The Alchemy of Desire Read Free Page A

his hand across his hair, patting it into place. “You really need to work on your temper.”
    “I just want you to be honest with me.” His arms suddenly felt like they were made of lead, dragging him down as his anger drained out of him.
    Cager lowered his eyes. “I spent the beginning of the war acquiring knowledge for the Confederacy. Sometimes it was just extracting some information that was needed. Other times, it was stealing things the Head Wielders found useful, like drawings of the Yankees’ machines. And then there were things I agreed to find for a price. I was very good at what I did, even ruthless. But if the end justified the means…” His voice drifted off, and he shook his head as if he wanted to erase an image that ran through it. “The Yankees had stolen an amulet from Lamont—a very powerful one—and he wanted it back. I told him I would get it for him. He hasn’t forgotten what happened.”
    “And what happened?”
    “Chickamauga.”
    The air left Diah’s lungs as if he’d been punched in the gut. When he breathed in again, guilt rushed through his veins.
    “I’m going to get that drink now.” Cager placed a hand on his shoulder as he passed him. “You’ve always been the one with common sense, not me. Do what you think is right, and I’ll do my best to respect your decision.”
    Alone in the room, Diah closed his eyes and wished his shame would subside as the memories flooded his mind. The acidic smell of smoke. The blood-drenched battlefields. The screams of the dying.
    On the third day of Chickamauga, the Rebel army had ambushed his artillery unit. One of the Wielders’ spells had hit the keg of powder, setting off a series of explosions around him. A large piece of shrapnel had impaled him in the gut. The blinding pain still haunted his dreams to this day, but he thanked his lucky stars he was alive to remember it.
    Cager had helped him out then, removing the shrapnel and force-healing the wound with magic. He’d risked his own life to save him, even though they fought on opposite sides.
    It had also caused him to fail to retrieve Lamont’s amulet.
    Diah swallowed past the lump of guilt in this throat and lifted his chin. A few steps later, he caught up with Cager in the main room. “ The Natchez leaves in the morning. If we’re lucky, we can be in St. Louis in a few days and go from there.”
    Cager’s brows rose in unison. “We?”
    “Yeah, someone needs to keep you out of trouble.”

Chapter Two
    St. Joseph, Missouri
September, 1872
    “Good evening, gentlemen. I’m Oni Matthews. I understand you’re looking for a guide into the Dakota Territories.”
    Diah almost dropped his mug at the appearance of a lone Indian woman standing at their table. Strangely enough, though, her clothing appeared more civilized than the mud-crusted buckskins that covered most of the men inside the Golden Rose Saloon. Her long-sleeved burgundy shirt was belted around her small waist, and a long navy skirt flowed underneath it. It was an outfit that could have been worn by any respectable farmer’s wife back in Vicksburg. “You’re a guide? But you’re a woman.”
    “And a half-breed,” Cager added with a hint of disgust in his voice.
    She arched one dark brow. She was kind of pretty, in an odd way, with her coal black hair and high cheekbones. “I don’t know which of your comments offends me more. If you find something objectionable about me, then perhaps you can navigate your way through Dakota on your own.”
    She turned to leave, but Diah stood and caught her hand. A shock traveled up his arm, making it difficult to breathe for a second. Surprise glowed in her amber eyes when they met his, as if she felt the same thing.
    “I didn’t mean to offend you, Miss Matthews. Please have a seat.” He pulled out a chair for her.
    Oni stared back at him with confusion on her face, but she sat and regained her composure. “So, you’ve decided to go buffalo hunting?”
    Cager crossed