After suffering the loss of both of their parents in pro-slavery Missouri, Zephram and John Henricksen are sent to live with their aunt and uncle in Lawrence, Kansas, the heart of the western abolition movement. When Confederate guerrillas set the town on fire, the family flees north to Nebraska, bringing them in contact with "Buffalo Bill" Cody, "Wild Bill" Hickok, and eventually, George Armstrong Custer. The boys discover the exciting allure of life in the wide open expanse of the West, seeing it as a chance to put their tragic past behind them. Zephram joins the U.S. Seventh Cavalry, where he befriends a prisoner known as "Indian Frank." Frank's heart is set on revenge after his family is butchered, and like Zephram, he is haunted by the nightmares of a tragedy from his past. When Zephram and John come into possession of a mysterious abandoned mine in Colorado, it proves too intriguing to ignore, and they travel to the Rocky Mountains to investigate. They discover the mine's ownership is in dispute, and those waiting for their arrival will stop at nothing to wrest it away from them. As the secret of the mine unfolds, they realize that all of their fates are now tied to the tiny town of Central City and what happens next. Along the way, "Colorado Wind" carries the reader through some of the defining moments in western history, including the sacking of Lawrence, the Sand Creek Massacre, and the battle of Washita. It is a story of brotherly love, courage, and perseverance.