Far from the world he knows, he’ll find a home. Among strangers, he’ll find acceptance. And in the arms of an unexpected man, he’ll find love. Young Billy Strobaw comes West to escape the stigma of his Tory family. In the Dakota Territories, he encounters the Yanube warrior Cut Hand. Billy’s attraction to the other man is as surprising as the Yanube perspective on same-sex love. Unlike Europeans, the Siouan tribe celebrates such unions. Billy and Cut Hand can live as partners and build a life together, which Billy agrees to do. As Billy struggles to acclimate to a very different culture, quickly discovering the Yanube have as much to teach him as he has to impart to them, a larger struggle is brewing. The white man is barreling through the Great Plains, trampling underfoot anyone who stands in his way. As a leader of his people, Cut Hand must decide whether it will be peace or war. In a historical romance taking place against the epic backdrop of the early American West, where a single spark can ignite a powder keg of greed, lust for power, and misunderstanding, one man must find his place in history and his role in the preservation of all he has come to value.

Cut Hand

As soon as we finished our meal of antelope jerky, beans, and tubers, I asked Otter to go inform Cut of Splitlip’s fate. Carlos connived to accompany the boy to the village, but his senior held him close.


The two Jaquez—man and boy—remained overnight, sleeping in our western fronting room. I rejected Lone Eagle for the first time that night, fearing noise of our lovemaking would inflame young Carlos and send him rushing into the darkness in search of Otter. Our friend had opted to desert us and sleep in the bachelors’ tipi in the village that night.


Cut Hand made his appearance before the wagon departed the Mead to hear of Split’s death for himself. We both stood in the grip of sadness as the Jaquez men clattered off to the west on the way to Fort Yanube. Otter did not show up until the wagon was well out of sight.


Chapter 96