I loved this story! It contains so many of my favorite elements: a deep romance, Native American lore, action - and time travel. I know lots of research went into this, and it's a wonderful read because of that.
Francesca DuValle and her brother Marsh are kidnapped during a raid by the Cheyenne and taken to their camp, Marsh as a slave and Cesca will now belong to the brave who captured her. She hates this man for both things, but mainly because she fears for her younger brother - and vows she will find a way to release him from the tepee of Choking Wolf.
Meko, who captured Cesca, is called I Am the Wind, and is the leader of the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. He thought at the time that she was a boy - but soon found out differently. He's fascinated by her fiestiness and courage, but determined she will do as she is told. He places her in the care of an old woman, Brown Wing, who can see how Meko is taken by the girl and that Cesca can't help being attracted to Meko. He married her just a few days later, for her protection from his People. When she tries, successfully, to free her captive brother and is found out, Cesca must be punished and nearly dies - and then Marsh returns to the Indian camp! He wouldn't leave her with the Cheyennes; so he'd come back.
The Dog Soldiers are fierce warriors who are committed to die in battle if they must, and Meko is often away from camp fighting the white enemies. Cesca never knows if he'll be injured - or even killed. She finds herself more and more taken by this husband, who can be so kind and yet so deadly.
There is an underlying story here - Meko has been sent back in time to aid the Cheyenne from the future, where he is an assistant curator at a museum of Native American artifacts; his name then is Ethan Gray, his grandmother is a prominent member of the Sacred Council of Arrows which directs his destiny. That Sacred Council has warned him not to place anything before his mission and now he had: Cesca came before anything. They withdraw their decision to let him make a choice, when death is imminent, to either stay with the Cheyenne or go to the future. Now, he must return to the future to carry out his missions. As their love for one another grows, Cesca learns of his secret and without his knowing, she and Marsh watch and listen once when Meko must travel to the Sacred Council.
The battles between the Cheyenne and the whites are terrible, Cesca is even set upon by a small group of soldiers and nearly raped. But she learns much about The People and finds value in her new life - and there is so much that Meko wants to live for, stay with her for. When terror visits their village and the Dog Soldiers must try to help them survive, Marsh is called upon to try to keep her safe. We all know how history dealt with the Native American people, and this author uses her talent to make this story, in all its grimness, offer a hope to this young family.
