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

softening of his dark eyes.
    It was almost sundown when the mountain
loomed before them. Tykota was exhausted, and
he could only wonder how Makinna had made it
this far. Today had been the worst. The desert
had claimed many lives in the past, and he'd
had to make her angry to force her to keep
going.

    When they reached the foothills, he dared to
hold out another challenge to her, although he
wouldn't blame her if she refused. "Makinna, if
you can climb up past that rock face, there is a
cave. No one knows about it but myself, my
father, and one of my brothers. We will be safe
there tonight."
    She glanced at the steep mountain as if it were
the enemy. "I can make it."
    He handed her the gourd of water. "You can
have as much water as you want. You earned it
today, and we are almost within reach of a
stream."
    She raised the water to her lips. It was so hot
it burned a trail down her throat, but she didn't
care. It revived her, and she set her foot
forward. "Do you climb, Tykota, or linger to
rest?"
    He was just about to take a sip of water, and
he paused to look at her. "I climb," he said
hurriedly, because she'd already started to
ascend the mountain.
    The cave didn't seem deep, but it was cool
inside. Makinna leaned her face against the stone
and dragged air into her lungs. That's when she
noticed the ceiling. Crystal prisms formed
strange formations. "This is beautiful," she said,
allowing her gaze to roam the cavern.
    "I was just a boy when my father brought me
here," Tykota told her, looking around reflec tively. "I had the same reaction as you that
day. 11

    "Where is your father now? And the brothers
you mentioned?"
    His lips curved into smile. "Do the questions
start already?"
    "No." She shook her head. "I will choose a
time when there is nothing to distract us." Her
gaze locked with his. "I can ask as many
questions as I choose, can't I?"
    He nodded. "That was the bargain." He moved
across the cave to a dark corner and rolled away
a huge stone. "Follow me."
    Makinna scrambled after him through a narrow passage and then a tiny opening to another
chamber. She could see a light ahead, and
speechlessly, she stepped into a huge, domeshaped room with a tiny opening at the top that
let in sunlight. She gasped at the beauty of what
she was seeing. There were more magnificent
crystals, but these reflected the sunlight and sent
rainbows dancing across the walls. Some of the
crystals were shaped like palaces, while others
were lacy, and still others looked like
huge icicles. A small stream splashed over the
rocks and emptied into an emerald-colored pool
that had been carved into the stone over
hundreds of years.
    Her gaze met Tykota's. "Surely this is the
treasure mountain Mr. Rumford spoke of." She reached out and laid her cheek against one of
the prisms. "Do you suppose this could be the
sacred mountain of the legendary Perdenelas
Indians?"

    He stared up at the opening and was quiet for
a moment. Finally he spoke. "You will find
nothing of earthly value here. No gold, no
treasure. If you carried away everything in this
particular cavern, it would not be worth your
trouble. And, yet, some would consider this
cavern itself more valuable than treasure, for in
its beauty is food for the soul."
    Her eyes grew misty. "Yes, I understand what
you mean. I could spend the rest of my days here
and be happy."
    He shook his head. "I do not think so,
Makinna. You were not meant to be hidden away
in a cave."
    "Perhaps not. But I am so glad you showed
this to me. I will never forget it."
    Makinna knelt down beside the pool and
drank. The water was sweet and cool and
revived her spirits. How could such a place as
this exist in the burning desert? God must have
placed it here as a heaven for the weary
traveler.
    Tykota drank, too, and then moved away from
her. "I will leave you alone. If you would like to
bathe, you will not be disturbed. When you are
ready, come back to