring you to him. He isn’t Powerful enough to Heal you. Let me take you north to Priest Long Lance. I studied with him. I know he’ll remember me and agree to Heal you.”
    “Many people consider Long Lance to be a witch.”
    “He’s a very great Healer. He taught me everything he knew about Spirit Plants and Healing techniques,” he said, but she sensed there was more to it, some deep undercurrent of emotion that she couldn’t define. His grip tightened, as though if she refused to go away with him he would drag her against her will.
    “No, Flint.”
    Strongheart had followed the trail around a dense briar and disappeared. A thread of fear wound through her, as it always did when he was out of her sight.
    She pulled her arm away from Flint and tried to catch up with Strongheart.
    “I love you,” Flint called. “Why won’t you come with me?”
    “I can’t, I—”
    He ran, grabbed her shoulder hard, and whirled her around to look at him. “Is it because you love him?” His voice was hateful.
    “Flint, for the sake of the gods, stop this! Can’t you see that every time Strongheart touches me the Midnight Fox cowers? It knows he can kill it. I must give him more time.”
    “Are you saying you don’t love him?”
    “I’m saying I believe he can Heal me.” She shoved his hand away and continued walking.
    Beyond the briar, the trail cut across a grassy meadow and opened onto the shore of Sassafras Lake, where bald cypresses flourished in the deep green water.
    She didn’t see Strongheart and started to …
    The hair on the back of her neck suddenly prickled, and her
eyes instinctively drifted to the right. Amid a weave of massive moss-covered trunks, she glimpsed Strongheart’s face. He seemed to be staring at something in the distance.
    “What’s he looking at?” Flint asked.
    “I can’t tell.”
    As she walked forward, Forbidden Village came into view. It must have been beautiful at one time, long ago, before the forest had overgrown the thatched lodges. Now, the vine-covered ruins scattered the lakeshore for as far as she could see.
    “Strongheart?” she called.
    He turned, and the shadows cast by the trees crisscrossed his round face like charcoal filigree. His hooked nose seemed longer, his bulging eyes huge. He tucked a lock of black hair behind his ear and pointed to an overgrown lodge ten paces away. Saplings had sprouted in front of the doorway. “That used to be my home, when I studied with Juggler.”
    Flint stepped forward, glanced at it, and said,