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A bright, warm light appeared toward the shore, and I gasped. A golden deer appeared on the dock. Every part of him glowed, including the massive antlers on his head.
The badgers stopped their pursuit and turned toward the creature.
“Awutapantam,” Collin said beneath me, his voice a combination of awe and grief.
“What is it?” I struggled to catch my breath. The animal was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.
“A sacrificial deer.”
Tears welled in my eyes.
The badgers crawled to the edge of the ship while the deer watched, its head lifted high.
“Ellie.” Collin stood about six feet below me. He lifted his hands up. “Jump while it distracts them. They won’t be able to resist its lure.”
The badgers were mesmerized, and they moved as if in slow motion across the gangplank toward the dock.
Collin reached for me as I dropped, his arm wrapping around my waist to keep me from falling to my knees.
My palm felt like it was on fire as the badgers advanced on the deer. “Collin! We can’t let them kill it!”
“It’s too late. It doesn’t want to be saved.” His words were filled with agony.
Ilena circled the deer, but Ukinim stopped and shook his head, releasing a low growl. “I won’t fall for Ahone’s trickery.” He spun around to face us, lowering his nose to the wooden slats. His red eye burned bright.
Collin wrapped his left arm around the small of my back, his fingers digging into my waist as he pulled me against his chest.
Ilena pounced on the deer, throwing it to the dock and ripping its abdomen apart.
I felt the loss as a crushing pain in my chest, and my knees buckled.
Ukinim arched his back as he prepared to leap back onto the ship.
Collin’s body tensed and his hand tightened on my side “Put your arm around my back.” He was already reaching his right hand toward mine.
“I don’t know what to do, Collin.”
“Yes, you do. You’re the witness to creation. You’ve known all along.” He pressed our marks together, and power greater than anything I’d yet experienced jolted through my body and Collin’s. The presence of the manitou was stronger than ever, and they were all grieving the death of thewutapantam.
Collin pulled me closer to his chest, guiding our pressed hands over our heads.
Fear stole my breath as Ukinim pounced at us. I cringed, releasing a shriek as Collin held me in place, but the badger hit an invisible shield—just like on the night of the ceremony. My gaze jerked up to Collin. He was right. I did know what to do.
“I am the daughter of the sea….”
Collin’s eyes bore into mine.
“Born of the essence present at the beginning of time and the end of the world.”
My vortex appeared.
“I am the son of the earth, born of space and heaven.” His face grave, he nodded to me.
“I am black water and crystal streams. The ocean waves and the raindrops in the sky.” I stopped and looked up into his eyes.
Lightning shot through the air and the wind gusted. I struggled to stand, but Collin helped me remain upright.
“I am black earth and sandy loams.The mountain ranges and the rolling hills.”
