Page 56 of Joshua's Mistake
“Me too, Josh.” Kane went to the door and left Joshua holding Tessa on the couch.
Water ran in the kitchen and the tinkling of dishes being washed floated through the room. Joshua closed his eyes and let exhaustion win him over.
He knew it the moment he’d slid into her dreams. Terrifying colors and darkness spun wildly, making navigation difficult. “Tessa?”
There was no reply. He moved forward as if he were a breeze trapped in a hurricane. Everything was confusion and panic. None of it resembled the beautiful mind he’d explored and relished. His sorrow pressed down on him, making movement impossible. “Tessa, where are you?”
There was a whimper. It sounded as if a child had been beaten. Joshua moved himself forward toward the noise.
A child with blonde hair and blue eyes huddled in the midst of the storm. She covered her face with her hands and wept.
He knelt down beside her. “Tessa, it’s all right, I’m here.”
There was no response.
“Can you hear me? I’m going to get you out. I’m going to get you back.”
The child’s crying increased. Joshua reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. She only cried more. The sound broke his heart. Pain both physical and emotional tormented the child living within Tessa. He couldn’t take any more. She couldn’t see him, didn’t feel him and wouldn’t hear him.
Joshua shook himself awake. It took him a moment to orient himself. He was in Adianca’s great room. Tessa, still unconscious, rested in his arms. He didn’t know when Lucy and Rain had left the house or how long he’d slept. The sun still streamed through the windows.
He felt the shaman’s silent approach before she spoke. “It is time, Lakeland.”
Adianca wore a white ceremonial gown. It was beaded in orange, black and teal all the way down the front. She didn’t wear a headdress but her hair had been brushed out and left loose.
His muscles ached as he tried to move. The fall from the helicopter had taken its toll. Pain stung his legs and back when he maneuvered off the couch. Ignoring the discomfort and giving his legs a chance to remember how to hold his weight, he stooped to lift Tessa from the couch.
Her head lolled unnaturally until it settled against his chest.
He kissed her crown and walked toward the door.
He turned to the right and approached the sweat lodge. Set into a dug-out depression of earth, the domed mud-and-grass roof had one chimney to keep the smoke from strangling the devout. The only light would come from the heated rocks and the door. Once the sun set it would be nearly pitch-black in there.
Joshua hesitated for a moment at the entrance. What he had seen in Tessa’s dreams had not been encouraging. She couldn’t see him or at least the child had not. Was the child all that was left of his perfect mate?
The thought terrified him. No, he would find her.
Adianca walked around him and entered the lodge.
Kane stayed behind him. He had taken off his shirt and shoes. Joshua needed to do the same.
Without a word his brother took Tessa from his arms. He didn’t move, only waited while Joshua stripped down to his shorts.
Once Kane passed Tessa back to Joshua he entered the lodge. Turning back in the low doorway, he gave Joshua an encouraging smile.
Joshua looked behind him to where Jon, Gowan and Will all stood near the fire, observing him. They would keep a watch out for Banta and replace the rocks heating the lodge. A vision quest could take hours to complete. The people on the outside would deliver water when needed to keep those inside the sweat lodge alive.
Will held his rifle across his chest. It had the sight attached for long-range shooting. He dipped his head toward the left side of the lodge. Joshua looked and saw several automatic weapons had been left near the sweat lodge’s door.
Joshua turned and entered with Tessa.
