The Kingdom Journals Complete Series Box Set

by Tricia Copeland

  “I only need a few hours rest, and then you two can rest,” I comment to Gregor and John as we climb the stairs.

  Bam, bam, bam. I knock the gavel on the table as the sun rises six hours later. “What say you? We have the issue of our hostages and Emmett.”

  “The hostages first,” several voices ring out.

  “We need to decide whether witnesses are to be called and a trial held. We’re going against our own principles if we skip these steps.”

  One by one, I listen to the arguments of my people. Each opinion is the same. For them it is simple. We were attacked without provocation, they killed nine of ours in cold blood, they should be executed without further thought. Knowing what the outcome will be, I ask for a show of hands in favor of calling the Valley and Gulf tribes to judge. Not one arm is raised.

  I ask them to bring the chief and other hostages. We have the chief speak first. He remains as defiant as in battle, arguing that we are the invaders. My people call for his life, as they do for each of his warriors. Since we’ve scoured the area for any trace of escapees and found none, I feel safe that the story of what happened with Emmett will stay secret and hand them over to be executed.

  Standing stoic before my tribe, I witness the slaughter. My stomach turns with each dagger thrust into a chest and being that falls. I am no better than them, no different from Erik who ordered Alec’s death, I think. Have I abandoned my principles? They came out of the night, attempted to end your tribe, I remind myself. Mambi and eight others are dead for no reason.

  As the heap of bodies burn to embers, we reconvene in the main hall.

  I jump to the tabletop. “You allowed Emmett to join us as one of our own. His orders, if any skirmishes arose, were to perform any task asked and go home to secure his family’s safety. Instead, he chose to endanger his own life and that of his family by becoming bait for our enemies. While this worked in the end, it prevented us from carrying our own edict of fair trial for the accused. We need to be able to uphold standards we set for others. Our people have long lived by the edict that we do not expose ourselves to humans. You and I granted an exception in this case. The question is, how do we move forward. Is he reprimanded for not following protocol?”

  “Emmett, Emmett, Emmett.” The chant grows in the room, and I realize I have no support for punishing him. In the tribe’s eyes, he has sealed his allegiance. In mine, he has sealed his fate. Enemies will strike, and he will fall.

  Gregor runs out to fetch Emmett, and I watch as the others partake in a mid-morning meal. Will pulls out a chair for me to sit. “Won’t you eat?”

  “No.” I smooth my dress around my waist, the thought of putting anything in my stomach causing it to turn.

  Will leans over and whispers, “You need time to process. Perhaps a swim later.”

  “Yes.” I agree. “After Emmett comes, we’ll go.”

  The front door swings open, and Emmett follows Gregor in. Seeing me, he swallows and his eyes cut around the room.

  “Emmett.” I stand, and the room quiets.

  “Queen.” He bows before me.

  “You carried out a smart plan and acted with bravery. It does not go unnoticed, and the tribe wishes to thank you for your sacrifice.”

  He rises and another round of cheers in his name go up. The crowd gathers around him, and I make my escape.

  “Has Jacob talked to you about what he will do?” I ask Will as we walk towards the beach.

  “He wants to take charge of the sentinels and security, expand how we get information and tighten our borders.”

  “That’s good.” I stop and face Will. “Does he blame me? Is that why he’s staying away?”

  “No. I think you remind him of her.”

  “It’s the same for me. Every time I think of Jacob, I think of Mambi, their courtship and wedding, how happy she made him.”

  “She will be missed.”

  “I dread the coming days.”

  “I think Mrs. Schmidt has plans to keep you busy. She has asked us to dinner tonight, you to tea tomorrow, something about a sewing group the day after—”

  Not wishing to hear more, I dash to the shore. Will catches up with me. “Now more than ever the tribe feels this is their home. We must do everything we can to secure our place here, even if it pains you to sit and be social with these humans.”

  “I know. Mrs. Schmidt is a nice lady.” I kick my boots onto the sand.

  Will catches my arm. “I’m proud of you. You showed real leadership the past few days. The tribe will be stronger for it.”

  “Thank you for your words. Do you mind waiting while I swim? Call me one hour before we are to dine with the Schmidts.”

  “Of course.” He lowers himself to the sand.

  As my arms reach through the water and waves kick the surf, I can’t help but feel that things have come full circle. It’s just Will and me again. Then Mambi’s loss closes in on me, and my breathing becomes labored. No, I shout inside my head. All will be well.

  My mind drifts to thoughts of Elizabeth and Faye, and I decide to write to them on the morrow.

  “Oh, you poor girl.” Mrs. Schmidt pulls me into her arms as I reach the top of their porch stairs. “You look pale. Have you been eating?”

  “She hasn’t eaten much since Mambi’s passing.” Will follows behind us.

  “Well, I have lots of news that will help keep you occupied.” Mrs. Schmidt pats my hand and guides me into their parlor.

  “Thank you. It’s so sweet of you to have us to dinner. I haven’t felt much like cooking.” I sit beside her on a cushioned bench.

  “Have some wine.” Mrs. Schmidt takes a glass from her husband and holds it out to me. “It will help you calm your nerves.”

  Mrs. Schmidt asks about Jacob and the service for Mambi. Her eyes fall as in disappointment when I explain we’d completed the service, but in a second a smile spreads across her face. “We’ve been talking with the other new families and have decided to start a church.”

  Detailing how the services will be held in living rooms or barns as the group grows, she finishes with explaining that a Protestant pastor is among the new settlers, and he has agreed to head the endeavor.

  Swallowing hard, I force a smile. “This is excellent news. Don’t you think, brother?”

  “Yes, indeed, I’m sure several from our group will like to attend.” Will takes a sip of his wine.

  “So, we can mark you down for hosting one Sunday?” Eugene inquires of Will.

  Will nods, and Eugene ushers us into the dining room. Will and I follow, me taking a seat beside Mrs. Schmidt as Emmett sits beside me. The table looks too large without Mambi and Jacob, and I push the thought from my mind. As dinner progresses, Mrs. Schmidt expands on their plans for the church, and our tea and sewing session with several of the women new to the area in the coming days.

  Eugene and the men listen to our conversation, adding information about the other families. Eugene appears hesitant to speak to Will and directs his comments to me. I realize he’s always conversed with Jacob. Perhaps Will scares him. Whatever the reason for the switch to engaging me, I like it.

  In the coming days, I’m carted around attending teas, sewing circles, and bible studies. With the community growing, the men meet to talk boundaries, crops, and organizing the church. All those on the property gather in the main hall to wait for Gregor and Will’s return.

  “I hope you don’t expect us to go to church and pray to their God,” John gripes as he paces the floor. “Mother Earth has supplied all the church and religion I need.”

  “Foolish humans and their quest for heaven. I’m glad I have no need for such,” another quips.

  “Do you want to live here or not?” I inquire of them.

  “Yes.” John hangs his head.

  “Then, we need to blend in, be part of the community. For the humans, religion is a big part of their culture.”

  “But what of our beliefs? Do we just push them aside?” John waves his a
rms in a grand gesture.

  “No, we can still do as we have for centuries, honoring Mother Earth. I won’t require anyone to attend church who does not wish to.”

  “But?” John raises an eyebrow.

  “I would like that we have at least six who are willing to engage with the humans, for appearances sake. Will, Gregor, and I will be three. I was hoping you would join us.”

  “Do we get to eat any of these humans?” A large South American vampire jumps to the tabletop.

  “Those of us that are most comfortable will attend,” I reaffirm.

  “What happens when we need to host the gathering?” John contends.

  “Most of you will be scarce.”

  “This is ridiculous. What has God done for us? Nothing but create a race that is hell bent on ending ours.” Maria, a vampire from Spain, rolls her eyes.

  “It was not always that way.”

  “Does anyone here remember before the flood? Have you forgotten what happened in 1599?” John puts forth.

  “I haven’t forgotten. But those were one set of witches. I can’t believe all to be evil.”

  “One set of mighty powerful witches, if I remember correctly.”

  “Yes.” An image of the stone floor lined with burning bodies flashes through my head. The next second, the seraph’s form dances in my memory.

  “I wonder what those church people would think if they knew the serpent himself bore our race,” John’s eyebrows shoot up.

  Maria approaches John. “Wasn’t the Devil a fallen angel? I wonder if he created us to end God’s precious human creations.”

  “This is all nonsense, folk tales created by the witches to scare their children and perpetuate hatred of our kind,” John sneers.

  “Enough,” I snap. “Mother Earth has given us life, and we return to her, that’s all. Let’s rejoice in the abundance of our time with all her creations. Is it not her fruits we enjoy? Don’t we strive to embrace all beings so that we may know peace and happiness?”

  “Amen.” Maria flips her skirt and walks away.

  The sound of horses’ hooves and cart wheels reaches my ears, and I bolt outside to greet Gregor and Will.

  “What say you of the foolish humans?” John asks as they jump from the bench.

  Will towers over John. “We say that you show some respect or leave this tribe.”

  I’m surprised to hear Will defend the humans. He hasn’t said much about them before, but Will tends to be one of few words.

  “Sorry.” John looks to the ground. “I’ve been cooped up inside for too long.”

  “Go run the perimeter and take two others with you.” Will waves him off and starts up the steps.

  I tie up the team and join him in the front room. “How did it go?”

  “Well. I let them make all the decisions. Just listened. I figure we just need to blend.”

  Gregor slaps Will on the back. “Plus, no one would dare get near this giant. They like me, though.”

  Gregor and Will outline the skills of the families and which crops will be grown on each property. We volunteer our expertise in security to the group but don’t promise bodies to survey each property, as that would spread us too thin.

  “The first church service will be held mid-morning Sunday at the Schmidt’s barn and rotate every week. We are last in the rotation,” Gregor announces.

  A hush falls over the group when I call for volunteers to attend the church service with Will, Gregor, and myself. As none step forward, I assign John to join us. Maria pledges her attendance as does her sister, Sarita. I like that we have three men and three women, and we discuss explaining our relationship as distant cousins.

  “I’m not going to any sewing groups with you though.” Maria prances away with her sister as I adjourn our meeting.

  Again, I take to the sea, wondering if it’s time to find another home. Still, most seem happy with our plantation, and I decide against suggesting it. We’ve made progress with the humans and learned much. I count our time here as an accomplishment, even if our days along the coast are numbered.

  Saturday, Emmett catches me alone in the kitchen, preparing dinner. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

  “No.” I lift a rabbit carcass by the feet and fling it on the table. “Your mother has been distracting me with tea, sewing, jam making, and Bible study.”

  “Oh, that sounds painful.”

  “It is.” I slam the cleaver down on the hare’s neck, sending the head across the room.

  Emmett rests his hand on his stomach. “You’re angry with me. You don’t think I’m a hero like the rest of your tribe. Why can’t you see I did it for you?”

  I rest the knife on the wood-cutting table. “You know what we are, that we’re capable of defending ourselves, can heal from almost any wound, and yet you threw yourself in their path. Why would you do that?”

  “So, you’re angry because I could have died. You feared for my safety.” He edges closer to me.

  Taking a step back, I place my hands on my hips. “Every life is sacred to me.”

  A smile forms on his face. He points to the hare. “Not that rabbit.”

  I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean. We would’ve been fine. I could survive almost anything. You can’t. Your parents deserve to see their son grow into adulthood.”

  “On the topic of becoming an adult.” He lifts his boot and moves towards me. “You never answered my question.”

  In one swift move, I scoop the cleaver from the counter and hold it near his face. “I’m in mourning for my friend. I’ve told you we cannot marry. Please, do not speak to me of this again.”

  Emmett’s eyes grow huge. He blinks and diverts his gaze to the floor. “As you say, My Queen.” He bows his head.

  I regret the outburst and curse myself. “Emmett don’t be angry.”

  “You held a knife at my neck.”

  “There has been much to think about in the past week. Please, accept my apology.”

  “Of course.” He smiles, but his eyes hold steady. “I’ll see you tomorrow at church.”

  As he exits, I slam the knife onto the table and run out the back door, my emotions streaming through me like a gale-force wind. Anger, fear, rage, regret, loneliness, sorrow for the love I lost so many years past, for fallen comrades, for Mambi, for the life I will never have unless I abandon my quest, pulse through me as I pound my feet to the ground. Feeling the vibration of someone trailing me, I sniff the air. Smelling Will behind me, I strip my clothes and jump into the sea.

  As I surface for a breath, Will’s head pops up beside me. “Feeling a bit out of sorts? You’ve been swimming every day.”

  “It’s good exercise.”

  “Dueling keeps you in shape too.”

  “I don’t feel like lifting my blade.”

  “Really? Because you had no problem doing it a few seconds ago.”

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “You’re dealing with too much. You need some time away. Before, when there was a lot going on, we had travel time to sort things out. Here, things keep coming at you without breaks. Perhaps a trip will calm your mind. You and I could take a few days away. It would be like in the beginning, just two comrades living off Mother Earth, nothing to think about but the next meal.”

  “I like that idea.” I smile, thinking of the first time I swam in the sea. “Is Gregor up to the task?”

  “With John and Maria, they can handle the land for a few days.”

  “Good, we leave tomorrow after the church service then.”

  Dressing in our best garments, we attend the church service, speaking of recipes and sewing with the women, and fields and crops with the men.

  As I say goodbye to Mary, her eyes tear up. “It’s been so nice having you here this week. I shall miss you. I never knew what it would be like to have a daughter.”

  I swallow hard, realizing her company has helped me too, even if it did come with sewing and cooking. My thoughts jump to Eliza
beth and how it’d be nice to have her near. I squeeze Mary’s hands, but turn away before tears form in my eyes.

  It’s three hours before I finish my chores and instructions for the few days we will be away. I pray the trip isn’t a mistake. But, I remind myself that we were away for months before, and we aren’t straying farther than a two-hour run. My satchel holds one change of clothes and a water bladder. I fix a dagger in my boot and sling a spear over my shoulder.

  Heading south and east, Will and I wait until there’s an hour’s hike between us and the nearest European settlement to start to run. Then, I increase my speed to it full capacity. I can only keep this up for an hour or so, and with burning legs, I slow to a walk.

  Creeks and bogs are dotted with small patches of wet land. It reminds me of Finland, and I hop from island to island.

  “This feels wonderful,” Will remarks, stopping to let me catch up.

  “It does.” I lean over, panting.

  I snag a rabbit, as does he, and we sit in a tree and skin the animals, sucking the blood from their vessels and tearing the meat from the bones with our teeth. When I’ve had my fill, I give the rest to him.

  “I could live this way forever,” Will notes, looking up at the stars.

  “Why don’t you?”

  “I follow you. You know that.”

  “Why do some want to settle and some not?”

  “Some of us are more human. We feel the need for community, family. I guess it may be part of our nature. Don’t you enjoy it?” He turns to face me.

  “Yes and no.”

  “You don’t need to think of anything right now.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Rest, and I will watch.”

  “Then you may rest, just as we did before.” I smile at him.

  “I pray it will always be.”

  Reclining on a bed of leaves, my eyes wander to the sky. The stars sparkle like a blanket of tiny lights. I let the warm humid air lull me into a trance. Hearing commotion, I jump up to see Will wrestling an alligator.

  “What are you doing?”

  “It came at me.”

  “Do you want help?”

  “Are you kidding? I haven’t had this much fun in decades.” He slams the animal’s body to the ground.