Pariah (The New Covenant Series)

by Bond, Casey L.

  He ran back inside and emerged, holding the hand of an older gentleman. His hair was silver and combed over the baldness on top of his head. He wore blue pants and a tan shirt. He took us in. His dark brown eyes were somewhat fearful.

  “What do you want?” he said bluntly but not in a harsh way.

  I stepped forward. “Sir, we are looking for the nearest town or settlement. I’m afraid we’re lost.” I offered a small smile, hoping to build his confidence in the two of us.

  He stepped forward, placing himself between us and the boy. “I’ll show you the pathway that leads to the outpost. It’s only a few miles. Follow me.” He turned and walked around the side of the house. The boy ran ahead of us. A wide dirt path appeared near a wide creek just beyond the house. “Take this path. If you need lodging, go to the fourth house you come to and ask for

  Jeremiah. He has an old barn he lets out. He might have room for you.” We thanked him and headed off toward the outpost.

  “I’m not thrilled about this development,” said Cain, looking toward the creek.

  “What development?” I asked.

  He exhaled and said, “Do you know what an outpost is, Solara?”

  “No. I’m sorry. I’ve never heard of it.” I hated that I had been so sheltered in the fortress.

  “It’s basically a settlement of all of those banished from the kingdom. Not dissidents like those of the settlement—outcasts.” I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

  “Are you serious? Are they all like murderers or something?”

  He laughed. “No. Not to say there aren’t some bad folks here, but the kingdom offers three forms of punishment. For minor infractions—public lashings; for moderate infractions— banishment; and for major infractions like murder—death.”

  “Well, I’m glad there aren’t murderers here.”

  He started walking again, and I caught back up. “Sometimes there are worse things than murder, Solara. Murder victims don’t suffer after death. Victims of other crimes have to bear the burden for the rest of their lives.”

  I nodded. It was true. I’d never thought of it. I’d never been exposed to crime or its punishments. The mention of murder brought with it thoughts of Wesley, throat slashed, gasping and gurgling, and the light fading from his eyes. Suddenly, I found it hard to breathe. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I turned and scooted down the embankment, “I need a minute, Cain.” I jerked my shoes off and planted each bare foot on a smooth river rock and stood in the warm water, letting it wash the bad memory to the back of my mind again. I thought of Annette. I know her husband fled the kingdom after catching word of the murders of his co-councilmen but knew her heart must be heavy from the separation. I prayed he would find his way to her.

  I closed my eyes and soaked in the late afternoon sun. My breathing slowed and the tears stopped, so I put my shoes back on and climbed back up to the trail. Cain gave me space to breathe. He was a great friend and had suffered loss in his life. He seemed to know what I needed to regain my composure again.

  We arrived at the fourth house, also made of river rock and wood, though not as neatly as the older gentleman’s. Cain knocked on the door, and a man with wild blue eyes and wilder reddish-orange hair poked his head out the door and quickly looked the both of us over. I was taken aback by his unusual greeting and began to back away slowly. Thank goodness Cain was there. “Jeremiah?”

  The short man cleared his throat and looked past us then back at us again. “Yes. Who are you?”

  Cain put out his hands in surrender and said, “I’m Cain, and this is Lara. We were told you might have lodging available for rent?”

  “Yes.” He sniffed. “For the right price.” He looked me up and down and licked his lips. Ewww. He actually licked them. I backed farther away from him.

  “How much do you require for a week’s stay?” Cain inquired calmly.

  “Forty. Nothing less for a week, so don’t try to talk me down.” He sniffed and stared at me.

  I turned and whispered to Cain. “I have no money. And I am not really sure I want to stay here with him. He’s looking like he might eat me.” I smiled as I spoke through my teeth.

  Cain took his bag and dug around in the bottom. He slapped money into Jeremiah’s hand and said, “Forty it is. Please show us to our room.”

  Jeremiah opened the door fully, and I could see his chubby form emerge. He pulled up his pants and adjusted himself. Gross.

  I cringed and looked wide eyed at Cain, giving him a “did you see what that nasty man just did” look. He grinned and grabbed my hand, pulling me along behind Jeremiah who kept sniffing and wiping his nose on his sleeve. It just kept getting worse. He led us to a large wooden barn and slid the door open.

  “Three options—left, right, or loft.” He pointed up.

  We both answered, “Loft” at the same time.

  “Loft it is. So”—he sauntered over toward us—“are you all married or something, or are you available, little lady?” My mouth gaped open. Cain laughed and kissed the knuckles of the hand he was still holding. “We’re married. Hands off, big guy.”

  Jeremiah smiled nervously and hitched his pants up again. “Had to check, ya know,” he said, hitting Cain in the shoulder. He exited the barn and slid the door closed.

  Cain grinned at me, and I hit him in the shoulder. “Stop it!” I whispered. “It’s not funny. It’s disgusting!”

  “You’re welcome, by the way.” He smirked.

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “Hey, Lara,” Cain called up from the barn floor, waking me up.

  I groaned, “What?”

  “Hey, I got dinner and a few other things. Can you come over and get them from me as I bring them up?”

  I dragged my butt off of the lumpy mattress and stood by the ladder. The barn was nicer than I’d anticipated. It was set up like a small hotel—two rooms in the bottom area and the loft. Bales of hay formed a wall around the perimeter of the loft, lending privacy. Inside the wall of stacked hay bales sat a wooden bed, lumpy mattress, and blankets included. There was even a small wooden table with two matching chairs in the corner.

  He’d brought a jug of water, small roasted chicken, and cooked potatoes for dinner and a bottle of some kind of wine or liquor. He headed back down one last time and brought back a small sack, which he threw to me. “What’s this?”

  “Look and see.” He smiled.

  I pulled out a beautiful emerald-green dress. Dark pants and a deep-blue shirt followed. How sweet! I held the pants up to me and said, “Thanks, but they aren’t my size.” He turned around and laughed. I threw the pants and shirt at him and examined the dress. It had little green ivy leaves embroidered around the V-shaped neckline and around the waist and hem, and it was beautiful. It wasn’t cotton. I’d never felt anything so soft. The sleeves would land just below my elbow. It was so exquisite and simple at the same time. Perfect.

  “Thank you, Cain. Really. I feel bad that I have no money, and that you are spending yours right now. I will find a way to repay you. I swear it.” I couldn’t even look at him. I felt ashamed that he was spending anything on me.

  “Lara,” he said.

  I refused to look at him. “Hmmm?”

  “Lara,” he called louder. “Look, don’t worry about it. I’ve been saving money for years, and it’s really not a big deal. I’m glad to help you. Please don’t feel bad. You’ve helped me more than you can ever repay with money.”

  I looked at him. He was serious. “What? I haven’t done anything but drag you from your home and responsibilities and used your boat to sail across the sea, which I christened with my

  vomit along the way, traversed a thick briar-filled forest, which emptied into some camp for kingdom outcasts, and on top of that, you’ve spent money on my food, lodging, and clothing. I’d say I owe you an enormous amount of money.”

  He laughed. “You know, Lara, you are crazy. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve laughed like this? Do you know that you’re t
he first person I’ve ever spoken with about Cora and Benjamin? I closed off the entire world until you stepped onto my porch. You are a wonderful friend, and I’m the lucky one. Your friendship is priceless.”

  He kept laughing. I prepared our meal, and we laughed and talked about everything from our favorite colors to music to his goats. Apparently, they fainted when they hear loud noises. I almost blew wine out my nose when he described how they just “thudded” to the ground and then slowly righted themselves and shook it off. I could see him scaring them just to see how many would drop.

  We’d just arrived back at the loft after strolling around the outpost to get our bearings. I made Cain climb up before me as I was wearing a skirt. I hadn’t heard Jeremiah stroll up behind us. I was standing on the second to highest step when he said, “So how do you like the loft?” I gasped and jumped to the top of the loft floor. I gritted my teeth. What a jerk! My fists clenched.

  I had half a mind to climb back down and beat him within an inch of his perverted life. Cain pulled me the rest of the way up and slowly climbed down the ladder. He towered over Jeremiah, whose red hair was straight in some places, and in others was like curly wires that wildly tried to escape his scalp. “You ever look at my wife again, asshole, and I’ll kill you. Got me?” He stepped up, bumping Jeremiah’s chin with his chest.

  Jeremiah staggered back. “Yes”—he stammered—“yes, of course, sir.” He all but ran out of the barn.

  I grinned as Cain stepped back up on to the landing. He wasn’t smiling though. His face was red. The muscles in his jaw worked back and forth. He was pissed. Not that I minded the confrontation. Jeremiah so deserved it. I just thought Cain was messing with him. I hadn’t expected this reaction from him at all. He paced the floor of the loft.

  I stood up and said, “Cain?”

  He shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

  I busted out laughing unable to contain it anymore. He looked at me incredulously, which made me laugh even more.

  “You think this is funny?” He scoffed.

  I nodded and kept giggling. Tears squirted from my eyes, and my stomach hurt from clenching my abs so hard.

  “This isn’t funny, Lara.” I nodded and kept laughing and crying at the same time. I could barely hold myself upright.

  “I’ll give you something to laugh about,” he said with a grin finally appearing on his face. He stalked over toward me. Oh no. Crap. I’d done it now. I ran around the bed, putting it between us. He stalked right, so I moved right too. He stalked left and so did I. Determination on his brow, he leaped over the mattress and grabbed me by the waist and threw me down and started ruthlessly tickling me. I was extremely ticklish, and other than Lil, no one had ever tickled me before. I laughed and kicked and squirmed and twisted, trying to get him to stop. He would not relent.

  “Stop...okay...I give up!” He finally backed away, laughing himself.

  Composing myself, I sat up and said, “You looked so angry with him.”

  The smile dropped off of his face. “I was angry, Solara. He had no right to look at you like that. You should be angry too!”

  “I was. But he’s just a little pervert. He’s probably never even been close to a woman. Who cares about him?” I laughed, still catching my breath.

  “If he hasn’t been, it might make him dangerous. Did you ever think of that? You are a beautiful young woman, Lara. He could hurt you. If he hurt you, I’d—”

  “Hey”—I put my hand on his forearm—“he didn’t hurt me. He won’t hurt me. I know how to defend myself. It’s okay. Okay?”

  “Fine.” He relented. “Let’s go to dinner at the pub.”

  I changed into the dark green dress while he was out getting water and brushed my hair and rubbed some coconut oil on my dry lips. He’d already changed into his new outfit before leaving. He hoisted the water jug up to me and stopped on the top step.

  He cleared his throat and said, “Are you ready?”

  “Yep. You go first, but don’t look up when you get down there, or I’ll beat you like a red-headed Jeremiah!” He laughed and climbed down.

  The pub was busy. Delicious smells of freshly baked bread wafted from inside. It was dinner time, and they served us some beef stew with potatoes, celery and carrots, and some bread formed into knots. It was mouthwatering. We each had a glass of berry wine with dinner, and we chatted as we watched all of the people around us.

  The band started playing and before long, tables and chairs were being shoved into one another, making room for dancing. Folks took to the floor like moths to a flame, infused with liquor and bravery. They wiggled and writhed. Some looked like they were actually copulating on the dance floor. Wow. I’d never seen dancing like this. Men rubbed up and down the women’s bodies as they grinded into one another to the sensual beat of the music.

  Most of the men looked a bit on the rough side, sporting shaved heads and broad muscles. Tattoos flowed down their arms and necks. Some of the women were dressed as I was in long gowns, which the drunker ones hiked up to show their thighs to their partners. Others wore short, slinky “leave nothing to the imagination” dresses. To say that the folks here intimidated me a bit was an understatement. I ordered some liquid courage, determined to have a good time tonight. Cain would be headed home in a couple of days. I would see to it. I just needed to convince him that I was happy and safe here, so he would leave.

  I was alone in this and wanted some time to process everything. I needed to think about the message on my back and figure out what to do next, but I had to do it on my own. I could lay low here in the settlement until I decided. We had the loft for two more days. I needed to move fast. He had responsibilities at home, and I didn’t want to see him hurt. Everyone who got close to me gets hurt.

  He brought my coconut favorite to me along with a glass with amber liquor in it for himself. He sipped slowly, taking in the vulgar dancing around us with wide eyes. I’m sure I looked much the same. After a few more coconut drinks, I was happy and brave. I wanted to dance but wasn’t sure if he would. I stared at the couples writhing on the dance floor and at the drummer pounding out the underlying beat. Cain grabbed my hand and nodded toward the dance floor, slamming his empty glass back on the table. He smiled, and I let him lead me into the middle of the pack.

  We swayed to the beat. His hands found my waist and then my hips. My arms found his neck and chest. It was fun. I couldn’t stop smiling. He couldn’t either. We danced for a few more songs when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned and gasped. Riven or Faric stood in front of me.

  He leaned in. “You’re a hard woman to track down, Lara.” He nodded to the tables. I gulped and looked at Cain with wide eyes, mouthing Riven to him. He looked at me with raised brows, and I shrugged. At the table, I sat next to Cain. The twin sat across the table. We ordered another round of drinks. “I’m Riven. By the way, Lara. Faric is still underneath Rebekah right now. They’ve barely come up for air.”

  Riven looked me up and down. “You look beautiful, Lara.”

  “Thanks,” I muttered. Cain laced his fingers through mine under the table. I squeezed his in thanks. He returned the squeeze.

  “Why did you leave?” asked Riven, concern in his eyes and something else—anger or pain? Had I hurt him by leaving?

  “I needed to leave the island.”

  “I would have taken you anywhere you needed to go. You didn’t have to involve anyone else.” He looked sternly at Cain. Cain returned his stare, never flinching.

  “Riven, if I wanted you to take me somewhere, I would have asked. I wanted to get away from you, your brother, and your father. I didn’t want you to find me.” I admitted.

  His jaw clenched. “You didn’t want me to find you? Then you shouldn’t have just left. You could have left a note behind, explaining yourself. I thought someone took you. I was scared to death, worried for you,” he hissed.

  Cain inhaled sharply. I squeezed his hand.

  “I’m sorry. I should have l
eft a note. I just thought that a clean break would be the best. I was wrong. But now that you do know where I stand, I would like you to leave. I wish to be left alone, Riven.”

  Riven drank the contents of his glass in one gulp. “You’re lying!” he roared. “You just want him!” He pointed toward Cain. Cain started to stand up.

  “Cain. No.” I said, pulling him back down. I turned to Riven.

  “You’re right. I want Cain. Now go, Riven. Leave me alone and don’t look for me again.”

  Riven stared at me with a look of disgust on his lips as one end curled up. “Fine.” He stormed out of the pub, and I exhaled.

  I looked over toward Cain. “Sorry,” I said.

  “It’s okay. Maybe he took the hint this time.” I pressed my lips together in an attempt to smile and ordered another coconut memory eraser. How had he found me?

  After a few more of those, I was ready to dance again. Cain followed me to the dance floor, and I carved a path toward an area off to the side of the stage. You could feel the music reverberating through the floor boards from this spot. My stomach burned, and the room spun a little bit. Cain turned me around and swayed my hips to the beat with his strong hands. I put my hands upon his and melted back into his chest. I could feel his warm breath in my hair. The rhythm was strong and sensual. I shivered from his closeness and reached up and threaded my fingers into the back of his hair, swaying to the beat. He ground into me, and I realized we looked like the others on the dance floor minus the hiked up gown.

  “You feel amazing, Lara,” he whispered in my ear. His breath grazed the tender spot underneath my ear. I turned around to face him. He grabbed my hips and stuck one of his legs in between mine, pulling me as close as possible. I raked my hands down his chest and stomach. He smelled like pine and ocean—fresh and wild. He bent his head down toward mine and threaded his fingers through my hair, pulling me closer. I saw his parted lips and then I freaked out. I pushed him back. No. He’s my friend.