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She struggled to get out of Kowi’s ar it

"Whatever It doesn’t matter," I said "Actually, it just underlines the fact that this thing, this conflict you have with the Creek, is dangerous You can’t trust each other You’re all working against your coo talk to theotiate so her with me She can prove to everyone she’s not a spy"

She jerked her arrasp and practically spat at me "I don’t have to prove to you or anyone else that I’m not a spy"

"Yes, you do," said Paci He stepped forward froone and no one could find you You disappear like that all the tirenades I think it was you"

I saw the murderous look on Kowi’s face and knew these words were not being spoken or taken lightly Coli looked stricken

"Okay, so whatever," I said hurriedly, not wanting to lose the o talk to the Creek If we can get theuys be in favor? Will you honor it?"

"I’ back accurate infor Kowi, and now I could see a strong resemblance between the two I don’t think he meant just tribe brothers in this case - they had the sao represent our tribe with the negotiators" He looked at his girlfriend "Coli, you go too Talk to your family and help them to see the sense in this"

"But you’rewith her voice It was kind of sad, really I was starting to get the feeling that their relationship was somewhat one-sided

"We’ll see," was all he said

Her face dropped and she looked down at the ground I know there had to be tears in her eyes; even someone made of stone would have cried at a rejection that cold and that public

"Coht How far away are they?"

"Twentyhi for the trees

I looked at Coli "Co?"

She just stared atnothing

I rolled ht teen drama had been left behind in the old world Today, the Miccosukee has taught me otherwise Bodo ca back dare"

I sue with you about anything I guess it wouldt be a waste of tiured that out so early in our relationship, Bodo" The import of my words didn’t really hit me until he responded

"Dat’s e have, issn’t it? A relationship"

"I guess," I said, noncoirlfriendt"

I laughed "Yeah So away froonna hold you to dat"

I s The idea of a world without fear and Bodo calling irlfriend didn’t sound half bad

CHAPTER TEN

WE CLIMBED INTO A CANOE that was docked near our hut, leaving Buster behind with one of the Miccosukee girls who proood care of hie edible out of her pocket and gave it to hi up so ht up her leg Loyalty - taken by a simple scrap of food

Paci rode in the back and Coli in front, both of the while Bodo and I just rode It was pretty nice, actually, if I didn’t think about the purpose for the trip No one said anything, so the only sounds to be heard were those of the wildlife around us There were squawks, croaks, and ribbets and an errant ca and again, floating out above the sounds of rustling bushes and leaves The banks of the river see to hide whenever we ca out the line they kept attached to the front of the canoe and wrapping it around a nearby tree We diseht was visible up ahead, and as we approached, I could see that it was a circle of torches stuck in the ground, all centered around a fire

Coli stopped well outside the circle of lights and made a sound like a birdcall Less than a minute later, ere joined by three indians in ,

"Coli," said one of them "Tired of those Meeks? Ready to come back home?"

"Shut up, Jeremy I need to see Trip"

"Trip’s busy Who are these people?"

Coli sighed "You’re not high enough on the food chain to know that inforet him"

"You know, Coli, one of these days that et you into trouble"

"Yeah, well, h to be around to see it"

"Maybe I will," he said, before storone

"He’s uy was obviously a jerk but I couldn’t very well say that to his sister