Tykota's Woman (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon Page A

weight. "I will not go on without you. If you
insist on staying here, we will both die."
    She pressed her head against his shoulder and
knew he was supporting most of her weight. "I
know what you are trying to do." she said
weakly.
    "And that is?"
    "You are trying to give me energy by making
me feel responsible for your life."
    She heard him laugh. "At the moment, it feels
as if I am responsible for yours."
    "How much farther?"
    "Do you see those mountains?"
    With effort, she raised her head and stared
across the waves of heat to the high mountains
more than a mile away. "Please, not those in the
far distance?"
    "We will stop when we reach their base."

    If she hadn't been too proud, she would have
cried. Each step was agony as the hot ground
seared the soles of her feet. She was beyond the
limits of her strength and she just wanted to he
down and sleep. "I can't, Tykota. I can't go on."
    "I never expected you to make it this far."
His voice sounded suddenly harsh. "An Indian
maiden would not complain when the going
was rough. But you are a weakling, a white
woman who wants to give up at the least
hardship."
    His words cut into her soul. She knew that
she had slowed him down, that she'd been a
burden to him, but he was the one who'd
brought her with him. "I did not ask to come
with you."
    He closed his eyes; his harsh words had
wounded his own heart. She had been braver and
had endured more than most men he knew, but
he could not let her lose her courage now, or she
would perish. He had long watched her
struggling with her stubborn pride, and he'd
hoped that if he challenged that pride, he might
just might keep her alive.
    He'd judged her correctly. He saw her spine
straighten, and she rose to her feet. He felt pride
in her courage, and he felt humbled by her
power to endure when most women would have
quit.
    In defiance, Makinna pushed away his arm
and stood on her own. "Just don't you lag behind, or I'll leave you to the buzzards." She
glared up at him. "I may even personally feed
you to them." And she began to walk.

    Behind her back, Tykota smiled. Oh, yes. No
woman he'd ever met could stand toe-to-toe with
this one. She might look fragile, but she had
strength of heart and mind.
    After they had walked for over an hour,
Tykota stopped and glanced back the way they'd
come. Their footprints were clearly visible if the
Apache were still searching for him, and he
knew they would be.
    "Are you sure we aren't lost and you just
don't want to tell me, Tykota?" Makinna asked,
bending over to catch her breath. "No one could
find their way across this desert with nothing to
guide them."
    He glanced down at her. "This land speaks to
me. It is in my blood and in every fiber of my
being. It would speak to you if you would
listen."
    "Well, it does speaks to me," she said,
drawing in a scorched breath. "It shouts that if
thirst, heat, or the Apache don't get us, those
buzzards surely will."
    "You are not in good cheer today."
    She moved across the crusted ground. "So you
noticed. I would be perfectly happy," she
answered bitingly, nodding upward, "if I could
personally feed you to one of those circling
devils."

    She heard him laugh aloud. "I probably
deserve that. I will bargain with you,
Makinna."
    She gave him a suspicious glance. "What?"
    "If you will conserve your strength by
remaining quiet until we reach the foothills, I
will allow you to ask me some questions, and I
will answer them."
    She was silent.
    "Do we have a bargain?"
    Still she said nothing.
    "Makinna?"
    "You asked me not to speak, so I'm not."
    He laughed deeply. "You are quite a woman,
Makinna Hillyard."
    She mumbled to herself. Earlier, he'd implied
that she was a weakling. Now he offered praise.
Still, she was endlessly curious about him. There
were so many things she wanted to know that
she spent the next hour thinking about just what
to ask him.
    She did not see his smile grow wider or the