entire floor plan was open, and the ceilings were higher than anything I’d ever seen. A wooden spiral staircase led to a small loft area. A large carved fireplace stood proudly in the main room adorned with layers of candles and wax streaming from their wicks. Several wooden benches and alcoves were carved into the walls in different places. A beautiful wooden table and chairs with carved winding roses and thorns sat to the side of the kitchen. A smaller fireplace carved with fruit and bread and pitchers sat in the kitchen, where an iron pot hung over the licking flames.
“Lara. My name is Lara.”
Rooms emerged toward the rear of the dwelling, undoubtedly bedrooms or basin rooms. “Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say.
For once in my life, I was rendered speechless. I felt as if any words I used to describe the beauty of this home would somehow cheapen it. Cain smiled, revealing two dimples. Not as deep as Wesley’s one dimple had been, but nice nonetheless.
“Can you clean up in here while I gather food for the trip?” he asked. I nodded, and he headed out a door in the rear of the kitchen. A simple saying carved above the door frame. “Fools Rush in Where Angels Fear to Tread.” The words sent a shiver up my back. Where on earth would an angel fear to tread?
I found some rags, wet them, and cleaned the table, chairs, and counters in the kitchen. I wiped the kitchen basin down and moved around the main living space, washing the surfaces and removing the dust that had accumulated.
After I’d finished washing the main fireplace, the back door flew open, and Cain emerged with an armful of fruits and vegetables. He placed them on the counter and looked around the room. “Hmmm. You did a good job. Thanks,” he said, appraising my work.
“You’re welcome.”
“Wanna come help me feed the animals?” he asked.
I nodded and followed him back outside. He led me to a small shed and handed me a wooden bucket filled with feed of some sort. We walked across the yard to a fenced in area, holding several chickens. He showed me how to throw the feed and left me to it. Chickens poured out of the hen house and clucked and pecked at one another to get to the feed on the ground. Feathers flew up and then drifted gently to the ground.
Cain went back to the shed and filled a large bucket with oats. He went to a small barn just past the chicken coup and slid the door back, revealing two horses. One white spotted with dark brown and one gray and black. Both beautiful. Throwing the last of the chicken feed, I headed over. Cain filled their troughs with oats and tossed both horses an apple. He stroked the mane of the brown and white one while I moved to brush the gray and black one. The animal neighed in approval, and I stared at its large sad eyes.
“That’s Sadie,” he offered. “She’s a good girl. And this guy is Sam.”
“I like their names,” I smiled.
Cain asked if I could cook, and though I hadn’t had much experience in that department, I felt I could figure it out, so I said yes and offered to make dinner. He led me to the garden and let me in a small, intricate wooden fence. Vines and wood curved over each other, providing protection to the contents of the lush garden. I chose some vegetables and gathered them in my dress and carried them back to the house. Cain stayed behind, aerating the earth and watering his plants. I chopped and diced the vegetables and made a sort of vegetable soup, which actually smelled pretty good, though it needed something. I heard a commotion at the hen house and then saw Cain emerge with a flopping beheaded chicken in one hand and a bloody machete in the other. Maybe I chose the wrong sailor.
He went to work soaking the bird in scalding water and then removed the feathers. He carved it and brought it to me. Just what the soup needed—meat. The soup boiled as the flames licked the bottom of the iron kettle. I prepared and added the meat and waited for it to boil. I would have made bread, but who was I kidding? I’d seen Ruth do it, but for the majority of my existence, my meals had been prepared by someone else. Cain apparently liked dinner and thanked me for making it.
He seemed like a man of few words, brooding and a bit dark. I didn’t know him, though and didn’t want to make presumptions. I just hoped that he could get me across the water safely. I didn’t want to further impose, so I said that I would meet Cain at his boat at dawn. Cain said he would ask a nearby neighbor boy to tend his animals while he was away. We shook hands, and I headed toward the shore. I would be fine sleeping in the sand. It was warm, and the sand was still hot under my bare feet in places.
I settled down under a palm tree, watching God paint the evening sky in a muted array of evening colors. The moon and stars emerged, sparkling against the indigo sky. I decided to swim for a bit, one last time. I wore my bikini under my dress to conserve space, so I peeled it off and waded into the gentle waves that were rolling into the calm cove water. I walked in to where the swells rose to my neck and enjoyed the warmth that still clung to the evening water after a day’s sunshine. I closed my eyes and floated as the waves moved me up and down in the gentle current.
Looking to the shore, I saw Cain standing at the shoreline with his arms crossed. I stood up and yelled, “What are you doing here?”
“Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?”
“Yeah. I’m just going to camp out here.” I dipped my hair back into the water to smooth it out of my face.
“No. You can’t stay out here at night. It’s not safe. You can sleep in my guestroom or on a cot in the loft, but you’re not sleeping out here.” He walked over and picked my bag and dress up and started back toward me. “Come on.”
I exited the water begrudgingly and grabbed my dress from him and quickly covered myself. “Look, I’ll be fine.”
“No. If you want me to take you to the mainland, you’ll listen to me tonight,” he said, turning his sky-blue eyes toward me. His lashes were sandy like his hair, and his skin was bronze. My pale skin grew jealous.
“Okay. Fine. I’ll take the loft. But only if you’re sure. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything. I know you don’t know me or anything.”
“It’s fine. Let’s get back. We need to rest. Big trip tomorrow. Hope you don’t get sea sick.” He laughed.
If he only knew. Of course, in a matter of hours, he would be introduced to my incessant heaving. As much as I dreaded the feeling, I laughed at his ignorance of my queasiness.
I ran through the forest, branches scratching my arms and face, briars clung to my skirt and cut into my legs. My breath was frantic. “Don’t look back.” I reminded myself. “Just run!” I saw the trees thinning ahead and heard the water. If I can just make it to the shore, I’ll be safe. I’ll be okay. They won’t find me in the water. I can hide behind the rocks. I forgot how fast he was. I heard his footsteps. He was gaining on me. I push myself to run faster but tripped over my skirt and fell hard on the ground. I stumbled to right myself and take off once more, my knees bloody and throbbing now.
I looked back to make sure he was still behind me and then I’m lifted into the air, legs kicking and dangling precariously. “Gotcha!” A deep voice hissed into my ear.
I woke up panting and sweating, trying to catch my breath. Cain ran from his room and took the spiral stairs two at a time until he crouched in front of me. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” I just stared wildly around the room trying to remember where I was.
“What’s wrong, Lara?”
“We need to go. Now! Can we go?”
“It’s not dawn yet. It would be difficult, but I suppose we could. Why? Are you in some sort of trouble? I kind of figured that you were leaving an abusive husband or something, but this seems bigger than something like that. What are you running from? Why the urgency?” He scanned my face, trying to read me.
“I have to leave the island. I don’t want to put you in any danger. I just think we should slip out now. I’m worried that they’ll find me. Can we leave, and can you make sure to sail as far from shore as possible until we pass the palace?” I threw my clothes and brush in the bag and tied my hair back with a ribbon
.
“Wait,” he sat down on the cot while I rushed around. “The palace? You need to explain. I can’t get involved in anything with the palace. This is my home, Lara. I need to be able to return with honor.”
“I know. Um. I’m running from Martus and his sons. I need to get back to the mainland and keep running. They can’t find me. Can I just borrow your boat or something? You can stay here, and I’ll tie it up at the mainland and send word to you about where I leave the boat. Then you won’t be involved. You can just tell report your boat stolen and won’t even have to mention that we met.”
My eyes begged him to agree.
He shook his head. “Martus? Our leader? His sons? I didn’t even know he had sons. Do you even know how to sail?”
“He has twin sons. They grew up in the kingdom, but they brought me to him. I need to get out of here and off of this island as quickly as possible. I rode a boat over here, and I think I can manage fine by myself. I promise to send word regarding the location of your boat.” I could see him churning over the information and considering everything.
“We’ll leave now. I’ll swing the boat far out to sea until we safely pass the island, and then we’ll curve back toward the mainland. I’ve sailed these waters my whole life. You’ll be safe. But if anyone asks, I’m going to tell them that you’re a witch and that you compelled me to help you. They’d believe me with those eyes too.”
He smirked, but his eyes held fear in them too. He was seriously considering the possibility of me being a witch. If only it were that simple. I could grab my broom and fly back to the mainland. We packed up and left under cover of darkness. I helped Cain row in between heaves. History had a funny way of repeating itself. I definitely didn’t have it in me to be a seafarer.
As the sun sunk below the horizon, we caught sight of the shore—glorious land that might end the ever present dry heaves that shook their way through my core. Cain secured the boat to a nearby tree and shoved it up onto the sandbar. I dragged my bag off of the boat and walked to a nearby piece of driftwood and plopped down on it. Cain sauntered up and smiled. “Landlubber.”
“Ha. Ha. You’re hilarious. Really. You’re just too much,” I groaned, grabbing my stomach.
He smiled and handed me some water, which I promptly vomited toward his feet. He jumped back, and I laughed then.
“Well, at least you can still laugh. I’ve never seen anyone get so sick before in my life!”
“I’m a true anomaly. A freak of nature,” I muttered, knowing it was actually true, even though my ability to vomit repeatedly had nothing to do with it.
Cain stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “Well, I’m going to get some firewood and get a fire going. We’ll camp here, and I’ll head back at first light.”
I nodded, and he set off into the woods to find firewood. I headed to the water and washed out my mouth, washed my face, and changed my dress, pulling on the light-yellow long-sleeved, ankle-length cotton gown that I’d grown to love. It was gloriously comfortable. I rummaged for my mint leaves and chewed a couple to get the rancid taste off of my tongue. Cain returned shortly thereafter, built a fire, and I settled down in front of it. My back rested against the big hunk of gnarly driftwood I’d previously called a bench.
He ate happily, offering me food every so often. I couldn’t stomach anything yet, so I politely declined. He understood and smiled. I’m glad he was so amused by my misfortune. “Hey, thank you for sailing me here. I really do appreciate it. I’ll try to repay you sometime in the future. I know that the items I gave you weren’t sufficient.” I looked down, not knowing how I could possibly repay such kindness to a stranger.
“I accepted your offer of both the items and your work around my home. You’ve more than paid your debt, Lara. And you are most welcome.”
I squeezed out a smile. “Hey, can I ask you a question?” he said.
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Your eyes are weird,” he said.
“Yes, they are. What’s your question?” I teased.
“I’ve never seen anyone with purple eyes before.” He stared openly at my eyes. “Me either.” I smiled.
He smiled too.
After a while, I sank down in the soft sand, using my satchel as a pillow and drifted off to sleep in front of the warm fire.
At dawn, I woke up before Cain had begun to stir. I looked up and down the beach and saw nothing. No sign of civilization whatsoever. “Where are we?” I asked myself under my breath.
“The mainland,” he answered groggily in a deep sleepy voice.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay. I need to get up and start packing.” He stretched.
“Do you know where we are in relation to the kingdom?” I asked.
“What do you know about the kingdom?”
“A lot. I grew up there,” I admitted. He looked at me strangely.
“How old are you?” he asked, crooking his head toward me.
I exhaled. “Seventeen.”
“I’m twenty. I should have seen you at some point.”
“What? You grew up in the kingdom? I thought you were a seafarer?”
“Well, I kind of grew up both places. My dad was a seafarer, but my mother’s parents, my grandparents lived in the kingdom. Father would take us to visit them often while he was away on journeys. I split my time between the two. Martus would send my father and his men to search the ocean for new lands. But I’m off track. I’ve never seen you.”
I cleared my throat. “I was a potential and grew up in the fortress tower.”
He laughed. “Holy crap! Oh sorry. Um. I’ve never met a potential before. Wait, are you married?”
“You could say that my life is one big screwed up story. And you definitely don’t have the time for it all. But I was married. He was killed.”
“Well,” he said, “sorry about that. I didn’t know...about your husband. Hey, at least you aren’t the chosen, right?” he joked.
I just stared at him. “Right?” He smiled.
I winced.
“You’re not the chosen. You were married.”
“Well,” I started, “that’s where the story gets interesting.” I explained how the seafarers had infiltrated the kingdom and got me out of there before my mark appeared. I told him everything as fast as possible so he could hurry up and sail home. About Altair and Wes, about Annette and my parents and the twins and about Ruth and Jacob and the gang, how I ended up at the seafarers, and why I had to escape. I unloaded everything on him.
And when I was finished, I felt so much better. More free. Like a weight was taken off of my shoulders. “So now you know my story. What about yours? Other than being raised alternately by your father and grandparents, I mean.”
“Well, I have no siblings. I was married when I turned eighteen, but my wife, Cora, died a year later during childbirth. Our son passed away as well.” He cleared his throat and looked away. I could see the tears shimmering in his eyes. I swallowed the ball in my throat and apologized for his loss. I couldn’t imagine how he’d survived. “My mother died after a long illness. My father never came back from his last voyage, so I’m guessing he’s dead, but the question lingers.”
He continued, “Can I ask you something? And you can totally say no if you aren’t comfortable.” I nodded. And he looked up sheepishly and grinned. “May I see your mark?”
I laughed. “Sure.”
I didn’t feel too uncomfortable. He’d seen me in my bikini before anyway. My dress laced in the back, so I asked him to loosen the laces and open the back of the dress. He gently unlaced the sunny ribbons and pushed the cotton aside, revealing my bare back. I heard him exhale. “Wow.”
“I know. It’s weird, right?” I explained how I’d received the mark and how Maylon had helped me and then gave her life trying to buy me time to escape. Guilt poured over my head like water. Maylon and the boy, Wes—they’d been killed for me. I guess I could take credit for the deaths
of the councilmen too as they died because of their refusal to wed me to Altair. Then there was the imprisonment of Lil, Rachel, and Annette. I was a dangerous person to befriend.
He studied the markings for a few minutes, and then carefully laced my dress for me. I showed him the translation Marcus had given me and he studied the paper intently. “How can you be sure that the markings were interpreted correctly?” he asked, squeezing his brows together in concern.
“I guess I can’t. I mean, I can’t read Aramaic. Can you?” I smiled. “I guess I just have to go on a little faith. But my gut feeling is that it’s true. It’s right. Is that crazy?”
He shook his head and muttered, “No. It’s not crazy, Lara.”
“Solara.” I told him. He cocked his head to the side, questioning abrupt comment. “My name is Solara. My friends call me Lara though.” smiled.
“Lara it is then.”
“Do you mind if I hang out with you one more day to see where it is we’ve landed and help you get situated somewhere. I don’t feel right just deserting you here. It isn’t safe. I mean, for women, and everything.” He handed my paper back, and I carefully folded it and placed it back in my bag.
“Sure. But you have to leave tomorrow at dawn. Deal?” I offered.
“Deal,” he accepted.
“Ouch!” I hated briars before, but now I absolutely loathed and detested them. Another one just tore into my calf. These thorns were enormous and lethal too—long, curved like talons and exquisitely sharp. The vegetation we were attempting to carve our way through was thick and heavy with the moisture that hung in the air. Sweat poured from my head, trickled down my back and between my breasts. Ugh. Talk about hot mess.
Cain slashed through the undergrowth with his machete. It was certainly handy. I’d have to get one for myself. We stopped to wipe the sweat away as best as we could. For the fifth time in the hour, I rolled the sleeves of my buttercup-colored dress up.
Pariah (The New Covenant Series) Page 25
