erika is a woman who maintains internal relationships…Ver more

Not a wealthy warrior, not a prosperous merchant, but a humble cowboy who had nothing except a heart bigger than the entire West. Cole said gently, “There’s something I need to tell you.” But before he could continue, the sound of horses’ hooves echoed in the distance. Many horses. Naya paled. She recognized that sound.

It was her tribe. They had come for her. The secret was about to be revealed, and Naya didn’t know if Co could forgive her for keeping the truth from him. Dust rose in golden clouds as a dozen Apache horsemen entered Rio Seco. They were no ordinary horsemen. They rode the most beautiful horses the village had ever seen, with saddles adorned with silver and blankets woven with intricate designs.

The warriors wore fine furs and carried weapons decorated with turquoise and coral. At the front rode Chief Tacoda, imposing and majestic, his presence commanding immediate respect. Beside him rode Naya’s mother, wrapped in a shawl embroidered with gold thread. The entire village poured out of their houses and shops, mouths agape at the spectacle.

They had never seen such a display of wealth and power. Cole, who was standing next to Naya when the riders appeared, felt her tense up. “Naya, what’s wrong?” he asked, confused. But before she could answer, Tacoda dismounted gracefully and walked straight toward them. His eyes fell on his daughter, and a relieved smile crossed his stern face.

“Naya, my daughter,” he said in Spanish, so everyone could understand, “we have come to take you home.” The silence that followed was deafening. All eyes in the village turned to Naya, then to the Apache chief, then back to Naya. “Daughter,” someone whispered in the crowd that had formed.

“Is the homeless woman her daughter?” another asked incredulously. Rosa, the woman who had been so cruel to Naya, paled as if she had seen a ghost. Cole took a step back, his face showing utter confusion. “Naya, I don’t understand.” Naya closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The moment of truth had arrived.