Free Savage Spirit by Cassie Edwards Page B

as she stared at one of the most mysterious accessories of the shamanthe medicine cord. There were four cords, beautifully decorated. She had heard rumors that the cords were so sacred that strangers were not allowed to look upon or talk about them. They were known to be in evidence on the person of the medicine man only on the most important occasions, as they were believed to possess the very greatest efficacy. Only the leading shaman could make them.

    For Cloud Eagle to have allowed Alicia to look upon the shaman's medicine cords made her realize just how important she was to him.

    Yet that did not make the shaman's practices any more acceptable to her.

    She gave Cloud Eagle a pleading look when he gave her a quick glance. Still he did not take the shaman away. He allowed Moon Shadow to approach her, his monotonous chants unnerving her.   Moon Shadow stopped and stood over Alicia. When he reached for a small pouch tied at his waist, fear gripped her heart. Hoddentin. He was surely going to sprinkle her with hoddentin. The memory of her parents in their coffins suddenly burned a path through her mind!

    In her mind's eye she could remember the waxy appearances of their faces.

    In her mind's eye she could see the wounds on their brows that no amount of makeup could hidethe result of an outlaw's bullets.

    Panic seized her when Moon Shadow sprinkled some of the powdery substance into the palm of his hand. She grabbed a piece of firewood and threw it at him. "Get out!" she screamed. "I have no use for you. Don't come near me. I don't want you to perform your hocus-pocus on me. I will get well in good time, on my own. I already feel stronger."

    She sucked in a wild breath when she saw the complete look of horror in Moon Shadow's dark eyes as he stopped dead in his tracks after the piece of wood struck him on the leg.

    Cloud Eagle's eyes widened and his insides froze when he saw Alicia's blatant disrespect toward his shaman. Of course, she had warned him not to bring the shaman to her. He had even seen her initial fear of the shaman when he had entered.

    Yet he had never expected her to react in such a violent way.

    His mouth opened to shout at her, to tell her not to throw anything else at Moon Shadow, but he was too late. Alicia had already thrown the platter of food at his people's spiritual leader.

    Cloud Eagle sighed with relief when the plate   fell short and the food did not splash all over Moon Shadow's medicine shirt. That would be sacrilegious, a sin punishable by death.

    And Cloud Eagle wanted nothing to happen to Alicia.

    That was the main reason he had brought the shaman to her. To heal her.

    Cloud Eagle waited with bated breath to see Moon Shadow's reaction. He was not at all surprised when the shaman turned on a heel and left without saying a word, nor did he cast Cloud Eagle even the slightest glance.

    Cloud Eagle expected that this incident would never be spoken about between them. Moon Shadow knew Cloud Eagle's special feelings for the white woman. Cloud Eagle had revealed them to the shaman when he had asked him to come and heal her.

    Moon Shadow had honored his chief's wishes by coming. So would he honor his chief's feelings about the white woman by not doing anything to jeopardize her safety in the stronghold of the Coyotero Apache.

    Moon Shadow's exit left a strained silence behind him. Cloud Eagle's and Alicia's eyes locked. Nothing was said between them for a moment longer.

    Then Cloud Eagle tightened his jaw. His eyes were filled with fire. It was like the last nine miles to water when one was thirsty, those few steps it took before his hands closed upon Alicia's wrists. Glaring at her, he pushed her down onto the pallet.

    "You know that what you did was wrong," he said between clenched teeth. "And you know that you should be punished for such disrespect."   "Go ahead," Alicia demanded. She was angry, yet at the same time breathless as he leaned down over her, his powerful body so