It Dreams in Me Read Free Page B

sleeves of her long purple dress shimmered when she reached for one of the cups resting beside the tea pot and dipped it full. The fragrances of bumblebee honey and dried palm berries wafted up with the steam.
    For ten heartbeats, she sipped her tea and studied the men. Long Fin grimaced as though he, too, was upset by being ordered to appear in her council chamber at such short notice. Feather Dancer, on the other hand, glared so steadily at Red Raven that the man couldn’t sit still. He kept shifting on his bench.

    Wink set her cup aside and said, “I understand that you are the man who found Chief Short Tail.”
    Red Raven’s eyes darted around the chamber before coming back to her. “How do you know about that?”
    “Did you or didn’t you?”
    Feather Dancer drew his war club from his belt and placed it across his lap.
    “High Matron, please,” Red Raven said without taking his eyes from Feather Dancer. “I was on a personal mission for my clan matron. I’m sure she would not wish me to discuss the details—”
    “Rumor has it that you saw a woman in the forest just before you discovered his body. Is that true?”
    Red Raven’s jaw clenched. He seemed to be assessing the situation, wondering how she knew this information. He must know he couldn’t get away before Feather Dancer smashed his skull, and even if he did, she would order him hauled back and held under guard until he answered her questions … or disappeared never to be seen again.
    “I have also heard that there was a man who came to get her. Are these things true?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
    Wink got to her feet. “Three days ago, Water Hickory Clan went against the Council of Elders and attacked a Loon village, Eagle Flute Village. It was treason. Because the council wished to avoid civil war, it voted not to throw Water Hickory Clan out of the Black Falcon Nation, but we will be reassessing that decision at dusk today. Your clan’s position is very tenuous. Your position is even more tenuous. Do you understand me?”
    “But I am just a humble messenger, High Matron!”
    She turned to Feather Dancer. “War Chief, I must go and prepare myself for the council meeting. I’ll be occupied for the
rest of the day. In my absence, please convince Red Raven that his cooperation is necessary.”
    “Yes, Matron.” Feather Dancer gripped his war club and walked around the fire to loom over Red Raven.
    Long Fin paled as though he found his mother’s methods distasteful. He knew so little about the way the world worked. She blamed herself. All of his life, she’d sheltered and coddled him.
    Boldly, Long Fin said, “Mother, as high chief I must tell you that I don’t like—”
    She turned her back on him and strode for the door.
    Just as she gripped the curtain and pulled it aside, Red Raven called, “Well, maybe I—I do recall some of those things.”
    Wink looked back over her shoulder. “For your sake, I hope you recall all of them.”
    He looked up into Feather Dancer’s scarred face and, in a very conciliatory voice, replied, “I would take it as a great favor, High Matron, if you gave me your oath that no one will ever know I spoke with you tonight.”
    She nodded.
    He heaved a sigh and said, “Very well.”
    She marched back across the chamber and seated herself to his left. “Go on.”
    Feather Dancer didn’t move. He continued standing beside Red Raven with his war club in his hand.
    Red Raven glanced up at him before saying, “Five days ago, Matron Sea Grass sent me off with a message for Chief Short Tail. I was supposed to find him before the attack on Eagle Flute Village, but instead of waiting for dawn, as she’d ordered him to, the fool attacked at night.” He ran a sweating hand through his black hair. “I had to hide until the battle was done. And it wasn’t easy! Enemy warriors swarmed all around me. Were it not for my courage—”
    “Tell me about the woman.”

    His lips pursed, unhappy