Black Raven's Pride

by Aimée Thurlo

  A powerful yearning ripped through her as he drove off. Someday she’d have to learn that every dream came at a price, and the cost of loving was the highest of all.

  AS EDEN PULLED into the driveway of her home, she saw a group of three tribal officials waiting at her door. One of them was Samuel Runningwater. After the warning Maria had given her, she was curious to see what had brought him here. She suddenly had a feeling that Maria had managed to get advance warning of this visit. As she walked up to meet them, she braced herself for trouble.

  “Gentlemen,” she said, unlocking her door, and ushering them inside. “What brings you here?”

  “Business. Tribal business,” Runningwater said.

  She didn’t trust the coldness in his gaze. It was like looking into the eyes of a rattler about to strike.

  After they’d all sat down, refusing her offer of soft drinks, she studied them. Samuel was obviously the leader, though she recognized the lieutenant governor of the pueblo, Manuel Peña, and Francisco Serna, the governor’s counselor. Peña was restless, as if sitting on an ant hill. Serna was a thin, observant man in his forties. His thoughtful eyes seemed to weigh everything about her.

  “We have come to reason with you,” Samuel Runningwater said. “Your recent activities are creating a lot of unrest here. People remember your mother’s betrayal too clearly for you to be safe on this pueblo.”

  “There are many kinds of betrayals, sir,” she said quietly, holding his gaze.

  Runningwater looked away. Clearing his throat, he continued. “Many in the council, and many of the leaders of our religious societies have requested that you be asked to leave the pueblo for the good of everyone. The tone of the talk makes us all believe that you may be in a great deal of danger.”

  “My parents suffered a grave injustice. I’m here to right that wrong.”

  “Your motives are commendable, but the longer you persist with this, the worse things are bound to get,” Runningwater said. “Consider what you’re doing carefully. You’re a single mother. If something happened to you, what will become of your son?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Don’t let stubbornness and misplaced pride keep you from doing the only sane thing.”

  She stood up. This was not an argument she intended to have with a man who was clearly her enemy. “Thank you for stopping by.”

  Runningwater, Serna and Peña started for the door, but Peña stopped and turned to face her. “Maybe we didn’t put things too well, but we really are worried about what you’re stirring up. Nothing good will come of it. Let go of the past, Ms. Maes. You’ll be a lot better off.”

  She stood by the open door. “Thank you for your concern,” she said.

  She watched the men go back to their truck, a lump the size of a large rock in the middle of her stomach. Why was it so difficult for others to believe that one couldn’t let go of the past until it was resolved? She wished people would stop thinking of her as a troublemaker and try to understand. But she knew that she wouldn’t have any peace until she cleared her parents and the objects were returned.

  Restless, Eden paced around the room and then finally stopped by the rear window staring pensively at Tsin, the mesa that overlooked her backyard. Memories of the past danced through her mind, and she remembered the stories about the Tsave Yoh. The supernatural beings were said to make their home in the caves that wound through the belly of the mountain like labyrinths.

  Slowly an idea began to form in her mind. It was her mother who had told her many of the legends associated with those tunnels and piqued her curiosity until she’d had to go take a look for herself. She’d never told anyone of her visits there, knowing it was considered sacred ground, but now a thought began to niggle at the back of her mind.

  Her mother had wanted to keep the Tsave Yoh mask and fetish safe, and there was no better hiding place than the home of the Tsave Yoh themselves. No Tewa would ever venture inside the tunnels, since they were reputed to be protected by the enforcers of the gods.

  A plan took shape in her mind and she suddenly knew what she had to do. For the first time since she’d arrived, a sense of hope filled her. Maybe luck was with her at last.

  Chapter Fifteen

  After making sure that Mrs. Chino would keep Chris a few hours longer, Eden headed out to explore the secret caves. As she drove past the Plaza, she saw Nick patrolling on foot and nearly stopped to tell him where she was going. Deciding against it, she continued down the road.

  This time, being half white had its advantages. Tewa beliefs were a part of Nick and the sacred site would not be one he’d broach easily. There was also the undeniable fact that if someone saw her going in there, they’d shake their heads and blame it on her Anglo blood. For Nick, there’d be serious repercussions.

  Eden was traveling slowly past the Kiva when she saw several men in line going down into the subterranean chamber. Noting that they were carrying different bundles, she suddenly realized that the finishing ceremony was just about to begin. Nick would have his hands full tonight.

  A moment later, she saw Nick’s vehicle parked near the Trading Post. She pulled over to the side of the road, thinking. Now that they both had something at stake, it seemed wrong not to let him in on her plans. She would go alone. That was the right thing to do. But if she left him a note in his car telling him where she was going and when, approximately, she expected to return, maybe he’d be able to stop by her home later after the finishing and they could discuss what, if anything, she’d found.

  Eden first confirmed it was Nick’s patrol unit instead of Torres’s by checking the vehicle tag. She then slipped a handwritten note through the crack at the top of the window where he’d rolled it down slightly.

  She was back on her way a minute later. As she left the developed section of the pueblo and headed toward the mountain, Eden glanced in her rearview mirror and saw a set of headlights off in the distance. A niggling sense of uneasiness wound through her, but she concentrated on what she had to do. No one would be able to tail her where she was going. The ground and the surrounding area were too rugged a place and afforded too much cover, and she was going someplace no one would anticipate.

  As she drew closer to the sacred mountain, Eden tried to remember everything she knew about the caves there. As a kid, the stories about the Tsave Yoh’s hiding places and the labyrinths had fascinated her. The adults had been fond of telling the kids that the Tsave Yoh would kidnap bad children and take them into those caves as their prisoners. Envisioning herself as a heroine attempting a daring rescue, she’d explored every inch of the subterranean labyrinths.

  She smiled. As a kid, her imagination had been second to none, but now the knowledge she’d gained back then would serve her.

  She arrived at her destination at the base of the mesa within twenty-five minutes. Leaving her car beside a dry arroyo, she started hiking uphill across the rocky terrain toward the limestone caves, located just above the base of the cliffs.

  Dusk had settled over the land, and the uneven ground was treacherous here. Remembering there was the possibility of snakes coming out to hunt, she chose her path carefully, intent on avoiding the many hazards the desert posed during this time of day.

  Eden soon located the main entrance to the caves. The opening was nearly blocked with weeds and spiderwebs. Although she hated spiders with a passion, in this case they afforded her some useful information. No one had been here in quite a long while. The webs were simply too numerous and elaborate.

  Switching on the flashlight she’d brought from her car, she swept aside the cobwebs and stepped inside. The tunnel branched in several places as it extended back into the mountain. Some of the pathways led uphill, and others down at steep angles. It was easy to get lost in here. She’d scared herself silly once, long ago, by venturing too far and then having to work really hard to find the way out.

  Moving carefully, she looked through each passage, but there weren’t many places here where things could be hidden. The low co
rridors reminded her of mining shafts, except they usually led back to each other or narrowed to dead ends where the original water that had carved them had seeped from inside the mountain. She spent the better part of an hour searching the labyrinth, but at long last realized that she wasn’t going to find anything there.

  As she made her way to the cave entrance, she discovered it was now pitch black outside. The moon was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. Then she saw the flicker of another flashlight downhill, coming up the slope toward the cave. Quickly turning off her own light before it could be seen, she stared into the darkness. She was sure Nick would have called out to her, but this person remained silent, as if he were trying to hide his approach.

  Several heartbeats later, she saw the vague outline of a man silhouetted against the skyline. Surprised, she pulled back into the cave, hoping he wouldn’t be able to find the entrance. She still wasn’t sure how he’d tracked her, but from his halting steps, she had a feeling he wasn’t exactly sure where the caves were, though he must have heard of them.

  Eden stayed hidden behind a large rock and waited. The man hesitated, shining the light past the spot where she was hiding. Then, from farther down the hillside, she heard Nick’s voice calling her.

  The beam from the man’s flashlight went out instantly, then she heard a metallic click that sounded like a gun being cocked. Eden knew that unless she acted fast, Nick would walk into an ambush.

  Peeking out as the moon appeared from behind the clouds, she saw the man’s outline. He stood a few feet away from the mouth of the cave, facing in the other direction, waiting for Nick to come up. Eden reached down for the large rock beside her foot, took careful aim, and threw it as hard as she could.

  Hearing a dull thump and a groan, she quickly ducked behind cover. She’d barely moved out of sight when the man fired two shots into the cave. The bullets ricocheted, impacting on the rock wall behind and above her. But Nick had been warned now.

  Eden huddled down as low as she could get, knowing that the gunman couldn’t see her without using his flashlight and coming closer, and he wouldn’t risk it with Nick nearby.

  Then Eden heard Nick’s voice clearly. “I’m a deputy sheriff. Put down your weapon and come out with your hands above your head,” he ordered.

  The man in the shadows bolted, firing rapidly behind him as he ran, forcing Nick to seek cover. Eden heard Nick’s two answering shots, but then there was only silence.

  Eden waited as long as she could, then finally shouted. “Nick, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Where are you? Are you hurt?”

  “No. Did you see who it was?” she called out, moving toward the cave opening.

  “No, but I’m going after him right now. I’ll be back.”

  She heard him run off. “Be careful,” she said, but her words were nothing more than a whispered prayer in the desert night.

  NICK COULD SEE the vague outline of the man against the terrain. He followed cautiously, wary of an ambush. Then, a moment later, he heard the roar of a car engine. Risking the use of his flashlight, Nick swept the area below. All he saw was a trail of dust that filled the cone of his flashlight beam. It was too late.

  Nick jogged back to where he’d left Eden. Taking one look at her pale, frightened face, he hauled her against him. “If you ever go off alone like this again, I’ll shoot you myself.”

  His lips suddenly crushed hers with a fierceness that sealed out any answer she might have given him and bound her to him. His breath rasping through his lungs, he ravaged the moist recesses of her mouth with a kiss so intimate it left no room for anything except total surrender.

  “You’re safe, you’re safe,” he murmured, for his own benefit as much as for hers.

  He felt the softening of her body as he held her and the victory was sweet. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted forever and beyond.

  He stepped away, fighting something primitive and masculine that urged him to keep her in his arms until her surrender was complete. “Why did you come out here alone? What if he hurt you—” He couldn’t even bring himself to complete the sentence.

  Nick faced her, wanting to make her understand how much he cared, and how he hadn’t felt anything but terror from the moment he’d learned she’d come out here alone. Yet, when he opened his mouth and spoke, what came out was entirely different.

  “What you did tonight was totally crazy. That guy could have killed you if I hadn’t showed up.”

  “I know, but he probably wouldn’t have fired if I hadn’t tried to protect you,” she said, explaining. “So I saved you as much as you saved me.” Seeing the exasperation on his face, she softened her tone. “Were you really worried about me?”

  “How can you possibly doubt that?” His voice was as brittle as broken glass. “Why do you think I raced out here?”

  “I don’t know. And you still haven’t said. As much as I’d like to, I still can’t read your mind.”

  “Be grateful you can’t. At least not right now,” he snapped, frustration flowing through him. “Come on. Let’s head back. We’ve both been through enough for one night.”

  Nick insisted on following her car as they drove back to the pueblo. It was a good thing they’d come separately. He couldn’t have stood sitting beside her tonight, taking in the sweet scent of her perfume and feeling her with everything male in him, while she remained out of his reach.

  He needed time to get himself together. He couldn’t allow himself to love or even think of the future until all the questions about his father were settled. A man needed something to offer a woman, and, although perhaps that wasn’t politically correct in the Anglo world, it was still a part of his own beliefs and the way he looked at life.

  They stopped by Mrs. Chino’s so she could pick up Christopher, then continued to her house. Nick stayed behind her, guarding her all the way.

  When they reached her house, he walked her to the door. “I’m going to have to say good-night, Eden,” he said, trying not to be swayed by the disappointment in her eyes. “I’m on call because the ceremonies are under way.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said quietly, stepping into the living room, holding Christopher.

  Nick returned to his vehicle and, seeing that Chris and Eden were safe, drove off without looking back. A man with a questionable future had no right to a woman like Eden and a little boy who would depend on the adults in his life.

  Although he was sure his father was innocent, he needed to prove it first. Then, once that was settled, he’d make Eden see that they belonged together. Pretty words were beyond him but, somehow, he’d show her that a man of action was worth far more than a man of words.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Eden arrived at school a few minutes earlier than usual Monday morning. Instead of the normal greetings from the other staff gathered in the office, all she got were cold shoulders and suspicious stares.

  Something was clearly wrong. Checking her mailbox, she saw a note from Principal Puye. It said simply, “Come see me right away.”

  Eden walked across the room to his office and knocked on the open door.

  Mr. Puye looked up from the papers before him and waved for her to step inside. “Close the door behind you, Miss Maes, then have a seat. We need to talk.”

  There was something in his tone that spelled trouble. Fear undermined her confidence, but she sat quietly, scarcely moving a muscle.

  “I had a group of parents waiting for me in the parking lot this morning. They’re asking for your suspension.”

  “On what grounds? My contract spells out the circumstances under which I can be suspended, and I haven’t violated any laws, or behaved unprofessionally with any students, parents, or staff.”

  “According to more than one parent, you’ve become a negative role model for the kids. They believe that your behavior here and in the community has been inappropriate.”

  “How so? I’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “The
parents are complaining that you’re all the kids talk about when they get home. They’re curious about your past and all the events surrounding the theft of our artifacts. The parents are afraid that you’re not a suitable teacher anymore. Their children are more interested in an old crime and its repercussions than in school-related things.”

  “I have no control over what the kids talk about outside my class, or what they do after hours. But at school, we follow the curriculum. Come and observe my classes if you don’t believe me.”

  “I’ll be doing that from now on. And, if there’s any hint of impropriety, or if I discover that you’ve allowed discussions pertaining to the crime to go on in your classes, I will suspend you.”

  Eden left the principal’s office and walked back to the classroom. She had a feeling this was all tied to Runningwater’s visit. Since the tribal officials clearly wanted her out, the pressure would not let up unless she let them win and left. But that was the one thing she’d never do.

  The morning proceeded slowly. The kids, sensing something was wrong, seemed better than usual, but Mr. Puye dropped in unannounced several times. By the time the morning ended and she left school, the tension had taken its toll and she felt exhausted.

  Eden picked up Chris and went straight home. At least her little boy was in a calm mood, content to play in his activities chair after she had sung a few songs to him.

  Sitting on the sofa, she glanced through some of the free publications she usually picked up at the local grocery stores. Living on a part-time teacher’s salary meant that she was always in need of bargains, and these were the next best thing to finding a good garage sale. Suddenly one classified header caught her eye. It advertised “Southwestern Religious Art” in bold, oversized letters.

  As she read the smaller text below it, she felt her heart freeze. The seller warned that all prospective buyers would be screened and showings would be by appointment only. The items were listed as one of a kind original work that would be sold to “individual collectors only.”