Star of Daylight (Book Two of the Viking Series)

CHAPTER TEN - Running Deer

When my wife fell at my feet, I thought she was having a fit at first, and then I thought she was ill. The reality of it was that she had shut down. I bent down and cradled her in my arms, my heart racing and fear pushing all rational thought aside. Raging Bear’s grief dwindled to nothing. I barely registered Walking Cloud’s form in front of me until he reached out and slapped my wife hard on the cheek. I was ready to slit his throat for harming my Star of Daylight until I noticed that she reacted.

As if coming out of a daze, she pushed away from me and got to her feet. Though she was glaring daggers at Walking Clouds, the man did not flinch. He simply stared her down, saying, “You are a shaman, Star of Daylight. You must keep your head about you at all times. I know you are grieving, but you have to push past all that and use it to keep yourself moving when you think you cannot.”

Her countenance went from dazed to grief to stone; all emotion wiped from her beautiful face. I suddenly wanted to kiss her badly, but it was not appropriate under the circumstances and I held myself in check. I just wanted nothing more than to bring the smile back to her face. I was used to her joy, not the sorrow I saw etched there, and certainly not that emotionless expression.

“Walking Clouds, we have to save her. I have to go now!” She was crying silent tears though her visage was still hard. “My brother has her, and if I know him, every second she is with him she will be in danger. He will torture her, all the while knowing that each strike he takes against her, he takes against me.”

Raging Bear spoke in a quiet voice, so low I almost did not hear him. “She is right. I go with her. I cannot live without my precious Night Moon.”

I shivered at the pain in his voice. Only the day before, I was miserable because my wife was off training. I could not imagine what was going through his mind. His wife was now a slave with no rights, and a very cruel master. Also, Night Moon was just as heavily pregnant as Star of Daylight and far more vulnerable than my warrior bride. She was soft and gentle; not made for what was happening to her.

“I go, too!” I chimed in without any thought to the contrary. If my wife were going into danger, so would I. I wanted to protect her, though I knew she would think she did not need it. I was not going to be separated from her again. It had hurt too much the last time. Turning to Raging Bear, I told him, “Go and prepare what we will need for the journey.”

Walking Clouds put his hand up, staying Raging Bear’s departure. “A party of men has already been assembled. They were going to search the forest and the beach for enemies after the women returned in such a state of panic. They will go with you. I have sent a runner to a neighboring tribe. They have a canoe that will carry all of you.”

“Thank you, Shaman Walking Clouds,” Raging Bear, my wife, and I said at the same time, causing a bit of laughter to erupt from the old man. He quickly turned serious again, saying, “Come to the Meeting Lodge. We will discuss your journey there.”

Everything happened in such a blur that I had not had time to ponder what was going on. Questions began to plague me as we walked to the lodge. How did my wife know what was happening and where to go? What was Vander capable of? Could she handle the trip without hurting the baby? That thought had me wondering if I should insist that she stay behind, but the truth was she was the only one who knew where we were going. Not only that, but she would not listen to me regardless. She never had when it was something important to her, and this went beyond that. This was her sister and her vendetta. I could not deny her the chance to face and defeat her past even if it meant her losing another child. I could feel my heart hanging by a thread. What if I lost them both? What about the boys?

We were settled around the fire in no time. Walking Clouds called out for attention, and all eyes turned to him, including mine. He was a presence of authority sitting there with his fierce expression. I was used to seeing his face as a blank slate, but right then, he looked as if he could make thunder. “Star of Daylight, all here must know of your vision and the prophecy, of what drove you to the shore.” Glancing with that piercing gaze at each of us, his eyes turned back to her and my heart skipped a beat at the expression on her face. It matched his. It was as if he was feeding her the same fire he carried within. “You had a true-telling, child, and now we must complete the prophecy. Will you voice it, or shall I?”