Shadow of My Heart (Shadow-Walker Tribe Series)

by Moya Block, Caryn

  Moments after, Raven finally heard shuffling on the other side of the door, the deadbolt was pulled back, and the door opened. Isanti Quiet Thunder stood there, his silver braids reaching almost to his waist. He looked Raven up and down, before turning and walking back the way he came. Raven sighed and followed him inside, then turned and closed the door.

  “What are you doing in here that you cannot come out to eat?” Raven asked as he walked among the tables covered with everything from bows and arrows to herbs and cauldrons. On the back wall stood a desk strewn with papers, and Isanti walked over and sat down at the desk. Picking up a pen, he scribbled in a book open in front of him.

  “I wasn’t hungry,” Isanti said, turning to look at Raven. “The girls worry too much. Where is Little Mother? Did she come with you?”

  “Gwen took Cara shopping for clothes that are Shadow-Dimension proof. They will be back late tonight.”

  “Hhm, women shopping. I hope you can afford it.”

  “What is going on, Isanti? What are you doing in here?”

  “I am preparing a book of recipes to give to you and Little Mother. When I am gone, you will be the new shaman of the tribe.”

  “When you go is still many years away. But you must take care of yourself. Skipping meals isn’t good for you. As for me being shaman, I would think you could find another more suited to the job.”

  “Being shaman is not a job. It is a calling. You are being called. The question that remains is, will you answer?”

  “Isanti . . .” Raven didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t take on another responsibility. He needed to spend time with Cara. He was already CEO of Isanti, Inc., and acting chief of the tribe. “Can we talk about this later?”

  “If you wish, but soon. I will not be here forever.”

  “Come into the house and let me fix us an early dinner. The girls will pick something up on their way.”

  “How is Little Mother getting on? Has she recovered from the attack?”

  “Cara is doing well, thanks to your potion. But she still fears a life with me. I need to reassure her that she is safe with me.”

  “Teach her to Shadow-walk. If you had taught her before, she could have escaped her kidnappers.”

  “Don’t you think I realize that?” Raven asked, as he paced back and forth in front of the desk. “I haven’t had time to teach her. I gave her the first lessons today.”

  “Do not let guilt come between you. It is not your fault she was taken.”

  “Isn’t it?” Raven asked, stopping suddenly and leaning forward on his hands on the desk. “I should have been there. I should have protected her.”

  “Red Hawk was there, and he couldn’t protect her. Why do you think you could have done better? Your brother is an accomplished warrior, and he had to withdraw.”

  “I would have fought harder,” Raven said, standing up straight and running his hand through his hair. Cara belonged to him. He would have protected her.

  “Shame on you, Soaring Raven. You always underestimate your brother. You would have fared no better. He gave his all for her protection. He lost so much blood he almost died. But you never even checked on him until he was already treated by White Fox.”

  Was it true? Did Derek almost die, and Raven didn’t even realize it? Raven had been so terrified for Cara, so wrapped up in her emotions that were feeding his own fears. When Katherine mentioned that Derek’s heart rate wasn’t right, it had concerned him. But he had trusted that Dr. Rick would let him know if there was a problem.

  “Forgive me, Isanti. I didn’t realize.”

  “Do not ask me for forgiveness. It is your brother you must ask. You always try to walk alone. Your brother loves you. Family is important, Soaring Raven. Soon you will begin your own family.”

  “Let’s go inside. I’ll call him after I get you something to eat.”

  “All right. It seems you will not let me get anything else accomplished tonight,” Isanti said, closing the book on his desk and walking to the door with Raven. “What’s for dinner?”

  §

  Gwen held Cara’s hand on one side while Lindy held the other. It almost felt as if they were back in grade school, lining up for a field trip and holding hands while they crossed the street. But this field trip was through the Shadow Dimension, and taking chances wasn’t a smart thing to do. Cara didn’t know where they were going, and until she could picture it in her head, it was better just to hold onto Gwen and Lindy. Gwen released her hand and opened a door out of Shadow, before leading Cara out onto a street full of cars. Cara looked around in amazement.

  “Oh, my goodness. Are we in Italy?” she asked, gasping.

  “Well, one of the safest things to wear in Shadow is leather, and Italian leather is the best,” Gwen said. “I know the owner of this store down on Villa della Spiga who takes special orders for Isanti, Inc. Giovanni will help us find something nice for you. Come on. It’s just a block from here.”

  “Lindy, pinch me. I must have died and gone to heaven,” Cara said, clutching her chest.

  “If we hurry we might be able to catch dinner at my favorite café in Paris. Come on, Cara,” Lindy said, grabbing her hand and hurrying her down the street.

  Cara eagerly followed Gwen and Lindy down the block and onto Villa della Spiga.

  “Gwen, are we dressed well enough to shop here? Is that Dolce & Gabbana? Oh, and look, there’s Gucci and Armani. Are you sure we can afford this?”

  “Not to worry. Raven gave us the corporate credit card. Come on down here.”

  Cara followed Gwen and Lindy into a trendy-looking shop with windows full of leather clothes. As they entered, a handsome older man walked over and started speaking to Gwen in Italian. Gwen answered easily, before turning and introducing Cara to the man.

  “This is my future sister-in-law. She needs several outfits.”

  “It will be my pleasure,” the man said, switching to English. “Come, bella, let me show you some things to try on.”

  §

  Raven had just finished cleaning up the kitchen when the phone rang. Isanti was in the living room, watching the news on TV, so Raven picked up the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Raven, it’s Joe. I just got a call. General Holland has been shot. He’s in the Bethesda Medical Center. It doesn’t look good. They aren’t sure he’s going to make it. He asked for you.”

  “What happened? Who shot him?”

  “I don’t know the details, but I don’t like it. I think we need to go find out what’s going on.”

  “All right. Give me ten minutes and then meet me at the hospital. Before you hang up, how is Derek?”

  “Dr. Rick released him this morning. Last I saw, your secretary was delivering his lunch to him. He gets all the luck.”

  “Jealous, Joe? I didn’t know you were interested in Katherine?”

  “I’m not. She always belonged to Derek. I just sometimes wish I had someone to come home to.”

  “Hopefully, you’ll find that someone soon. All right, see you in ten,” Raven said, hanging up the phone, then rushing into the front room.

  “Isanti, I need one of your healing potions for General Holland. He’s been attacked, and I need to get to the hospital. Can you explain to Cara that I will be back as soon as I can?”

  “I cannot give you a potion for your friend, Raven. He is not a Shadow-walker.”

  What? Raven didn’t have time for this. “But Isanti, he knows what we are. Surely, it wouldn’t hurt to heal him this one time.”

  “But it would hurt. What if one of the doctors became curious about his sudden recovery? No, we cannot take chances like that. I am sorry.”

  “Then, come with me and heal him. Nothing would show up in a test that way.” He would just have to leave a note for Cara.

  “Raven, I cannot. If I heal him this time, what is to stop him from asking me again and again? I am not here to heal the world, only to work toward the continuation of my tribe.”

  “He
could die. I owe him so much,” Raven said, leaning over the arm of Isanti’s chair. Why was he being so difficult?

  “No, Raven. You paid any debt to him years ago. I am sorry, but the answer is still the same. I will tell Little Mother you had an emergency.”

  “All right. I’ve got to go. I don’t understand you sometimes. If he dies . . . ”

  “If he dies, then it was his time to go. You cannot save everyone, Raven.”

  Raven ran his hand through his hair and looked around for the thickest shadow in the room. It wasn’t long before he was opening a door and Shadow-walking to the Bethesda Medical Center in Maryland.

  Raven found a group of shadows by the circular drive that led to the front entrance of the hospital, before he opened a door and stepped out of the Shadow Dimension. He hurried inside the hospital and was glad to see Joe waiting for him by the receptionist desk.

  “He’s on the fourth floor. The elevators are over here,” Joe said, leading the way.

  Raven nodded before following Joe. What was wrong with Isanti? Why wouldn’t he help the general? Sighing, Raven stepped into the elevator.

  “I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Joe said. “The care here is remarkably good. How is Cara doing?”

  “She’s out with Gwen and Lindy. I’m sure they’re having a good time shopping. I hope she doesn’t return before I do, but if so, Gwen and Lindy will keep her company.”

  “Homeland Security picked up Davidson. He is spilling his guts. He’ll get jail time for sure.”

  “Did you contact Fred Black’s sister yet? I would hate for her to learn of her brother’s death on the television or some other way like that,” Raven said sadly. What a terrible waste, and now the general had been attacked. Was Cara right to fear living in Raven’s world?

  The elevator opened, and Raven and Joe walked down the hall to the private room the general occupied. Through the door, Raven could see that the older man looked haggard, his skin pasty-white and sweating. He was hooked up to several machines and an IV bag. Breathing deeply to steady himself, Raven opened the door and walked over to his friend’s bed.

  “General, we came as soon as we heard,” Raven said gently.

  The general’s eyes fluttered before they opened, and Raven felt better seeing keen intelligence still shining in his eyes.

  “Good to see you, Son. They almost got me this time. Damn traitors. But I asked for you because of this,” the general said, leaning forward and holding an object out to Raven.

  Raven reached for the object, and in his hand was a silver ring depicting a large hawk. “General, where did you get this?” Why did he have Derek’s ring?

  “It was found at the crime scene. I told the cops it was mine. Someone is setting Derek up. I didn’t see much. The criminals came out of an alley, wearing black hoods, and started shooting. I dove for cover, but not before I got hit. Luckily, a police car was just down the street, and they saw what was going on. The shooter ran. I know it wasn’t Derek. Hell, he called me this morning to tell me he was being released from the clinic today, but was put on bed rest for the next two days.”

  “I don’t understand how someone got Derek’s ring. Why would anyone try to implicate him in your shooting?”

  “I don’t know, Son. But you need to find out who is behind this,” the general said, falling back exhausted on his pillows. Raven knew he and Joe needed to leave him so he could rest.

  “All right, Sir. I’ll get people on this right away. Thank you for protecting Derek. You need to rest now.”

  “Yeah, I know. Keep me informed, Darkwood,” the general said as his eyes fluttered shut and his breathing deepened.

  Raven nodded to Joe and walked into the hall. “Get one of our men over here to keep an eye on the general. I don’t want someone to come in here and try to finish what the terrorists started.”

  “You got it. Fighting Eagle is just getting off leave. He can be here right away.”

  “I think we need to find out when Derek last had his ring,” Raven said.

  “Didn’t Isanti give that to him?”

  “Yes, when he passed the tests of manhood. Normally, the brave’s father gives him a gift. But our father was already gone by then. Isanti made the ring himself. He is a gifted silversmith. We can take so little with us into Shadow.”

  “Well, we can speculate as to when he lost it or we can just go ask.”

  “Let’s go then. I want to get back to Cara,” Raven said, striding down the hall. It was going to be a long night.

  §

  Cara opened the door from Shadow while Gwen and Lindy looked on proudly. They had insisted Cara memorize the location of each store they visited so she could always find her way back. Then, after a scrumptious dinner at a little café in Paris, they asked Cara to hold the image of the ranch house to allow the group to get home.

  “I did it. I’m a real Shadow-walker now,” Cara said, carrying the leather bags full of her purchases. Lindy had insisted she buy several outfits to wear through Shadow. Cara couldn’t wait to show Raven what she had bought, including a very short, black mini-skirt.

  “Yes, you are. Now you can travel through Shadow without harm. Just remember to always keep a clear image of where you want to go in your mind at all times,” Gwen said, carrying her own bag. She walked to the front door and opened it.

  “I always love being able to hop from country to country. I think that is my favorite part of Shadow-walking,” Lindy said with a smile.

  “I thought it was the shopping you liked best,” Gwen teased.

  “Well, that too. Of course,” Lindy said.

  “It’s amazing to realize we can go anywhere in the world in seconds. Why is it that no one else can do it?” Cara asked, walking into the front room and dropping her bags on the floor before flopping on the couch.

  “I don’t know. It’s always been the people of our tribe who can walk Shadow. There are other tribes who have special gifts. I remember Dad mentioning the Wind-warriors. They can control the wind and call storms to fight for them, or did in the old days. There may be others as well.”

  “Didn’t Dad talk of shape-shifters? I thought there was a tribe who could turn into crows,” Lindy said, her brow furrowed as she tried to remember.

  “Where are Raven and Isanti?” Cara asked, looking around. The house was quiet, and all the lights were out except for those in the front room. The hands on the wall clock showed it was seven in the evening.

  “Maybe they got tired of waiting for us and went out to eat,” Lindy suggested, plopping down in one of the recliners.

  “I hope so,” Gwen said. “Dad didn’t eat any lunch, unless Raven got him to come out of his studio after we left. I’m exhausted from all that shopping. Too bad it’s too late to take a nap.”

  “You could turn in early,” Lindy suggested. “Take a bath, read a book.”

  “That sounds heavenly. Will you be okay without me?” Gwen asked, turning to Cara.

  “Of course, Gwen,” Cara said. “I’ll go upstairs to my room and put away my clothes. I’m stuffed from dinner.”

  “If you want, we can watch a movie, Cara,” Lindy said. “We should take advantage of the guys being gone. They always hog the television. I’ll fix popcorn.”

  “That sounds like fun. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be right down,” Cara said, picking up her bags and hurrying to the stairs. Where was Raven? Would he be back soon?

  §

  Raven and Joe walked out of Shadow and into Raven’s office in New Mexico. Raven paused, looking at the door and thinking about the night he was caught exiting Shadow by Fred Black. Fred never blinked an eye. What a shame that the terrorists saw Fred coming out of Amanda’s apartment. Shaking his head, Raven walked toward the door, knowing Joe was right behind him.

  As they walked down the darkened hall and past Katherine’s desk, the desert skyline could be seen through the windows. The lights of Albuquerque glowed from behind the mountain. Higher in the sky, the stars twinkled. R
aven drank in the sight, needing the moment of peace such beauty gave him.

  Stepping into the elevator, Raven pressed the button for the apartment level. The building was quiet because most employees were there only during the day. But down in the operations room, tribal members would be working on the secret part of Isanti, Inc. Until the problem with the general was taken care of, Isanti was still in the spying business.

  “Joe, go advise the team on what’s happening with the general. Then, meet me at Derek’s apartment.”

  “Got it. Did you eat? I’m starving.”

  “I ate early with Isanti before I got the call,” Raven said. “Pick something up in the kitchen on your way back upstairs.”

  “It can wait till after we talk to Derek. You know he’s being set up, right?”

  “I know,” Raven said. “I didn’t realize he was so badly injured. You should have told me.”

  “I didn’t know myself until he was already stabilized. I was busy with cleanup from the kidnapping. When I did find out, you were finally sleeping with Cara. I didn’t want to wake you. If Derek had had a turn for the worse, we would have told you.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Raven stepped out. Joe pressed the button for the lower floors, and the door closed. Running his hand through his hair, Raven walked down the hall. He wasn’t sure what to say to his brother, and his steps slowed. He had known Derek was hurt. He should have checked on him.

  Reaching the door, he knocked. When the door opened, Raven was surprised to see Katherine Sloane.

  “Is everything all right?” Raven asked. Joe had told him Katherine was keeping an eye on Derek, a very close eye it seemed.

  “He’s resting. The pain meds wipe him out, but he needs to take them in order to sleep. I brought dinner and then stayed for a while.”

  “I need to talk to him.”

  “Of course, come in. I was just getting ready to leave,” Katherine said, stepping back.

  “Katie?” Derek’s voice came from the bedroom.

  “You don’t need to leave, Katherine,” Raven said, walking in the bedroom door. “I know Derek appreciates your care. I’m glad he has you. I should have been checking on him.”