The Five Dollar Mail Book 3: The Road Home

83: Where Angels Fear

Cover painting by Angela Taratuta. Chapter artwork of Jesse by Marina Gimenez Matiazi. All graphics by me.

Book 1: The Green, Book 2: Lynch's Boys, Book 3: The Road Home, and the Riders & Kickers Anthology are available on Amazon under the name Regina Shelley. So if you hate waiting for chapter posts and/or want a more polished read, the finished product is available now.

"Dev! Dev! Oh shitfire, Dev..." Jesse was scrambling through the aftermath of the battle, barely aware that the attacking soldiers were now hastily retreating. Still Water Woman and Runs Laughing, holding his hands as he ran, struggled to keep up with his long legs. The smell of black powder was sharp in the air, hazy blue smoke hanging over the village like a pall. He could hear shouts and curses, punctuated by the hissing slice of arrows finding their marks.

Two Elk was ahead of him, his lanky figure shuffling quickly to where Devereaux lay sprawled on the ground near Still Water Woman's lodge. He stooped down, his hands quick and deft.

"Dev." The word broke in Jesse's throat as he said it, and he fell to his knees beside the fallen stock tender. He barely felt Still Water Woman's hand gripping his shoulder. He felt dizzy and sick, gazing in horror at the dark blood streaking his friend's ashen face as he lay still in the trodden, red-stained grass. He clamped his eyes shut against the heat and water filling them. Oh, God...Dev's dead...and Fiona... Jesse's eyes flew open, and he looked around wildly. "Fiona! Where's Fiona?"

"Let's hope she's hiding somewhere." Two Elk glanced around uneasily. He wound a handful of grass around his hand, jerking it free of the earth, and held the crushed wad of it to the gushing wound in Devereaux's head. "This man's alive, Sweetgrass. Bullet grazed him. His skull must be as thick as the rest of him."

The air left Jesse's lungs in a rush of startled relief. He swayed, dropping his head into his hands and jamming his fingers through his hair. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he composed himself, unwilling to let anyone see how lost and terrified he felt.

"Wacanga...you and Eagle Bone get him inside the lodge for me," Two Elk said, mopping blood from Dev's face. "Then go find the woman."

Dev moaned, his formidable black brows furrowing into a knot. His lips moved.

"Dev..." Jesse shuffled towards him on his knees, hating the tremor in his own voice. He wanted to cry with relief. "Dev, can you talk? What happened? Where's..."

"Little Firebrand..." Dev breathed, his eyes slitting open. "There was a man here...long, yellow hair, beard..." He licked his lips, his voice wavering with effort. "Dressed like a trapper. Surprised us. Did he take her?"

Jesse felt new fear wash over her. Stone. He rubbed his lips with the back of his hand, remembering the dead-eyed mountain man back in the lodge of His Horses. If he's captured her...I don't know what to do. He exchanged a glance with Two Elk, hoping vainly to see some answers in the old man's face.

Dev winced, trying to get his brain to start working again. His chest rose and fell under his stained shirt as he gasped in pain. "We gotta go get her."

Two Elk pressed a fresh handful of grass to Dev's injury. "You're not going anywhere," he muttered. "I don't know how you haven't bled out."

"I'm going, Dev," Jesse said. "You're not."

"So you're leaving me here in a Lakota camp with a man in a dress?"

"You're better off than I am," Two Elk smirked. "I'm being left here with a smelly half-bear in dirty clothes. Don't be stupid. You've been shot in the head What do you think you're going to do?"

"Eagle Bone!" Jesse got to his feet and shouted at the approaching warrior. "I...uh...I need..."

Two Elk spoke quickly in Lakota, and Eagle Bone moved to grab Dev's ankles. Jesse wrapped his arms around the man's chest and they both somehow managed to wrestle him inside Still Water Woman's lodge. Jesse was immensely happy that they didn't have to haul him far.

"You shouldn't have come, Dev," Jesse said, breathing hard and trying to catch his breath. "You and Fiona coming here was crazy."

Dev opened one eye and glared at him. "Me and her coming here saved your lives." He peered around, his gaze falling on Still Water Woman and Runs Laughing beside him. He looked them over before closing his eye again. "You're welcome."

He's right. If we hadn't had any warning at all..."I have to go after Fiona," Jesse said. " I don't know how...Two Elk, tell Still Water Woman why I'm going. Tell her I'll be back."

Two Elk translated as he fumbled around the lodge for Still Water Woman's healing supplies. Still Water Woman shook her head.

"No," she said in Lakota. "I am going with."'

Jesse took her by the shoulders. "You can't..."

"I am not asking you, Wacanga."

Eagle Bone gestured towards the doorway, barking something at him in Lakota.

The corners of Two Elk's eyes crinkled. "He says to hurry up and get some weapons from the fallen enemy outside," he said. "He wants to leave before the trail grows cold."

Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying this story, please let me know by giving me a star or a comment! I appreciate your support!