Pariah (The New Covenant Series) (24 page)

Ugh. Here we go. Couldn’t Matthias keep his mouth shut!
“Um, yeah. I don’t know what happened or how I did it though, so I’m not sure I would call it a power.” I pushed my hair back behind my ear, still fuming from Matthias’s betrayal. Although I guess I hadn’t actually asked him to keep it secret. I didn’t even know what to call it.
Demon scream? Scream of one thousand banshees?

“Well, it could come in handy,” he said, drawi
ng lines in the sand. “Solara, I need to ask you for a favor.” He looked up from under his brow and waited.
A favor?
“Well, I guess I owe you one. You got my family out of the kingdom. So what can I help you with?” I sat up straight, bracing for whatever he was going to request.

He hesitated. “Well, there wa
s a reason I was a guard in the tower. It’s a long story, but my father is the leader of the seafarers. He arranged for my position within the kingdom so that if the chosen were revealed, I could sneak her away and take her to the seafarers.” He looked down, almost embarrassed.

“Your father is the only one who can decipher my mark, right?
I mean, that’s what we were going to do before we had to go get the others from Altair, right? So it’s not really a favor. It’s just us continuing with the plan.” Okay, this I could handle. Nothing new or surprising.

“Well, there’s a bit more. Th
ere’s a reason my father wanted the chosen. He never actually said, but I think he wants to use your power, but I’m not sure if it is for the benefit of his people or for himself. Anyway, I helped save
most
of your family. I’m sorry I was unable to save Wesley, but I think Altair would have killed him anyway so that you were released legally and under God from your marriage to him. But that’s neither here nor there. God, I’m rambling.” He took a deep breath. I’d never seen him so worked up.

“You see. I lived in the ki
ngdom as a boy. Our father sent Riven and me to live with a local family after our mother died. I was raised there, educated there. I fell in love there. A girl named Rebekah. We were to be married. When my father found out, he had her taken from the kingdom and brought to him. She’s still there. Unless I bring you to him, he will marry her himself.

Not that he needs a wife. He h
as probably a dozen. But she is his leverage against me. His words after taking her were that if I failed in my task, I could ‘lie awake each night, knowing it was him that made her moan in pleasure’ instead of me.”

His face fell.
Oh my goodness. How cruel!
“Faric,” I said softly, “please look at me.” He lifted his eyes and threw a stick in the fire.
That must be why his eyes are so stormy and his face heavy with burden.
“I will gladly help you get Rebekah back, and we can ask your father to help with the mark at the same time. It’s a win-win.” I smiled and prayed that it extended to my eyes. I was inwardly very nervous. A man that callous and calculating was dangerous.      I didn’t doubt for a second that Faric’s assumption of his father’s intentions for me were probably true. But I felt that God had sent Matthias to help me escape Altair and that he would help me escape Faric’s father as well if the need arose. Maybe I could use my demon scream on him.

He smiled and grabbed my
hand and squeezed. He felt torn asking for me to save his love when he was unable to save mine. But he had saved the rest of my family, and I would eternally be grateful. Even if he hadn’t saved anyone or done anything, it was the right thing to do. And I would do it.

“When do we leave, and who’ll be
traveling with us, if anyone?” I asked.

“I think we should leave t
omorrow as quickly as we can be packed and ready. The winds are favorable, and the currents are ideal. Jacob expects them to remain as such for a few days. I’m not sure if anyone will accompany us other than Matthias. He wishes to go home.”

“Matthias is a seafarer?” I asked,
unable to contain the surprise that raised my voice an octave.

He laughed. “Yes. He was a shipbuilder, b
ut my father sent him to the kingdom to assist me in my mission. I hated him at first, thinking he was just Father’s lapdog, but soon we became friends. He is actually a very good guy.”
Well, at least Lil left with a good guy this evening.

“All right then. Tomorrow.
We should rest up. I’m heading back to the house,” I announced as I stood and dusted the sand from the backs of my legs. Faric walked me back to the house and said he would be staying with Riven at Rafe’s house (which happened to house Athena and Aniya), and I couldn’t help but feel my stomach clench.
What? Why did I care where they all stayed? Probably because Athena was such a revolting piece of trash. Ugh! Why do I let her get under my skin? She can touch Riven if she wants. I don’t care.

T
he next morning, I felt
a warm hand on my cheek and snuggled up to it. Until, that is, reality caught up with my unconscious.

Faric laughed silently as I looke
d up in horror at what I’d just done. “Shut up! I didn’t know what I was doing. I definitely didn’t know it was you!” I whispered hatefully.

“Get up and pack some clothes
and a bathing suit and anything else girly you might need to bring with you. I’ve packed food and supplies. Hurry up and meet me at the beach. Jacob has readied the boat for us,” he said. “Oh, and, Solara...”

“What,” I groaned.

“I never pegged you as a nuzzler!” I threw my pillow at him, which he ducked, chuckling as he walked outside. Everyone was asleep. I gathered a couple of dresses and my swimsuit into a small leather bag and took a brush and some lotion and some mint leaves (bad breath, you know) and headed outside toward the shore.

The boat was impressive. I thought it would be simple and
rickety. The ship was magnificent. It was solid and looked as if it had been carved recently. The wood was honey colored and smelled fresh. It was probably twenty feet long and six feet wide.

A billowing red sail hung from a
solid mast. Three sets of oars were positioned on each side of the vessel. I threw my bag toward the bow, and Faric and Matthias each grabbed a hand and helped me climb in. It was my first time in a boat, and I prayed I had natural sea legs.

“Okay, guys. Where should I sit
?” Matthias pointed at a center set of oars on the far side of the boat. I sat at the bench nearest the oars and waited.

Riven jogged down the path
, and Lil followed him, clothes dangling from her hands. “You aren’t leaving me, Lars. I’m coming. Oh yes, I am. I’m coming. She threw her stuff into the front of the boat and tried to climb in. She was tiny, and it was funny watching her try to throw her leg up and over the edge of boat despite the ebb and flow of the waves. Riven resorted to pushing her bottom up so she could get enough leverage to fling her small form over the edge and into the pile of clothes and stuff she’d just thrown in. She sat up, laughed, and blew the hair out of her face. “Thought you’d sneak off without me, Faric? I don’t think so.” She narrowed her eyes, and he rolled his at her. She sat at the center oar position opposite me.

She smiled like she’d just won
a marathon and claimed a first place trophy. Her ragged breaths calmed, and I laughed. She was a hot mess, and it was great. My best friend. Jacob and Matthias shoved the boat further into the waves, and then Matthias hosted himself in and climbed to the front right oar position in front of Lil. Faric sat behind her, Riven behind me, and the seat in front of me lay empty.

Matthias and Faric barked or
ders, directing the rows of the right side of the boat. Riven gave orders for our left side. Once beyond the breaking waves, the wind picked up as did the current, and it was much easier to row. The red sail filled with air, and the boat picked up considerable speed. The choppy water bumped the boat up and down. The guys assured us that it was smooth as silk and nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, my stomach begged to differ.

About a half an hour into our
trip, I lost the contents of my stomach over the side of the boat. I didn’t even know I could heave so hard. I collected myself and sat back down, grabbing hold of my oar. I didn’t want to be the only one not contributing.

But again, my stomach rebelled. I lu
rched over the side of the boat again. This repeated even after I had nothing left to vomit. The dry heaves were almost worse than vomiting itself. At least when I vomited something, I felt I accomplished something by removing something from my stomach. Dry heaving led to nothing but misery. I heaved the entire way to the isle of the seafarers.

I’d just finished another bout of
heaving when Matthias stood up. It was almost dark. We had sailed all day. “Land ho!” he yelled.

“We’r
e here. We’re home!” He jumped.
Thank you Lord. I thought I would vomit my spleen next.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t finished he
aving. I didn’t stop until long after my shaking legs hit land. I collapsed into the sand, my legs too wobbly to hold me.

“Oh gosh, Lars, I’m so sorry. Ar
e you okay?” Lil asked, pulling my hair farther back from my face. “Get a cold rag!” she yelled at the boys. Matthias took off to find one. Before he returned, several guards surrounded us and our boat. Dressed in white linen pants that hit just below the knee and button-up white linen shirts that flapped in the breeze, they would have been perfect and beautiful had they not wielded six foot metal spears at us.

My stomach kept retching, a
nd I stayed hunched over in the sand. Lil kept her arm around me, and Faric and Riven stepped up to speak with the guards. “Back off. We’re here to see our father,” ordered Faric as he approached the guards fearlessly.

The shorter, spindly guard, sm
arted, “And who is your father, boy?”

“Martus,” he replied. He didn
’t need to explain further. All spears were lowered immediately, and the guards backed a few feet away. They resumed their task of unloading our boat, and Matthias ran back to me with a wet rag. Lil put it on the back of my neck and whispered, “It’s going to be okay, Lars. At least their daddy is somebody. Doesn’t look like we’ll be spending our vacation in the dungeon.” She laughed.

I nodded and tried to smile before heaving again.

Faric, Riven, and Matthias were ushered to the left down a long white hallway. Lil and I were taken to the right. We were to be bathed, clothed, and made ready to meet Martus, the leader of the seafarers and father of our traveling companions, the twins Faric and Riven. I let Lil have the first bath, still recovering from the horrible stomach pain. One of the female servants brought a drink she claimed would calm my stomach and ease any residual pain from the seasickness. She said it would also fight the dehydration it had caused within my body.

It was opaque and bitter but instantly soothing to my body.
My stomach immediately stopped retching. My mouth felt moister, and I could finally relax my abdominal muscles, which had been clenched tight for hours. I bathed after Lil was finished. The ladies intricately braided the hair around our faces, leaving the rest to trickle down our backs. Lil’s blonde hair was still quite long. It rested just above her bottom. She’d cut it, but it was still quite long. I hated that she was involved in this mess, but I loved having her beside me. I was selfish in that respect.

We were placed in similar dresses. Long, gauzy,
and sleeveless and fitted in all the right places. Lil’s was white threaded with gold, while mine was a deep turquoise color. Gold bangles and earrings provided our finishing touches, along with shimmering makeup. When we were deemed ready, we were led to a large patio overlooking the ocean. Beautiful white linen curtains flowed out the open doors behind us. Candles and torches lined the patio. Their flames flickered and struggled against the light warm breeze. Soon, we were joined by Faric and Matthias. They both wore tan pants and white linen shirts. They were clean and smelled like ocean, masculinity and something I couldn’t place. Undoubtedly the same scent they had used on our skin.

I grew nervous and butterflies took flight, brushing the walls
of my stomach with their wings. I didn’t know what Martus would expect from me. I would request that Rebekah be released to Faric and that he be allowed to marry her immediately. Faric’s eyes met mine. I could see the storm in his eyes and expression.

His dark hair was much longer t
han Riven’s now and skirted his eyes. I gave him a look to indicate that it would all be okay soon, and that I would not forget the favor that I owed him. He nodded slightly, acknowledging my silent message.

Riven stepped out of the billowing curtains, wearing the same
outfit as the other two. His hair had been cut short again. He looked the same as he did the introduction. He’d shaven, and his skin was tan. His hands were in his pockets as he strolled toward us. When his eyes met mine, his expression hardened. I guess I shouldn’t have been ogling him, but he just looked so much like the first time I saw him. It was hard to look away, but I didn’t think I deserved such a hard reaction from him.

Lil gabbed about how beautif
ul it was here. I think she was content to stay here forever just based on the palace and our extravagant treatment. I wasn’t convinced. My palms started to sweat as I saw some guards walking in our direction. The three approached in their stark-white attire, metal spears pointed toward the sky. The middle guard announced that we would be dining with Martus in the main dining hall and asked that we follow him. Turning on his heel, the other two guards parted and allowed Matthias, Faric, and Lillian to pass between them.

I hesitated for a moment unt
il Riven placed his hand on the small of my back, jerking me back to reality. I looked up at him, and then we moved through the guards together. They followed behind us, which made me nervous. Becoming a kebob was not on my to-do list.

Riven and I caught up with the others, leaving the guards a
few paces behind. He leaned into my ear and said, “Look, my father is not a good man. I’ll try to do all that I can to ensure your safety, but you have to trust me. Just go along with anything I say. Advise Lillian to do the same. I’ll tell Faric and Matthias.” I nodded and kept walking, trying to straighten my shoulders.

Riven strolled up and whispere
d to the guys while I talked to Lil. Her eyes widened, and I could see fear and confusion in her face. Her elfin ears were red, which meant she was nervous. Next, she would bite her nails. We approached a set of white double doors that emptied into a large room.

The room had the same open feel as the pa
tio. Doors were open all around the room, allowing the wind to blow the beautiful delicate white fabric lightly toward us. Candles cast a soft light across the space. At the head of a rectangular table sat a gentleman with the same dark brown hair as Faric and Riven. Gray dotted the hair at his temples. His skin was tan, and he was much younger than I’d imagined. He had to be in his early forties. To say he was handsome would be an understatement.

His confident smile w
as welcoming, but his eyes were steely blue and cold. His gaze meticulously traveled over my companions, pausing on each of his sons until they finally landed on my own. He stared at me for an uncomfortable amount of time. I shifted and looked away, trying to keep my eyes trained on Matthias who was seated across from me. Lil was to my left and Riven to my right. Faric was across from Riven, the two boys flanking their father. He sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of him.

Two women brought pitchers of water and casks of whit
e wine, filling our glasses with grace and speed. Baskets of bread and fruit arrived, followed by boiled lobster, and seared fish cooked to perfection. I would have enjoyed my meal much more had Martus not stared at me for most of it. Had he never seen a woman eat before, or did he think I would consume food differently because of my chosen status? I focused my dinner, Matthias’s warm eyes, Lil’s hand squeezing my own under the white tablecloth, the flickering candlelight, the servers, anything to try to avoid his gaze, which bored holes into my soul by the minute.

“I see you’ve been well, my sons,” he boomed in a deep voice.

I jumped. No one had spoken until then, and I’d been so focused on everything but him that I hadn’t expected him to speak. “You have grown into fine young men, I see. Welcome home.” He raised his glass of wine as did we, each sipping in honor of the twins.

“Thank you, Father,” said
Faric. Riven nodded toward his father, silent.

“Solara, I trust that you are fee
ling better. I was told of your seasickness. Has it subsided?” He stared at me, unblinking, which was freaky and unnatural. I cleared my throat. “Yes, sir. I feel much better. Thank you.”

He smiled, but it did not reach
his metallic blue gaze. He was studying me intently.

I rubbed my palms down my
gown in an effort to dry them. Riven reached under the table and grabbed my hand, steadying me. I squeezed my thanks.