Page 86 of The Hardest Part

They returned to their camp, where Taghee, Hawkes, Tyndall, and Cookie waited with Archer and the others.

A triangle of stones had been laid out around the fire. The tall Bannock approached Josiah and placed a blade in his palm. Levi swallowed and looked at him. “What’s that for?”

“Vows are sealed in blood.” Taghee dipped his chin. “Forged in fire.”

“I cannot watch this.” Hiding her face in Elijah’s chest, Mary Alice covered her eyes.

Taghee chuckled and took a step back.

Without being told to, Fallon and Lucy extended their hands to their father, palm up, so Levi followed suit. Then Josiah cut each of their hands, binding Levi to each of his daughters. Taghee spoke in a tongue he didn’t understand, and after he finished speaking, the old man removed the bloodied bindings and tossed them in the fire.

“It is done, husband.” Gazing up at him, Lucy ran her fingers through his newly trimmed beard. “We are married now.”

Levi supposed he should kiss his wife, but he wasn’t sure which one he was supposed to kiss first.

Fallon decided for him. She got on her tiptoes, and bending his neck, she kissed him. When she released him, Lucy was smiling, patiently waiting her turn, so he obliged her.

Cookie slapped his back. “Made us all a nice supper to celebrate your nuptials. Butchered a pig.”

“C’mon, everyone gather ‘round and eat.” Levi waved a bottle in the air. “I’ve got a lot I need to tell you.”

They all sat before the fire, tin plates on their laps. If anyone was put off by what they’d witnessed or disgusted by what he’d done, they didn’t show it. Levi got a few curious looks from folks, but he pretended not to notice.

Walker wiped the grease from his mouth with his sleeve, swallowed some whiskey, and stood on his wobbly legs.

“I need y’all to listen up, and listen good.” He paused until he had their undivided attention. “I seen all your faces before I ever laid eyes on ya, and I know what’s comin’. Came to me in a dream a long, long time ago. Follow theSeeds-kee-dee-agie, and when you can’t follow it no more, keep going. When you see the lake beneath the three-headed mountain, you will have found your new home.”

“He’s drunk,” someone heckled. It sounded like Clary.

“Maybe I am.” And he took another swig from the bottle. “Still, I seen it. Yer gonna build a town there, grow food, and breed cattle. Keep the ways of the people, listen to the mountain, respect the earth, and you will flourish and prosper.”

“And if we don’t?” Archer asked.

“You’ll die.”

Clary waved a hand in front of his face and stood. “Take another shot, Walker.”

“Mock me all you want.” Not bothered in the slightest, Josiah went over to the Bannock. “Taghee and these fine gentlemen are going with y’all ‘cause they know what I’ve seen will come to be. Same as it did with Levi and my girls here.”

He swung around toward where they sat and nearly fell over.

Levi and Elijah jumped to their feet, catching him in the nick of time.

“Won’t be long, boy. Mark my words. They’re gonna see, and they won’t be givin’ you no shit then.” Slinging an arm around his neck, he said, “Yer gonna have a dozen sons, one for each wagon that left you.”

Elijah’s eyes went wide, and he hid a chuckle behind his hand.

“And you?” Walker poked Eli’s chest, his head bobbing. “Yer gonna see yer sister again.”

And he stumbled off, taking the bottle with him.

“What the hell?”

“He’s drunk, Eli. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“Yes, he does.” Fallon rose and went to him. “Come, rest now. We travel again in the morning.”

Between his two wives and their impending departure on his mind, he got little.

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