Wind Warrior (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF

too advanced in age to take to our way of life. I have no use for her.”
    “Then perhaps you would trade her to me?”
    “What do you have that I could possibly want?”
    “My captive with the red hair, and two fine horses.”
    Dull Knife shook his head. “I do not want your toothless horses, and I certainly do not want the one with red hair.”
    Charging Bull’s temper flared, but he had learned to guard his tongue around Dull Knife. “I like thelooks of your older captive. She would do very well for my second wife. What if I offer you the redheaded one and three horses?”
    “Do not speak to me about either of my captives. I will do with them as I please.”
    Still Charging Bull persisted. “I have thought I might present my captive to Broken Lance.” He met Dull Knife’s gaze. “I have not injured her, as you have this younger one. Perhaps Broken Lance will choose my white captive over yours.”
    Snorting, Dull Knife glanced back at the redheaded girl, whose eyes were swollen and puffy from crying. “Broken Lance will never choose that one—she cries too much, and she is older than the yellow-haired one, who is wise enough not to complain too much. If that one was my captive,” he said contemptuously, “she would already be dead.”
    Dull Knife was thoughtful for a moment. He was beginning to think he should not have been so rough with the yellow-haired one. The chief’s woman probably wouldn’t want an injured captive. He would refrain from harming her further if the girl did not provoke him.
    Frowning, he thought back to the day of the council meeting when his brother had stolen his glory. Jealousy still burned through him. Let his brother be the favored one for now. Dull Knife had other plans.
    Thunder rolled through the valley and lightning streaked across the sky. The heavens opened and rain fell in heavy drops. He felt the girl shiver with cold. If she became ill, she would be no good to him or to Broken Lance.
    Tears mixed with the rain. Marianna was wet and miserable. The pounding of the horse’s hooves continued to jar her body, shooting pain through her arm. She was so weary she could hardly lift her head from where it rested on the Indian’s back—even with the rain the smell of blood still clung to him, and her stomach churned. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could endure the pain.
    One thing Marianna did know—if she got the chance, she would escape. She would rather be lost in the woods and devoured by wild animals than remain this savage’s prisoner. But at the moment she was just too bone weary to do anything. It was only moments later that they stopped to rest the horses and Marianna was lifted to the ground with a gentleness she had not expected.
    Struggling to keep from falling, she watched Lillian and Susan being led in her direction. Lillian was still crying, and Susan was white-faced. All three of them dropped down on the wet grass in total misery.
    “How is your arm?” Susan inquired, reaching forward to straighten the rain-soaked sling. “Does it pain you much?”
    Marianna knew that Susan was trying to be strong for them. And the woman’s matter-of-fact manner was comforting amidst the uncertainty of their situation. Marianna was determined to be brave too. She forced a smile. “It feels better since you made me the sling. Thank you, Susan.”
    “Neither of you asks about me,” Lillian whined.“What about what I’m suffering? Has either of you thought of my pain?”
    “You don’t have a broken arm,” Susan told her gently. “Try to control yourself, or those savages will break your arm, and you’ll find out what Marianna is suffering.” Susan gazed at the Indians, who were huddled about a fire they had just built. “I wanted to urge both of you to escape if you get the chance. Take any opportunity to run.”
    Marianna met the married woman’s eyes, seeing acceptance in their brown depths. “What about you?”
    “Marianna, you are young, but I am