Shining Moon Rises

by Stephy Smith

  The horse bolted down the road, dragging the carriage behind. Both the horse and carriage dissipated into thin air right before Sarah's eyes. She turned her gaze back to Shining Moon. Her breath caught in her throat. A scream welled inside of her but she refused to let it out.

  With three quick slashes from the talisman, Lucifer Devlin's shrill shriek pierced the eardrums. Sarah covered her ears and narrowed her eyes. Devlin's body smoked and shattered like broke glass, before it vanished into the ground. Jessie, Cord, and Travis relaxed their bodies but continued to keep Sarah penned in.

  Her legs wobbled as she gave each of her sons a gentle nudge to let her out. All three moved away one step.

  Chapter Twelve

  Sarah let out the breath she was holding. Mr. Devlin had instilled a vast amount of fear coursing through her veins. She didn't know what it was, but it wasn't good. Jessie and Travis relaxed their tense arms she had been holding onto. Cord shifted from one foot to the other. His hands perched on his hips and his shoulders slumped.

  "How did you know?" Sarah ran to Shining Moon who was standing on the ground near where the demon had vanished.

  "Remember I told you of the auras surrounding your brother and sisters?" Shining Moon twirled the talisman in a circle over the ground.

  "Yes, I remember."

  "Lucifer Devlin's aura was black. His eyes were nothing but deep holes rooted to a very mean soul." Shining Moon started chanting. Sarah stood beside him and quietly watched until his chant stopped.

  Jessie, Cord, and Travis walked to their side. The young men stared at the ground. Sarah couldn't imagine what they were thinking. The look on all three of their faces was one of utter shock and disbelief. She shivered and wondered what would have happened had she been there alone. Would she have been strong enough to repel the wicked demon?

  For a long moment, they watched the talisman spinning in a circle. Then, finally, it changed directions and swayed back and forth as the wind gently rocked it. Shining Moon straightened his bent body.

  "That soul is locked under the earth. He can never come back to harm you or your family Sweet Sarah." Shining Moon patted her hand he had taken in his. He seemed so calm. How could that be? She was anything but calm.

  He led them to the spot where the horse and carriage disappeared and repeated the same ritual. Once that was done they all returned to Sarah's cabin. She slumped down in her rocking chair by the fireplace.

  "Mother, maybe you should go lie down. You don't look to well." Jessie moved to her side.

  "I have too much to do. I can't sleep the day away just because one demon shows up." Tears streamed down her face.

  "That was a very powerful demon, Sarah. It was good that I was here. I do not know what he would have done to you and your sons. You really should go rest. I need to go to my village. I will be back later this afternoon." Shining Moon pulled on her elbow to lift her up.

  "Why are you not bothered by that demon's visit? He scared a week off my life." Sarah looked Shining Moon in the eye.

  "I never said I wasn't bothered, Sweet Sarah. Your life was threatened and I was honored to defend you. That does not mean a man fighting for the woman he cares about does not get frightened. We just get scared for our loved ones and never think about ourselves in situations like that." He pulled on her arm and guided her to her room. He gently closed the door between them.

  ****

  Shining Moon traveled back to his camp to see how his nephew was doing and to gather more herbs and spices to help Sweet Sarah. Closing off the portals to the other world made him feel better. At least he knew no more spirits would visit the farm from the two areas he had closed off. He nudged his horse into a gallop. The echo of its hooves beat on the ground. His heart raced the wind as the adrenaline released from his body.

  If he hadn't needed to gather more herbs and check on his nephew, he would not have left Sweet Sarah. The quest he now embarked upon would take lesser time than usual since the demon had visited Sarah's farm. After rushing through his task, he advised Walking Doe to send a runner for him, if he was needed. Shining Moon was determined it would be a long while before he left his Sweet Sarah's side again.

  Shining Moon stopped at the top of the hill. He watched the family below as they went about tending to their chores. His nerves were frayed and he had to get them under control before he could lend his strength to those he loved. Drawing in several cool refreshing breaths, he tried to still his rapid heart. In all the years of being a shaman, he had never experienced anything so frightening.

  He made his way slowly down the hill. Sarah and her sons were working hard to get the repairs done. Shining Moon noticed how their bodies had stiffened when they heard his approach. He couldn't blame them, for he was also having a hard time letting this scared feeling go. The thing got to close to taking his Sweet Sarah from him. Devlin was there for one reason only, and that was to kill her and harvest her soul.

  More than likely, the demon would have also taken Jessie's, Cord's, and Travis's. He shivered. His horse kicked up its heels. "Settle down old boy. That was nothing to get excited about," he whispered to the horse.

  As he slid from the horse and pulled the skin-wrapped package from its back, the family came to stand beside him. They all expressed their eagerness to have peace from the ghosts. They had been getting more sleep every night. A few more nights and Sarah's sons could go back to their own farms. Shining Moon had grown used to having them around, and he wondered if they enjoyed him as much as he had enjoyed them.

  Shining Moon admired the way Sweet Sarah watched her sons plug away reverently in the fields. Honor filled him as he glanced at her recuperating body. Her life was slowly taking on a normal aura, once more.

  The days were peaceful and filled with the warmth of the sun. Breezes of clean, fresh air swept across the plains as the songbirds hid in clumps of grass or the occasional trees. An outstanding transformation took over Sarah as the burdens lifted. Shining Moon noted how much stronger she was with each passing day. She even seemed to be happy doing her chores again.

  When Lucifer Devlin appeared this morning, Shining Moon had not known if it would set back the progress Sarah had made in the last three days. Sarah was a strong woman, but she was still fragile when it came to the soul searchers trying to take her soul. He reminded himself to teach her how to gain strength from this past experience to help her ward off other troubles that could cross her path.

  After a nice supper, they sat around laughing. Shining Moon told stories of when he was young. Amazed, he told the family how eating in the house with a white widow woman and enjoying the company of her three sons would not be accepted by his people or the whites when he was a young boy. The young men listened closely at his wise words as he earned a deeper respect from them.

  Sarah washed the evening dishes and put them away. The friendship and closeness grew in Shining Moon's heart as he bonded with the boys. A bright smile lit Sweet Sarah's face as she took her seat in the rocking chair and picked up her needle and thread to mend a skirt.

  Adoration burned in Sarah's eyes when she glanced at her children. However, he had never realized the things they missed, since their father died before Travis was born. Shining Moon noted how their eyes twinkled like small children eyeing a candy jar at the mercantile when he spoke.

  ****

  Sarah turned her attention to the man who filled a part of her children's hearts she never knew was missing. Shining Moon's rugged face was handsome at best. His eyes gleamed with amusement of things from the past. She noticed the close alliance forming between the men as Shining Moon made his way into her sons’ hearts.

  His stance was one of pride and his walk demanded praise. His body was bronzed, his shoulders wide and set upon a muscled abdomen that was held up by long, strong legs radiating down to moccasin-covered feet.

  Sarah's breath caught in her chest as if she were seeing the man for the first time. She couldn't stop the feeling of loneliness she never considered
until now. How lonely would she be when he had to leave to go back to his people. He had stood beside her and her mother, administering to the both of them. She had realized just how much he meant to her. She had grown attached to the man. Trying not to think of the sad day when he would return to his own family, she turned her mind back to her sewing.

  She knew Shining Moon had a sister and a nephew. Just this morning he went to the young boy to check on his broken leg. Soon he would take her to his village and teach her the healing properties of herbs and how to prepare them.

  Her sons had toiled in the fields all day. She slept restlessly, but was feeling better than she had in the last few months.

  After Lucifer Devlin showed up she had been on edge. Her hope flared, and she knew that tonight would be the final night to chase the evil spirits from her home. She prayed that any lingering effects of the demons’ presence would fade with the last remaining spirits.

  The ghosts appeared earlier than usual. They didn't seem to be keeping a set schedule any more. Most of them had left and had not returned. This should be the last of the haunting, Shining Moon reminded them. The family took their positions around the room.

  Shining Moon offered the tobacco and once more dispensed the smoke. He raised the bowl before he pulled the smoke to his heart and over his broad shoulders. As he prayed and chanted, his voice sounded louder and more demanding. Travis poured the water to create the steam. The air in the cabin choked with the smell of tobacco.

  In addition, the ghosts disappeared. The only laughing and shrieking came from Sarah, her young sons, and Shining Moon. Sarah ran and threw herself into Shining Moon's outstretched arms. Tears of joy ran down her face. She then hopped across the room to her sons, gathering them, hugging, and dancing as if she had been freed from the worst kind of bond… A prison no man could build, but Shining Moon tore down.

  Relieved it was over, they all sank down into their chairs, relaxing quietly, staring at one another. Then Sarah started laughing.

  "What is so funny, Mother?" Travis exhaled sharply.

  "Is life so dull now we have nothing to say?" Sarah asked.

  She glanced around the room, taking in each face as she came to it. All at once, they all laughed. "I guess so," Jessie said.

  "Shall we call them back?" She mused and wiggling her eyebrows. Sarah felt the smile spread across her face.

  "Oh no! Have you lost your senses woman? Didn't you get your fill of those monsters while they were here?" Shining Moon glared at her.

  Sarah laughed. She knew she didn't want the ghosts back. She realized how much she enjoyed the all the men's company. Not just her sons, but she had missed the companionship of having another live person near. "I was only teasing, Shining Moon. Of course I don't want the ghosts back."

  "The moon is bright tonight. Sweet Sarah, would you care to take a walk?" Shining Moon asked, extending his elbow to her. She wrapped her arm within his. Immediately, warmth entered her soul to sooth her once frayed spirit. Sarah inhaled deeply. Shining Moon was renewing her spirit with enthusiasm. She didn't know if he even knew how important his actions were.

  "That would be lovely." The heat rose to her face as she glanced at her sons. "Don't wait up."

  The tall grass shimmered in the moonlight, and her gaze followed the slight breeze whipping across the prairie. The twinkling stars, suspended in the sky, looked like sprinkled diamonds. A distant call of an owl echoed through the air as she walked along side Shining Moon down the lane. Moisture in the air promised dew on the ground for the morning. Neither said a word, as the comfort of being together was enough.

  "Sweet Sarah, tomorrow is the day you will need to offer food to the spirits and to the participants." Shining Moon's sultry voice broke the silence. The sound of his words had always reached deep within her and sent sparks of desire running through her veins.

  "Yes, we put a calf in the pit to cook. I have onions, potatoes, and carrots that I'll put on to boil."

  "This is good. I was going to hunt a deer for you."

  "That is nice of you to offer. You have done more than I could ask for already. I don't know how to repay you." Although in her mind, she had many ideas of how she could accomplish that.

  "Just being near you was enough to pay me. Your sons are good men." He wanted to be near her? Was this his way of expressing that he could possibly want more from their relationship? She dared not dream his words could mean that. If it were for mere companionship, she would be embarrassed at assuming a deeper meaning.

  "Yes, they are."

  "They don't like you living out here alone. They're worried about you." She wasn't aware of their feelings.

  "I didn't want to go to them for help. I tried one of Mother's spells before I went to them." Sarah hung her head. "I don't know why it didn't work. I must have lost my abilities or got too careless with them because of my desperation."

  "No, you had too much negativity within your own body to do any good."

  "Did that bring more ghosts?"

  "Possibly. The ghosts in your mother's house are ornery but good-hearted souls." Shining Moon smiled.

  "I'm sure that's Mother, Dad and some of Dad's family. They were pranksters, but good-hearted none-the-less." Her father was a sociable man. He had been involved in almost every undertaking in the community. His presence alone had calmed many instances where events could have taken a turn for the worse, had he not been there.

  When it came time to make important decisions concerning the community, his advice was the first to be sought out. There were many instances where her parents would load her and her siblings into the wagon and set out to help others in need. She missed those days and had tried to instill the same values in her children. Many times Sarah had heard stories of the magic tricks or the pranks her father would pull on unsuspecting victims.

  "Yes. I know that's who they are. They told me." Shining Moon nodded and a slight chuckle rumbled in his chest.

  "I need to gather herbs out of Mother's garden." At that moment she remembered the herbs her mother grew. "Come with me, I'll show you her garden."

  Shining Moon was impressed with the amount of herbs. He was familiar with most of them and called them by name. "Where did these come from?"

  "My Grandma brought them from Ireland when they came here. Mother planted them. She didn't think the old seeds would grow."

  "May I use these herbs? I'll tend to this garden, if it's alright with you." His glance toward her was brief as his fingers caressed the leaves on some of the plants. Sarah watched intently, wishing he would run his fingers across her cheeks and down her neck. Heat flared across her face. She had no right to romance her own mind. Shining Moon was very capable of doing that for her.

  "Yes, I'll help you pull the weeds out of it." Sarah smiled. She would follow him into a herd of stampeding buffalo just to be near the warmth of his body. Or to feel his strong arms wrap around her, pulling her safely within his grasp.

  The couple walked to the front porch. "Until tomorrow, Sweet Sarah." Shining Moon kissed her hand and bowed as he backed away. Turning he walked into the moonlight.

  The warmth of his lips upon her hand lingered on her skin as she watched him walk away. She raised her hand and pressed it to her cheek, in hopes that the kiss would imprint itself upon her face.

  Sarah sighed and then entered the cabin. Her sons were all snug and sleeping. She gazed at each face and then kissed their foreheads. "Good night," she whispered softly as she tiptoed into her room. Sinking into the comfort of her bed, she couldn't erase Shining Moon from her mind. Furthermore, she had no desire to do so. He had taken a stance in her life and that was where she wanted him to be. Not long after the thought, she fell into a deep, dream-filled sleep of a life with Shining Moon.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The morning found Sarah preparing the feast for the food offering. Cutting the beef into cubes, she placed a chunk in the Dutch oven, which was dangling in the fireplace. The boiling water rolled the potatoes,
onions, and carrots as she added them to the pot. Mixing and kneading dough, she covered it with a dishtowel to let it rise for fresh-baked bread.

  As she went about the chore, she let Shining Moon enter her thoughts. He was the one responsible for removing the evil spirits from her life and her cabin. Even if he never professed his love for her, she knew deep in her heart that he would always have a place in hers. The one who had always been there but she pushed away because of her own insecurities. Yet she knew how much he meant to her, how much she cared for him, and how her love for him grew.

  Sarah paused. Her heart sang of a love so deep that even the rivers seemed shallow. She loved him and there was no way of getting around that. He had never expressed anything but a kinship of their interest until recently. To think of marriage to the man caught her breath.

  The longing desire to be held within his arms. The fire that burned with the need to be extinguished by Shining Moon, and only by him, raised heat coursing up her neck and across her cheeks. Her need to lie next to him and feel safe throughout the night was like dreaming for some kind of miracle.

  He was her miracle sent from Heaven to rescue her from the throes of the evilness that had invaded her. She shook her head and glanced over the feast she prepared.

  "A feast fit for a king." When she laughed she almost didn't recognize her own voice. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders and freed her from the wicked bonds of darkness.

  Startled at the chuckle, she twirled to see Shining Moon standing behind her. His dark eyes twinkled with enjoyment, and a smile softened his weather-worn face. His hair was wet and pulled neatly into a single braid. His deerskin clothing, decorated with beads and feathers, was exquisite.