Nate saw his wife’s mortal struggle out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t go to her aid. He had his own situation to deal with. Wesley had regained his feet and pulled a tomahawk from behind his back.
It was Nate’s tomahawk, the one the slave hunters took from him days before.
Wesley crouched, snarling, “You’ve been a thorn in my side long enough.”
Nate didn’t respond. He parried with the spear, shifted, countered a swing that would have cleaved his head like a melon. Wesley was grinning, the epitome of confidence and raw vitality. Nate barely avoided having his thigh opened. They circled, eyeing each other, each waiting for the other to strike.
Nate had his back to the river. He heard Olan curse, and loud splashing. Wesley glanced past him, and his grin widened.
“Your squaw is dead, and you’re next.”
God help him, Nate had to look. It was Winona, the woman he loved, the woman who was his heart made flesh. He looked and froze in dismay.
Winona and Olan were down, locked together, roiling the water, the tip of Olan’s knife inches from her throat.
“Mr. King!” Emala screamed.
Nate jerked back, not sure where the blow was coming from. The razor edge of the tomahawk flashed past his eyes, so close that it nicked the bridge of his nose. He thrust hard and true, his spear penetrating just below Wesley’s jaw and going completely through and out the other side.
Wesley gripped the spear and staggered. He tried to say something, but all that came from his mouth, and his nose besides, was blood and more blood. The tomahawk fell.
Grabbing it, Nate whirled and raced for the river.
Winona was on her back, struggling to keep her face above the surface. She couldn’t see Olan well because of the water in her eyes, and she could scarcely catch her breath because of the water in her mouth and throat. She tried to hold on to Olan’s wrist so he couldn’t stab her but he suddenly tore free. Winona blinked, and cold steel gleamed high.
“I’ve got you now, you bitch!”
There was another gleam, above Olan. Before his knife could descend, the second gleam arced down, and Olan’s face did an amazing thing: It split in half, from the crown to the chin, one eyeball and one cheek going one way and the other eyeball and cheek the opposite way. From out of the cleft oozed blood and brains, and more.
Nate grabbed the back of Olan’s shirt and flung him away. Bending, he hooked his arm under Winona and levered her to her feet. Stricken with fear, he looked for wounds but saw none. “Are you all right?”
“I am now.”
“I thought—”
“Thank you.”
They embraced. Nate breathed deeply of her scent. Winona had a lump in her throat.
Samuel ran over, gnawing at the rope around his wrists. “You did it!” he happily exclaimed. “They’re by God dead!”
Randa and Chickory were close behind, Emala slower.
“What have I told you about takin’ the Almighty in vain? Land sakes, men are thickheaded.”
Nate turned and held out his tomahawk. “Here. Let me cut you free.”
Emala stared at the carnage and shuddered. “Lordy. This wilderness is goin’ to take some gettin’ used to.”
The Wilderness series:
#1: KING OF THE MOUNTAIN
#2: LURE OF THE WILD
#3: SAVAGE RENDEZVOUS
#4: BLOOD FURY
#5: TOMAHAWK REVENGE
#6: BLACK POWDER JUSTICE
#7: VENGEANCE TRAIL
#8: DEATH HUNT
#9: MOUNTAIN DEVIL HAWKEN FURY (Giant Edition)
#10: BLACKFOOT MASSACRE
#11: NORTHWEST PASSAGE
#12: APACHE BLOOD
#13: MOUNTAIN MANHUNT
#14: TENDERFOOT
#15: WINTERKILL
#16: BLOOD TRUCE
#17: TRAPPER'S BLOOD
#18: MOUNTAIN CAT
#19: IRON WARRIOR
#20: WOLF PACK
#21: BLACK POWDER
#22: TRAIL'S END
#23: THE LOST VALLEY
#24: MOUNTAIN MADNESS
#25: FRONTIER MAYHEM
#26: BLOOD FEUD
#27: GOLD RAGE
#28: THE QUEST
#29: MOUNTAIN NIGHTMARE
#30: SAVAGES
#31: BLOOD KIN
#32: THE WESTWARD TIDE
#33: FANG AND CLAW
#34: TRACKDOWN
#35: FRONTIER FURY
#36: THE TEMPEST
#37: PERILS OF THE WIND
#38: MOUNTAIN MAN
#39: FIREWATER
#40: SCAR
#41: BY DUTY BOUND
#42: FLAMES OF JUSTICE
#43: VENGEANCE
#44: SHADOW REALMS
#45: IN CRUEL CLUTCHES
#46: UNTAMED COUNTRY
#47: REAP THE WHIRLWIND
#48: LORD GRIZZLY
#49: WOLVERINE
#50: PEOPLE OF THE FOREST (Giant Edition)
#51: COMANCHE MOON
#52: GLACIER TERROR
#53: THE RISING STORM
#54: PURE OF HEART
#55: INTO THE UNKNOWN
#56: IN DARKEST DEPTHS
#57: FEAR WEAVER
#58: CRY FREEDOM
Copyright © 2009 by David L. Robbins
