Grace and the Guiltless

Chapter 13

The days began to pass more quickly.

Bullet was on the mend, but Cheveyo warned Grace that he still couldn’t be ridden until he was fully healed.

Though she was impatient to be off, Grace was surprised at how much the village had come to feel like home. However, one time of day was always hard. A lump rose in Grace’s throat whenever she watched steam rising from cooking pots as women bent over the fires.

They reminded her so much of Ma and that last pot of stew.

She turned away but smiled as she saw that Sequoyah was heading toward her. The two of them had become fast friends.

“Are you going into the woods with Joe again?” Sequoyah asked.

Grace nodded. After she’d confessed to Joe how painful it was to watch the village families eat their meals together, he had suggested they train during mealtimes. He’d bring some food, and they would eat while Grace practiced. She was grateful he hadn’t made a big deal about it, even though she had a feeling the others — Tarak especially — didn’t like him going off instead of eating with them.

A mischievous grin spread across Sequoyah’s face. “You know what everyone say about you and Joe? They think you are . . .” She wrapped her hands around her body and hugged herself tightly, raising her eyebrows.

Grace’s cheeks grew hot. “We are not. He’s teaching me how to use a knife, how to stalk prey, and —”

Sequoyah’s smile broadened. “But you like him?” She puckered her lips and made a kissing sound. “You want him to do this?”

“No! Of course not. I just want to learn to survive.” And to learn more about how to track and how to sneak up on the Guiltless Gang without them knowing she was there. She had come to realize that was the only way she’d manage to take them down. One by one, without them suspecting. But she’d stopped saying it to Joe or the others, because they all just gave her lectures either about how foolish she was or about how she needed to forgive and let God — or Usen — deal with revenge.

Just then, Joe’s voice came from behind her. “Hello, Sequoyah. Ready to go, Grace?”

Grace’s whole face flamed. Had he heard Sequoyah’s comments? Seen her kissing motions? She didn’t want Joe thinking she wished he would kiss her.

Or did she?

She shook off those thoughts, bidding Sequoyah a rather brusque goodbye. When hurt flared in her friend’s eyes, Grace softened it with a gentle, “I’ll see you later.”

Sequoyah’s face relaxed into a smile. “You two have fun.”

“Oh, we will,” Joe said breezily. “We always do.”

Grace kept quiet. Now he’d made it sound like Sequoyah’s suspicions were right. But did he mean it?

“Enjoy your meal,” she said quickly, waving to Sequoyah and turning to go with Joe.

“Be careful,” Sequoyah called.

“I’m always careful,” Joe said with a grin.

“No.” Sequoyah caught up with them again and her tone turned low and urgent. “Tarak is very angry. He says over and over you should not teach a white woman our way.” She laid a hand on Joe’s arm. “He will try to make trouble.”

Joe studied her tense face for a moment. “Thanks for the warning, Sequoyah. I’ll keep watch.”

Sequoyah nodded, but her shoulders remained tense. “I must help with the meal.” She scurried away.