Free The Dove (Prophecy Series) by Sharon Sala Page B

friends who’d made the trek to Naaki Chava were packing up to go home, making farewells difficult to face.
    Singing Bird sent several packets of new books she’d made down to them and had already said her good-byes. She was putting up a brave front, but her heart was breaking. All too soon she would be waving good-bye to Yuma and Tyhen, too. She didn’t know if the twins were going to go with them, but if all four of her children left at once, she would be lost.
    Cayetano was in the throne room settling a dispute that had arisen between three families during the festival. It was too soon for Singing Bird to resume her classes, so she started toward the kitchen. Even though she was the chief’s woman, everyone worked and today she needed to stay busy.
    The door to Tyhen’s room was open as she passed. Thinking she might be inside, she stopped and went back, but it was empty. Then she remembered she’d seen her leaving with Yuma and the twins. She started to leave, then stopped and gave the layout of the room a second look.
    Tyhen slept in a bed that was not on the floor like the beds the New Ones slept in, while Acat preferred the woven sleeping mats from the old ways. But it was the sight of Acat’s bed that had Singing Bird thinking. Originally she had stayed as a nursemaid and a servant, but Tyhen didn’t need that any longer. Truthfully, the only person Tyhen needed now was Yuma.
    Singing Bird knew and accepted sex as a natural way of life, and since she was looking for a job to keep her busy, she decided this was it. It was time to give Tyhen a room of her own.
    The first thing she did was roll up Acat’s sleeping mat and then left with it under her arm. She and Acat came back a few minutes later with more bedding and another small shelf and table. After moving the bed from one side of the room to the other, she stood back to look.
    “Acat! Bring new candles and torches and send one of the girls with a pitcher of fresh water, and two cups for the table.”
    Acat giggled. “You make a place for Tyhen and Yuma.”
    Singing Bird shrugged. “It is time.”
    “He is very handsome and very tall,” Acat said.
    Singing Bird nodded. “His people were from a tribe called the Cherokee. Many of them came here.”
    Acat stopped, eyeing Singing Bird carefully, remembering when she’d first come with the New Ones that she’d been different, too.
    “Was that your tribe?” she asked.
    Singing Bird stopped, letting memories wash over her. Her eyes were filled with tears when she looked up.
    “My father was Muscogee. My grandfather was Navajo.”
    “But they did not come,” Acat said.
    Singing Bird’s voice was shaking. “My father died when I was younger. My grandfather died on the walk to Naaki Chava.”
    Acat heard the sorrow in Singing Bird’s voice. “Then that is good. They did not have to face Firewalker,” she said.
    Singing Bird turned around and looked at Acat in amazement. “You are right, and I never thought of it like that before. Thank you, Acat. Thank you for that. It has given me a different way to look at their absence in my life.”
    Acat beamed. “I will get torches and candles now.”
    “Don’t forget the water and cups.”
    “I will not forget,” Acat said and hurried away.
    Singing Bird moved from bed, to table, to shelf, touching this and moving that, continuing all around the room until she was back at the bed again. If Tyhen and Yuma had not already been together, it would happen soon. She wanted her daughter to be happy and feared those days would be few and far between.
     
    ****
     
    Adam and Evan were the obvious choices to take over the duties of the temple until or if Cayetano decided to replace the shamans. However, they had already announced they would not live in it. It was too reminiscent of where they had lived before Firewalker.
    Landon Prince, the man responsible for the experiment resulting in their births, had accumulated a massive collection of mystic and magic items,