“All right,” I said, my heart fluttering at Roman’s nearness.
After a quick kiss, Roman turned to stride toward Marcellious, who stood surrounded by men, teens, and young boys, all clamoring for his attention.
I wandered off with Emily to whatever fate was in store for me.
Olivia
“Remove all your clothes.” The Native American woman stood before us and pointed at the gurgling stream.
Although she spoke in Sioux, I understood the words, but Emily didn’t. And I didn’t think Emily would go along with this idea.
“What did she say?” Emily asked.
“She, um, wants us to remove all our clothes.”
I glanced behind me. We’d trekked a distance from the camp, and no one was watching us, but still…
Emily clutched her skirts, her face contorted in fear.
“She wants us to remove all our clothes?” she stammered.
“Remove all your clothes,” the woman repeated. “We will burn old clothes. Give you new ones.”
She flicked her hand impatiently.
“Yes,” I said to Emily. “She definitely wants us to remove our garments. She says she wants to burn the old clothes and give us new ones.”
My gaze slid between the woman and Emily. I tried to smile at the woman, but my grimace was forced and hesitant.
“What if I don’t want to remove my attire?” Emily said.
“I think we’d better do as she says,” I said.
The woman didn’t look mean, but her stern face indicated she wasn’t used to hearing the word “no.”
“Let’s just wade out into the middle of the stream, duck under the water, and strip, okay?” I looked encouragingly at Emily. “She’s being nice and showing us hospitality.”
“Will we have to walk backnaked?” Emily said with a gasp.
I looked at the woman and tried to form meaningful words.
“Where are…” I searched my mind for the Sioux word for clothes. “Ogle lecala?”
She frowned and shook her head.
“No new shirt.Cuwignakafor you,” she said, using the word for “dress.” She held her hand above her eyes and peered toward the village. “Coming soon.”
“She said the new clothes are coming soon. So…” I turned so my back faced Emily. Not wanting to waterlog my Glock, I peeled off the man’s pants and reached under my stola to bundle the gun inside the pants. Then, I unstrapped my dagger and placed it next to the firearm.
I hoped no one would cart off the garments before retrieving my weapons.
I shrugged and began wading out into the cold water. “Come on, Emily.”
Emily glanced at me, then at the woman. With fear in her eyes, she followed me into the stream.
The middle of the stream only came to my hip level, so I ducked down until I was immersed up to my neck. I gasped as chilly water surrounded me. Then I dragged my stola over my head. As I peeled the gown from my body, a wave of grief slammed into me as if I were stripping myself of Rome.
Still standing upright, Emily studied me. “Are you all right?”
