Page 18 of The Flame

“What about the Coyote?” Gabreil asked.

“I will take care of the Coyote,” Rissa promised. “I have something special in mind for him. When the Shaman cursed him it was long forgotten but I will remind him of the curse and show him it was indeed very real.”

“But that was like two hundred years ago at least,” Gabriel said as he looked her over carefully. “How do you know this curse so well?”

Rissa simply stared at him but her silence only brought up more questions. “History has its own memory, Gabriel. Do you know the meaning of your name?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “I do. It is not an Indian name. I never understood why my parents gave it to me.”

Rissa snorted a little. “Look at the age you have reached and you still do not see. In Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Gabriel is an archangel with power to announce God's will to men.”

Staring at her, he dropped his arms from his chest while looking a bit startled.

Rissa gave him a slow meaningful nod of her head. “I realize that the white man’s religion is not always accepted by the People. But the creator is many things and he works through all the beings on earth. So, in their hearts, your parents knew. And before this is over, you will see why they chose this name.”

Chapter Ten

Rissa seemed to dismiss the subject of what Gabriel’s place would be in this war as she looked around and called out, “People, come through.” She then gazed at the ones who still stood at the doors. “Move in, so more may arrive.”

“More?” Captain asked as he stared at the growing crowd.

At least a dozen more people moved into the room.

Someone from outside, shouted out Amira’s name.

She looked over at Luther and her grandmother. “That’s Milo. He sounds angry.”

Rissa nodded at the door. “Go answer him, but do not tell him about your mother. I want that news to be a surprise to everyone out there.”

Amira moved closer to the door but she didn’t go alone. Luther, Diesel, and Kinsen followed her.

She stepped out and called, “What do you want?”

“I want what is mine. I want that fucking gold.” Milo snarled.

“Then go and get it. I’m not stopping you.” Amira smirked.

“I can’t see the fucking mountain. I need you to show me the way.”

“Too bad, old man. I’m not showing you shit,” Amira stated.

“You have to! I demand that you do it.” Milo sneered. “I raised you and now, you owe me something back. This is all I want. Just show me the mountain and I’ll just do what I gotta do.”

“Raised me?” she retorted. “You barely looked at me. Go to hell.” Amira growled. “You stole me away from my mother and only kept me alive me because my grandmother cursed you. You ignored me, wouldn’t let me out of the house and you starved me half the time while you were dining on steak and ribs while I had nothing to eat.”

“I didn’t beat you,” Milo shouted in defense. “I never hurt you.

“Of course, you didn’t,” Amira replied. “If you had raised your hand against me you would have burned in the fires of hell like your friend Rammish is now doing. Remember, his fiery death?”

Just then, another man came out of the shadows and studied her hair for a moment then suggested, “There is only one woman who can lay a curse such as that one.” He looked into the clubhouse and called out, “Rissa, are you here? Is this your granddaughter? I know that hair of hers, as it once matched yours. Rissa, come out here and face me, woman.”

Rissa came up behind Amira and looked at her enemy. “Yes, TankaTae I’m still here. I think I have lived this long to see your end.”

The man studied her for a moment, with a last glance at her hair, he mockingly admitted, “You got the Shaman post I see. But you’ll never see my destruction. You are one woman short, according to the curse Kimle cursed me with.”

“I remember,” Rissa admitted. “I remember everything from that day. I remember the emptiness of your eyes when I first looked into them, then I remember when the demon inside you peeked out. I screamed and then Kimle looked into your gaze. The red light shot out of your eyes and that light burned him. You burned him badly as you held him close to you. You wouldn’t let go, I had to push you away from him. I held him in my arms as he suffered badly from the blast.”

TankaTae sneered at her even as he looked victorious. “Do you remember the words of the curse he gave me?”

---