Pariah (The New Covenant Series)

by Bond, Casey L.

  “No. Solara. Don’t worry. That’s John. He found his way back to me.” My eyes stung from the tears that formed.

  “I’m so glad, Annette. I’m so sorry for everything.” I sobbed into her shoulder. She patted my back and said, “Shhh. It’s okay, Ladybug. You’re safe now.”

  I introduced everyone to Cain. Athena appraised him as she would a fine pastry, but I couldn’t help notice that he and Aniya kept exchanging stolen glances, and I saw hope for them both.

  Moments later, Rafe stepped onto the sand in front of us, a big grin on his face.

  “Where is Riven?” He just laughed.

  “Is he okay? Where is Riven?” He laughed more heartily.

  “Rafe, where’s—”

  I felt a tap on my shoulder as Riven stepped down behind me. I turned around, and his lips crashed down onto mine. He pulled me close, and I returned his kiss with all of the passion and hunger that I’d felt for him for so long but had tried so hard to deny.

  It had been three weeks since we arrived back at Jacob and Ruth’s house. Days were spent relaxing in the sun with friends and family, resting and recovering from the crazy events that had so recently defined my life.

  Watching the sun sink below the horizon leaving an explosion of oranges, pinks blues, and purples in its wake, I snuggled into the crook of Riven’s arm. His head nuzzled my own. I looked up at him. “What now, Riven? What am I supposed to do?”

  I loved him. Really loved him. My back, and God, said I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to fight it anymore. I guess it had started when he was paired with Lil. I couldn’t stand the thought of him with anyone else—even my best friend. I felt guilty about those feelings. Wesley was so nice to me and given enough time, I could have loved him, too. His death was on my hands. I should never have left him in the kingdom that day.

  Riven smiled. “Not sure, but maybe we need to research this prophecy further. Maybe it can lead you in the right direction. I think I know a guy we can talk to. It’s a few days journey from here by land.” He smirked. Of course by land. However, with wings, he didn’t have to worry about such human methods of travel.

  “When do we leave?” I dusted the sand from my legs and stood up, pulling him with me.

  “Let’s enjoy a few more days of rest and then head out. You’ll need it.” He smirked, water droplets still clinging to his dark chocolate hair. He kissed my temple. I smiled at our plan and relaxed again into the safety of his arms, enjoying this time with him. How long this peace would last remained to be seen. An unsettling feeling had infiltrated my stomach the last couple of days, hinting that it wouldn’t last much longer. Nor would our love, I feared.

  Thomas had begun pacing the damp, slick rocks underfoot weeks ago and had only stopped when his humanity left him no alternative. Sleep and hunger weren’t something he was accustomed to on the ethereal plane. He had felt her presence from the day she’d been born on the first day of summer seventeen years ago and felt her come of age. He felt the pain course through her body as she was marked. He felt her apprehension, loneliness, joy, sadness, fright, and every emotion that coursed through her heart. Thomas clenched his fists as he felt the fallen twins surround her, wishing with every fiber of his being that he could run to her, help her, save her from them. His Master never mentioned them, but he could feel them, and the feeling in the pit of his stomach could no longer be ignored. He paced back and forth. The torches on the walls cast shadows back and forth along the walls, and their natural mineral flowed. He had to think of some way to warn her, some way to keep her safe—safe from the fallen and safe from herself. He had to go to her. He could wait no more.

  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

  —John 1:5

  I couldn’t take it any longer. Seeing them together. Happy. Him kissing her the way I’d always hoped he’d kiss me. Passionate and heated. Hungry, even. I’d hated her from the moment I laid eyes on her. I hated her more when I saw how Riven looked at her, even as I kissed or caressed his body. His rejection was more than I could handle. We were supposed to be betrothed when he transitioned. It was what I’d been told my whole life. Riven was supposed to be mine. Not hers.

  I knew I had to do something. And then tonight, the opportunity presented itself.

  “I have to get some supplies from one of the towns. Lara and I are going to be taking a trip,” Riven confided.

  “Where are you lovebirds headed?” I asked, smiling sweetly at him.

  “Just a trip,” he replied not giving anything away. I needed a hint.

  “Do you have a lot to do here to prepare?”

  He sighed and said, “Yeah. I do.”

  I brushed his forearm and smiled seductively at him. “I could help you, Riven. I can go gather your supplies so that you can prepare everything here and spend some time with Lara. She just got back, and I know you haven’t had much alone time with her now that you are finally together.”

  He eyes sized me up. Yes, idiot, I’m lying, but I hope you are too stupid and gullible to realize it. I raised my brows and smiled.

  “You’re okay with me and Lara?” he asked, quirking his dark brow.

  I laughed. “Yes. I knew you weren’t that into me. It became even more apparent when Lara showed up. I’m happy for you. I really am. Let me help.” Yes, Riven. Let. Me. Help. I would love to help bury her six feet under.

  “If you’re sure, I’ll make a list for you. It’s mostly food. I don’t want to take too much from Jacob and Ruth.” I nodded, and he went inside to write out a supply list. When he was finished, he came back outside and handed it to me. I unfurled my white wings and stretched them.

  Sometimes they got cramped if I didn’t let them out for a while. I winked and smiled at him and then shot into the air, soaring in the direction of the settlement. I just needed to make him think that’s where I was headed. I veered farther into the land, across the forest canopy toward the kingdom where I could gather the supplies needed and let Altair know where he could find the chosen.

  Pain screeched across my body as I was dragged through the tunnel. The decaying souls scratched and gouged, bit and tore at me. I screamed. Though I’d been dragged through it so many times I’d lost count, it was designed for terror. And, its designer had perfected the art. The two demons threw me forward into the black void, my face bumped off the floor in a sickening crack. The stench of fire and burnt flesh pervaded the space. Lucifer stepped forward.

  For centuries, humans had drawn him to be a beast, horned and ghastly. They believed him to have both a tail and a forked tongue. Reality was different. He was beautiful. Ebony hair flowed in waves to his chin. Strange burnt orange eyes seemed to glow from within, fueled by the souls he had trapped almost since the beginning of time, since his fall. An obsidian suit, tailored to perfection, accentuated the power of his shoulders and couldn’t mask the strength in his legs. He was magnificent, which made him all the more frightening.

  He had appeared to me during my life, when I was a disciple of Jesus. Spouting lies, he convinced me that my Lord was money-hungry, greedy and that I should do something about it. I betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver, and the moment I sealed that betrayal with a kiss upon my Lord’s face, I’d been tortured. Demons began taunting me in that moment and never let me rest. Ultimately, I’d ended my life to try to get some sliver of peace that would never be found. Death had only been the beginning.

  Hell was designed for torture, and the tortures I’d endured there had been nothing as bad as I’d experienced on earth. Nothing like the things that drove me mad caused me to hang myself from that branch. His polished shoes stopped in front of me. I could see my reflection in them and didn’t even recognize myself. In death, we looked the same as when we died in life. I’d died young, but no longer looked it. “I have a special job for you, Judas. The chosen has been found. Thomas has been brought back by Christ to guide her
. Per the covenant forged with God, we have the right to bring someone back to life as well. I’m sending you.”

  “Can’t you send a demon?”

  He laughed heartily. “No. He didn’t send an angel, a being created for service. So, I cannot send a demon. He was a fool to send Thomas. He was always meek. He is no warrior. And, this is war. I will send you back. You will win the trust of the chosen and deliver her to me. With her, we shall unleash hell upon the earth. I will reign there for eternity, with your help. Come through and you will be rewarded richly. Fail and the past years you’ve spent here will seem like a vacation. Understand?”

  I shook in fear. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He clapped his hands and pulled me up. I shuttered violently just looking at him.

  “Let’s get you back. You have a job to do.”

  A huge thank you to Nadège Richards of Inskstain Interior Formatting. Thank you for sharing your talents and letting your light shine for everyone who is fortunate enough to know you.

  Thank you to Rachael Brownell, my sister from another mister. Her constant uplifting support means the world to me. Thanks to my girls, the IndiePendents: Rachael. Delisa, Savannah, Cassy, Amber, Annalisa, Tara, Ashley R., Alissa, Kay, Ashley J. Love you girls!

  Anna Coy, you are an amazing person with the strangest, but best gummy bear addiction I’ve ever seen. I love your face and your heart. Thank you for being an awesome friend and for your support along this crazy journey. I appreciate all of your hard work on this manuscript. Love you, girl.

  A shout out to the awesome chicks on my street team and to its fearsome organizer, Michelle Hart. Love you girls! EEEEP!

  Thank you to all who have helped me by reading my books, hosting signings, and inviting me to author events. I appreciate your support and love more than you will ever know.

  The few minutes before dawn were usually the most serene. Not today. Today, everything would change. Today, we would protect the future against the tyrants who ruled over us. The sky was lightening little by little, shedding the thick, dark blanket of night. Worn wooden planks creaked underfoot as I paced back and forth. Standing still wasn’t an option. The platform of the village’s train depot was empty. I’d made sure of it. So, my feet wore a path into the weathered wood as I silently prayed that everything would go smoothly, would go as planned.

  My brother had gotten himself in trouble. Four years ago he’d been transferred from our village to work in the factories in Olympus, a Greater City. Two years ago, his lover had given birth to a baby girl. He was unable to marry her. He was a Lesser. She was a Greater. It was illegal for them to even speak. He wasn’t even permitted to make eye contact with her. So, how they had met, fallen in love, and been intimate was beyond me.

  A few generations ago, a great plague swept through The United States of America, what had until then, been a great and powerful country. The world had been connected in ways that I could hardly wrap my head around. It was said that people could ride great ships through the air, cross oceans in a matter of hours.

  The plague spread from America to the other continents and countries, leaving nothing but death and sorrow in its wake. Ninety percent of the Earth’s population was wiped out in a matter of only a few months. Certain technologies survived, along with a few of the experts who knew how to use them. Precautions against further spread of the disease were taken, and eventually, the plague was laid to rest along with its victims.

  Those who had survived the disease, which affected everyone regardless of station, were tested. Those deemed to have superior genes, whose bodies could likely survive another onslaught of illness in the future, were separated from those whose genetics were less-than-ideal. And so began the separation of Greaters and Lessers.

  The Lessers served the Greaters from small villages where their lives were consumed with producing raw materials that the Greaters needed. Over time, the divide between the two groups had formed into a deep, dangerous chasm. The Greaters had become power-hungry and oppressive, abusive of the power that they’d claimed.

  So, I was shocked about my brother’s news. He could be beheaded for consorting with the woman. I shuddered to think about what they might do if the Greaters discovered their child. She was a hybrid, a mix of both worlds. I had to help. I would hide her. Keep her safe. She was our future, the best of both Greater and Lesser, belonging to neither side, yet an equal and important part of both.

  When the Greater woman had been questioned about the pregnancy, she had lied. She’d protected him. No doubt she loved him. But the baby had grown into a toddler and was now much more difficult to conceal. I knew this day would probably come, but had no idea what the urgency was. I’d received a communication from him, which was risky enough for both of us. If someone found it, we’d both be hanged, so I deleted it almost as quickly as I read it. The three needed a way out of Olympus, and the baby needed to be hidden. She needed a new home—a loving home. I was their only option. But having no children of my own, I would have to figure out how to provide that for her. I had no idea how to care for a toddler. But, I supposed we’d learn together.

  The sky lightened further, lofty clouds streaked happily across the sky, tinged with oranges and yellows. The train would be here any minute. The smell of spring was everywhere; fresh and earthy. The fields were being fertilized. New ones were being sown. We would nurture and care for them until they bore their fruit in the fall. Our village was Orchard, and we grew apples for the Greaters who required the bounty of the Earth.

  The loud horn of the train sounded in the distance, between two hills, further than I could see. Soon, puffs of gray smoke rose slowly and hung thickly in the valley beyond. Old and rusty, the wheels of the train screeched and squealed as the engineer applied his brake. Sparks flew from the contact with the rail in various places. The metal cars themselves were also rusted. It was a cargo train, the only kind that would be expected here in Orchard.

  Car after car rattled past me. Third car from the back, I thought. That’s where they were supposed to be. I knocked lightly on the steel door and then slid open the latch. It was hollow, with the exception of stacked wooden crates, buckets and bushels. I whispered for him. “Adam.”

  “Lulu?” A voice whispered in return.

  “You have to hurry. The train is only supposed to stop for twenty minutes.”

  My brother stepped forward, carrying a child, whose head lolled limply on his shoulder. She was asleep and looked more peaceful than anything I’d ever seen before in my life. Drool pooled in the corner of her little mouth and her eyelashes fluttered lightly. Her curly brownish-red hair was stirred lightly by the breeze. My heart attached to her immediately. My niece.

  A woman stepped out from behind Adam. He cleared his throat. “Lu, this is Kaia.” He looked wearily from her to me. I stepped forward and offered her my hand.

  “Hello, Kaia. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

  She nodded and tears cascaded from her greenish eyes, their pupils rimmed in Greater gold. It was an attribute they all bore, though the rings of some Greaters were more pronounced than others. “Does she have the ring?”

  Adam swallowed and shifted his feet. “Yes. But it’s very small. Almost unnoticeable. Will she be safe here?”

  “I believe so. I have traveled out of the village a handful of times, but I’m the only one who has seen a Greater in years.”

  They both nodded. Tears welled in Adam’s eyes as he peeled the child away from his torso and transferred her onto mine. She probably weighed 30 pounds. The little one stirred for a moment and then settled back down. “Please say goodbye quickly and hide yourselves again. This train will continue to Vesuvius. A man named Brock will meet you there and provide you with new identification.”

  “Thank you, Lulu. Please take care of her. If anyone finds out about her, please send word, or get her to safety.”

  “Why is this so urgent? What’s happening in Olympus?”

  A great burst of
steam and smoke sizzled from the train’s engine, several cars away.

  Kaia jumped at the sound and huddled into Adam, who wrapped his arm around her lovingly. “I don’t have time to explain. Just please keep her safe. No one can know she’s a Greater, or part Greater, anyway.”

  “Luella?” The engineer called over my comm.

  I depressed the button and answered. “Yes?”

  “Are you finished? I need to pull out as soon as possible.”

  “Yes. Everything is secure. Please continue to your destination.”

  “Thank you. Preparing for departure.”

  “Have a safe trip.”

  His static-filled chuckle rang out. “Always. See you on the next pass-through.”

  Looking back at Adam and Kaia, my heart thundered in my chest. “Hide. I will keep her safe. I promise. I would give my life to keep that promise. It doesn’t mean she’ll be treated well here. Life is hard in Orchard, as in all Lesser villages, but I will give her a normal Lesser life.”

  My brother kissed my cheek and then brushed the child’s hair back from her little face and kissed her, too. “Goodbye, Abby Blue.”

  “Abby Blue?”

  “Yeah,” he stroked her cheek. “Her name is Abigail Blue Kelley. I call her Abby Blue.”

  Kaia kissed her baby girl goodbye, and Adam had to pull her away and back onto the train car so that I could latch the door. As the wheels began to move them down the track and away from me, I could hear her cries. They echoed through the old metal car, fading into the cool morning air. I was certain that that sound would haunt me for the rest of my life.

  I kissed Lulu goodbye and rushed out the door pausing only for a moment to tie the lace of my left shoe. Most evenings I flung the shoes off, still tied, into the corner of my bedroom. They must have come undone. I valued my sleep and mornings weren’t my thing, so even stopping to tie the stupid things wasn’t normally an option. If I didn’t run fast, I would be late and late wasn’t tolerated. I wrapped my hair band around my wrist and ran—ran like the devil himself was on my heels.