The red-haired woman ignored him. “But we go way back, Minisino and me. Or should I say, Wininotawag—Fat Ear, because that’s how I knew him then.”

As serious as the gathering was, a rumble of soft laughter rose up from the buffalo army. A smile touched even Walker’s lips.

“Anyway,” Christiana went on, “I originally came here at the request of Tatiana McGree, Queen of the Newford Fairy Courts. She wanted me to set up a meeting with Fat Ear to see if, between the two of them, a peaceful solution could be found. And I was willing to do that because then they’d owe me a favour. But since this young woman—” She waved a hand in Anwatan’s direction. “—has brought it up, maybe it’d just be easier for you all to decide if Fat Ear should even be leading anybody in the first place.”

“This woman,” Minisino began, pointing at the red-haired stranger, his voice loud, “is—”

“Telling the truth so far,” Anwatan said. “So why don’t we let her continue?”

The war chief glared at Christiana. She’s just made herself a serious enemy, Joe thought. But it didn’t seem to bother her in the least.

I like this girl, he told Jack.

Do you know her?

She’s Christy’s shadow. The question is, how did she get involved with all of this?

Who cares? Jack replied. She’s doing great so far.

No kidding.

Plus she’s got a nice ass, Jack added.

Stay focused.

Oh, I am.

“So, as I was saying,” Christiana continued, “Fat Ear and me, we used to pal around, back in the once upon a time when we were young. Even then he was real serious—already the warrior—and ambitious as hell. He was going to lead the buffalo tribes back into glory, he told me, it didn’t matter what it would take. He’d chosen this new name—Minisino. Warrior. It’s got quite the ring, doesn’t it? Better than Fat Ear, anyway. I mean, who’s going to follow a war chief named Fat Ear?”

“Get to your point,” Raven said.

“Right.” She turned to face Minisino. “What you’re doing here isn’t right. It wasn’t right when you talked about it way back when, and it’s not right now when you’re actually doing it.”

Minisino hadn’t stopped glaring at her.

“You know the history of my people,” he said, his voice stiff with anger. “It’s long past time that we—”

“Oh, spare us all the bullshit. You’re doing this for one reason and one reason only: you want to be in charge. You want to be remembered—and not as Fat Ear. Pretending that you’re doing this for Anwatan, or for any other victim of injustice, is just low.”

“You—”