Chapter 15b

                                    

                                          
        I found Tessia huddled against the boulder she'd previously been sitting on by the stream. Her forehead was pressed on her bent knees, hands wrapped tightly behind her neck.
                          
She didn't notice my approach, even when I stood right next to her.
                          
"Tessia, are you okay?"
                          
She jumped at the sound of my voice, startled eyes almost wild. Pain. Too much pain. I can't—she covered her ears with her hands—I can't make it stop.
                          
I crouched beside her, alarmed. "Are you hurt?"
                          
She shook her head. Niralessa is so full of sorrow and rage. It's a huge, scary storm. I can't block it out. It's too much.
                          
I rubbed her back, hoping to comfort her. "Corin was killed."
                          
Tears brimmed in her eyes. I know. I could have stopped it. I should have known. Should have sensed it. I could have—
                          
"Shhh." I gathered her into my arms, not caring if my touch might freak her out again. She was already in so much distress. "There was too much going on. You couldn't have known. There was nothing you could have done."
                          
Her thoughts are so dark.
                          
"It's okay. It'll pass," I said, hoping it was true.
                          
She wants to kill everyone. All the Plainsmen. All the tribes. Starting with Kibi's.
                          
That dread returned, knotting my insides. "But she doesn't really mean it, right? We think crazy things when we're angry."
                          
She's already thinking about her war party, the warriors she'll take. She wants to leave as soon as her best scout returns.
                          
"She can't be serious."
                          
She wants blood.
                          
I shook my head. "I can't let this happen. It's not the tribe's fault. She started this." I stood up, ready to march back to Niralessa and tell her a thing or two.
                          
I don't think that's a good idea.
                          
"Why not?"
                          
She's blind with rage. She won't listen to reason. Especially not from—
                          
Tessia stopped, probably to spare my feelings, but I knew what she meant. "Especially not from me, an outsider."
                          
She nodded sadly.
                          
I blew out a breath. "What a mess. When do you think that scout will come back?"
                          
She squinted in concentration. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe the day after.
                          
I began pacing around. "Then I don't have much time."
                          
What are you going to do?
                          
"I don't know yet, but I have to do something." I stopped pacing and looked at her. The way she was huddled, so pale against the rock, made her seem frail and vulnerable. Afraid. I couldn't involve her in whatever crazy scheme I came up with.
                          
But I want to help.
                          
"I can't put you in danger. It would be wrong. I'm sorry." Though the crestfallen look on Tessia's face nearly broke my heart, I made myself walk away. I couldn't have her sensing my harebrained ideas and miring herself in the trouble I knew I was about to get into.
                          
It wasn't until I returned to the main camp area that I got an inkling of what I might want to do. Kibi still sat in the dirt next to Bolden's body, holding his hand.
                          
"Hey, Kibi?" I touched the girl's shoulder.
                          
She looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes.
                          
"Do you want to stay with these people?"
                          
She shook her head.
                          
"Then I'm going to take you home." The idea came together right as I said it. 
                          
Kibi looked at her uncle and then back at me.
                          
"I'm sorry, we can't take him."
                          
Her lower lip trembled.
                          
"Okay, we'll stay here a little longer." I sat down next to her. Niralessa wasn't just going to let me take off with her newest acquisition anyway, so I'd have to wait until no one was watching. When the time was right, I would return this girl to her family and warn her tribe of the incoming danger at the same time. It was a brilliant plan.
                          
Sort of.
                          
Okay, so I didn't really know where her tribe was, but whatever. I'd figure it out. All I had to do was wait for the cover of night.
                          


                          
She'll figure it out. She always does. Just like you awesome readers always vote. ;)