According to Legend (14 page)

I stared at Half-Breed. “I can’t explain it. I’ve been to Mrs. Warren’s house before and felt so relaxed and safe, but now, I have such an uneasy feeling about going there.”

You could have declined the invitation.

“I couldn’t think of a graceful way to get out of it. Don’t you wonder why she wants me to be part of all this? Why would she want an ad agent to be part of an archeological dig? I need to talk to Moheeladeck. For some reason, I don’t trust her. I think our enemies are about to enter our inner circle and we need to be ready.”

I could hardly focus on the proposal. I forced myself to concentrate on my work and after making a few suggestions, sent the e-mail back to Donna.

“That should do it. Now let’s talk to Moheeladeck,” I said to Half-Breed as I took the catcher into my hands to summon him.

No, Princess, I have made him aware of this. He is engaged in the tribal business of settling a dispute so you should wait. You will be with him tonight and you are in no immediate danger. That will be time enough.
Half-Breed seemed like the voice of reason. He’s pretty wise for a mere wolf and I wondered what more there was to him.

David was deep in thought as he slipped his cell phone back into his pocket. Confusion stirred his spirit.
How had I gotten to this place in my life?
He thought he knew who he was and what he wanted, until now. The feelings he had for Pam made him question everything he thought he knew about himself. His mind wandered. Ever since he had met her, his entire world turned upside down.

He had never known his father. All he knew of the man were the few stories his mother and Aunt Agnes had told him. He had never even seen a picture and hadn’t given that much thought until he had dinner at Pam’s. Pam had framed photos of her family, pictures of her with her parents, friends, and even with the family dog. Why didn’t his mother have even one photo of his father? Vague memories clouded his mind and mingled with his thoughts. Something wasn’t sitting right.

Being raised by his mother and Aunt Agnes, he always thought of himself as having two mothers. Through his innocent child’s eyes he didn’t think anything of the fact that Aunt Agnes had made every decision, especially regarding him.

Now that he was an adult, he had to ask himself why his mother had always allowed Aunt Agnes tell her what to do? Especially where he was concerned? Was that normal? He couldn’t help but wonder if his mother was afraid of Aunt Agnes. Maybe it was because his Aunt was the elder in the family and his mother sought her older sister’s wisdom? No, he thought, it was more than that. Aunt Agnes had always had the final say on everything. His entire life, he was being molded by both of them in preparation for some significant duty in his future. They had said as much. Unanswered questions haunted him.

Why didn’t his mother or his aunt ever allow him to have any close friends, or a serious girl friend? Why was every attempt he made at love squelched by his “mothers?” He had dated women before, but he had never experienced deep romantic love and Pam seemed like someone he could explore that with. He admired Pam’s courage. When confronted with personal danger, she faced it without even flinching. She was pretty, smart, fun, and he really loved being with her.

Then this whole situation with the stone had come up.

He knew the significance of the stone. He knew what legend said was in that cave, but the truth was that none of it mattered to him. He could never tell his aunt about his feeling for Pam because he knew she would put a stop to the relationship. So what if the treasures of the cave were beyond imagination? What he treasured more than anything in the world was finding real love and he was finally falling in love for the first time in his life . . . with the woman he knew he was destined to destroy.

Moheeladeck longed for Takshawee to be by his side. Time had brought them together once again and now circumstances in her time were keeping them apart. He needed to find a way to help her eliminate those obstacles. After the funeral ceremony when Emanudeck was about to leave to resume his duties, Moheeladeck approached him.

“Emanudeck, I need to speak with you.”

“Certainly,” Emanudeck answered. Placing his arm around Moheeladeck’s shoulder he guided him away from the center of the village. “What troubles you?”

“It is Takshawee.”

“What has happened? Has my daughter done something to displease you?”

“No, she is the very essence of my life.”

“Then tell me what is wrong and perhaps together we will find the path to the solution.”

“Time has brought her back to me and I long for her to remain here with us.”

“How is that a problem, my son?”

“Circumstances in her time are holding her prisoner there.”

“Circumstances? What is it that holds her there?”

“She has a debt and must find a way to repay it so she will be free to remain here with us.”

“Are you sure it is a debt that holds her there?” the wise Shaman asked.

“Yes, that is what she has said. I need to find a way to help her be free in that time, free to be our Princess. I feel lost without her. I dream of a family, of peaceful days with her by my side.”

“You are thinking of children?”

“Yes, I want nothing more.”

“Nor do I, my son. I long to see my grandchildren playing in this village.”

“Then help me, Emanudeck, for I know no one more wise than you.”

Emanudeck removed a pouch from his belt and handed it to Moheeladeck.

“Take her into the cave, my son. There you will perform a most sacred and ancient ritual. Do as I instruct you and say the ancient words I will teach you. Do this in the place the Aloscotay hold most sacred.”

Moheeladeck bowed his head reverently. “Emanudeck, I knew your wisdom would show us the way.”

Emanudeck placed his hand lightly on Moheeladeck’s bowed head. “The Great Spirit will hear your prayer,” he whispered and then he was gone.

That night, when I got ready for bed, I was anxious, uncertain of what danger was coming at me and who the source of that danger was. Unanswered questions swirled in my mind. David had been so worried about me. At times he was so kind and thoughtful, how could he possibly be the same man I overheard in the park with Williamson? Who else was he working with and who were the both of them answering to?

Then there was the unmistakable feeling of uneasiness whenever I had to deal with Mrs. Warren. She had rescued me from Mr. Harvey in the museum. I thought she was one of the good guys, but now I wasn’t so sure. She was a sweet little old lady. Of course she couldn’t be dangerous.
Could she?
I recalled Weekatay’s words. “She could come to you in any form, even that of a man or an old woman.”

The walls were closing in.
Who could I trust?
The only thing I knew for sure was that I could trust Moheeladeck. I needed to be with him and to share these feelings with him.

Half-Breed was already curled up on his side of the bed when I crawled under the covers. I never took the catcher from around my neck. I had the habit of placing my opened palm over it before I went to sleep. My head hit the pillow and I felt the catcher’s magic drawing me, lulling me to sleep almost immediately.

Moheeladeck was standing in a dark, damp place when I appeared before him. The thunder of waterfalls roared in my ears and the cool mist of water glistened upon my face.

“My love,” he said as he drew me into his arms. “Emanudeck has advised me to bring you here to the cave to find the answers we seek.”

“Emanudeck?”

“Yes, he said that perhaps there was something of value in the cave which might still be of value in your world, of enough value to release you of the debt so that you could return to me forever.”

“Wait! Are we, are we behind the falls?” I stepped toward the water and reached out to feel the cold water rushing over my fingers.

“Come, let us enter the cave. He placed his hand upon my shoulder and guided me toward the wet stone wall.

Does he expect me to do something
? I wondered. “The stones, Takshawee, you must use the magic of the stones to reveal the entrance of the cave.”

As if waking from a dream, I took the catcher into my hands.

“How? I don’t know, I—”

“You do. Close your eyes and open your mind to your deepest memories.”

I did as he instructed and the memories of Takshawee crept into my mind. I was the Tribal Princess, and I knew how to get into this cave.

I placed the stone into the small hole carved for it in the center of a larger circular stone, and it fit like a key in a lock. When I did this, Moheeladeck turned the larger stone. Getting into the cave required two people, two of one heart, of one mind.

Suddenly the sound of grinding stone on stone went down my spine like nails on a blackboard. As the hidden door slid opened before us, I feared the damp darkness of the cave. I reached to Moheeladeck for reassurance. His warm strong hand covered mine as he led me into the open cavern before us.

We entered and once on the inside used the stone to close the door behind us. Panic rose in me, and my throat started to close as the grinding sound echoed in the cavern. A fear of being trapped beneath the earth in a dark damp place filled me. I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down.

“Takshawee, do not be afraid. Open your eyes.”

I expected to be in a cold gloomy place but instead of a dark foreboding cave, it was bright as the Aurora Borealis beamed across the northern skies. There was a glittering underground lake and light from what appeared to be phosphorous floating on the surface of the water illuminating the walls. I thought it looked like a lit swimming pool.

From the ceiling of the cave, crystals hung like stalactites reflecting this light to give the cave a beautiful glow as the light glittered off of the walls sparkling with flecks of gold, as if fairy dust had been sprinkled everywhere. I turned in a circle, and my jaw dropped as I gazed at my surroundings. I was struck with wonder.

We walked to the bank of the lake where a few bark canoes rested. Drawn to the water, I knelt beside it and placed my hands into the clear lake.

“Oh,” I said, startled at the touch. “It’s warm.”

“Yes, it is warmed by Mother Earth and possesses healing powers.”

“Can we swim in it?”

“Yes, if you like, but let us go to the other side,” he answered as he helped me to my feet and guided me toward one of the canoes.

Once inside, Moheeladeck pushed it out into the water, got in behind me, and gently rowed across the lake. I was awestruck by the glow of the cave and my skin tingled with the feel of magic in the air.

As we approached the banks on the other side, I saw that there were paths between large boulders that stood like sentinels rising up from the floor of the cave to stand guard.

Moheeladeck helped me out of the canoe and although many paths lay before us, he led me up a twisting path until we came to a huge cavern. There neatly to one side was a pile of furs, a stack of dried firewood, and several baskets of corn and beans.

“This place is the sanctuary of our People. If we should ever be under a great attack or a tragedy befalls us, we have stores here to get us through.” Moheeladeck said as he took one of the furs from the pile.

Sensing my trepidation, he took my hand in his. “There is no need to be afraid, my love. Come, there is more you must see.”

“I am not afraid. I am in awe. This place is so . . . magical.”

We wandered deeper into the cavern. This was a different path than the one we had traveled the first time he took me into the cave. Releasing Moheeladeck’s hand, I began to wander forward, exploring the cavern with rising excitement. I rounded a bend, and found etchings upon the walls.

“This is the story of the Aloscotay,” he said as I traced the colorful artwork with my fingers, “our past . . . our present . . . and our future.”

“And this,” I asked as I pointed to another drawing.

“This is the story of the rebirth of the spirit of the Tribal Princess as foretold to us by the Great Spirit.”

I saw painted there upon the wall a likeness similar to that of my parents and me as a child but as the light in the cave started to change, the likenesses of the faces in the etching also changed. The face of Pam Hastings began to resemble that of Takshawee.

“You always knew I would return?” I murmured.

“Yes, your return was foretold to us.”

I gazed at the next etching. “And this?”

“This is the story of our future.”

“Our future?”

“Yes, as seen by our Shaman, the fulfillment of that which was foretold to us. The return of The Princess and the sons of Moheeladeck.”

The catcher tenderly hummed and my heart filled with warmth as I looked upon the vision drawn there on the cold, stone walls of the cave. There was an image in the likeness of me as Takshawee, with Moheeladeck by my side, and standing before us were two small boys. Their faces were much like their father but their eyes were amber like their mother. Beside Moheeladeck stood a man who looked like an older version of my husband. Behind us in the drawing was a likeness of Weekatay, Emanudeck, and a light-haired warrior I did not immediately recognize but somewhere in the swirling fog of memories, his face seemed vaguely familiar to me. From above, the face of a man I did not know glowed down on us. A face that was strikingly similar to that of my handsome Warrior, but etched in his eyes was the image of another, a man with long dark hair and amber eyes, but this image was not anywhere else upon the wall. Perhaps this was a vision seen only through the eyes of the man looking over us, a vision of the future. A prophecy that was yet to be written.

“Who is it that stands next to you there?”

“My father.”

“Is he still alive?”

“Yes, very much so.”

I wondered why I did not know him and had not met him. “Who is that watching over us?”

“That is the spirit of my grandfather.”

I gazed again at the images drawn upon the wall. The likeness of Weekatay and Emanudeck. Somehow something in the image reminded me of my parents, Pam’s parents, Jill and Richard Hastings. I ran my fingers tenderly over the etching, lost in the emotions that flooded me, emotions long buried. I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat and fought back the sting of tears. Questions sprang to my mind, but I didn’t have the chance to voice them.

“Come,” Moheeladech said. “There is something I wish to show you.” He took my hand and led me further up the winding path.