The Breeding Lands (An Epic Erotic Fantasy Novel) (5 page)

Gemma sat at the table, her eyes following Leila as she moved back and forth in the tiny space. “I’ve already been hiding it, I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing. Looser shirts, baggier dresses.” Leila bit her lip, and shook her head, feeling the urge to vomit again. Gemma was being too cavalier about this. “It was an accident,” Gemma said quietly, “I didn’t think I would actually get pregnant. I just got caught up in the moment.”

Leila nodded, listening to Gemma. The laws were clear. Any female under the age of nineteen was forbidden to become pregnant. Women had to remain virgins and could not marry until the ritual had passed and they had not been selected.

“It’s the most absolute law,” Leila argued, feeling her panic rise for her friend.

Gemma jumped up. “It will be fine! I’m going to be fine! I’m going to look through some of our old history books.”

“For what?”

“I think I remember reading something about the Dragon Lords and pregnancy.”

“The Dragon Lords?” Leila asked stupidly. The Dragon Lords were all but a legend. They were apparently the first species of Lacertine, but the tribes had overthrown them and banished them to an island that was supposed to exist on the other side of the Nihilo Terra—the furthest point from where the humans existed.

“Yes. I remember reading something about them,” Gemma said firmly.

“We don’t even know if they exist anymore!” Leila said incredulously. “We only know what the tribes tell us and even that sounds foolish. Dragons trying to enter the tribal lands? Magic crystals?”

Gemma glared at Leila. “I was wrong coming here. I thought you were going to help me.”

“I want to help you!” Leila cried desperately, grabbing her friend’s arm as she headed for the door.

“You don’t care,” Gemma said, hurt filling her voice. “You already know that you will be selected. You’re going to get out of North Point. None of this concerns you.”

“I don’t know that,” Leila said honestly, but she felt the powerful surge of hope within her.

Gemma laughed, hard and cold. “Of course you will! Look at you!” she gestured. “You’ll be the first one to get a blue bracelet.” And with that, she slammed the door behind her.

Leila tried to talk to Gemma at school the next day, but Gemma ignored her. Leila had no choice but to lie to the rest of their friends, claiming she had no idea why Gemma was mad. The week slowly went by, every day bringing them closer to the date of the scouts’ arrival. Leila tried again and again to talk to Gemma, but she was still given the cold shoulder. Leila even thought of approaching Graham, but she was too afraid.

It was times like this when Leila longed for her father. Leila barely remembered him, and her memories of him were distorted with fantasy. Her father had wanted to better his family and move out of North Point. He took the most dangerous job there was, a soldier, because it paid the best. Wealth always came with risk. For most of Leila’s childhood, her father traveled, coming home only a few weeks at a time. But what wonderful weeks they had been.

When Leila was seven, the North Point leaders came to the door, the bearers of bad news. Leila’s mother had saved the money that her father was putting away for their move, hoping she would be able to move with the girls. But the family ended up having to live off the savings, and soon the funds ran dry, especially when her mother became sick. Now Leila and her mother got a meager assist from the city, and Leila did odd and end jobs to make ends meet.

Leila wished she had her father with her now so she could ask what could be done about Gemma. Even her sisters, Elisa or Katherine would do. Leila’s mother had slowly been doing better as the week dragged on thanks to the pills Leila had obtained, but she was still in no shape for giving advice.

Two days before the scouts’ arrival, Leila stumbled upon Gemma in the library. Gemma didn’t see Leila approaching her, and Leila could make out that Gemma was reading a dusty old history volume about the Dragon Lords. “Gem?” she said hesitantly.

Gemma jumped, slamming the book down and earning nasty stares from the students nearby. “Leave me alone!” she snapped.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” Leila begged. “The scouts will be here in two days.”

“Lucky for you,” Gemma sneered, “Then you can get the hell out of North Point and live an amazing life. Everyone knows you’ll probably be the most sought out female on the battlefield!”

Leila stared at Gemma, unable to hide her hurt. She wasn’t sure if she was more stung by her friend’s words or the cruel scorn in her voice. “All I did was try to help you,” she whispered, “I don’t deserve this.” Leila turned on her heel, rushing out of the library as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She hardly ever cried, and felt a fresh surge of anger at Gemma for causing her tears.

She burst out into the crowded hallway, a sea of teenagers. Many had greasy hair and dirty clothes, their school bags were torn and tattered. Leila
did
want out of North Point. She wanted to be far away from everyone she knew here. Deep down, Leila knew she was destined for more in life. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her days in this city, barely scraping by with filthy jobs and grime under her nails.

Throwing her hair over her shoulder, Leila straightened her posture and strode down the hallway. As always, the crowds parted as she walked by, a head of pure sunlight among the darkened locks. Leila decided that if she wasn’t scouted, she was going to volunteer.

There was no school the following day, and Leila found herself helping her mother out of bed and into the bathtub. Leila tried not to stare at her mother’s gaunt frames, the bones that jutted out where there should be layers of fat. Feebly, her mother clutched the side of the tub, as Leila slowly bathed her, letting the warm water run over her mother’s dry skin.

“That feels so good, Leila,” her mother whispered, closing her eyes. She was doing much better with the medicine, but Leila still worried that she wasn’t well enough to take care of herself if Leila should leave her.

More like
when
Leila should leave her. The guilt was all consuming. “The scouts come tomorrow,” Leila said softly, not sure if her mother remembered. Her mother froze for just a second, and then, with much effort, twisted herself around to look at Leila.

“You deserve a better life, Leila.” Leila hung her head in shame. She felt awful admitting that she felt the same way. “Don’t deny it,” her mother prodded.

Looking up into her mother’s eyes, Leila nodded. “I want more out of life. I don’t want to be stuck in North Point.”

“Volunteer.” The word was so soft that Leila thought she might have imagined it. “Volunteer,” her mother repeated, and this time it was louder.

“But who will take care of you?”

Her mother scoffed, waving a frail hand. “I’ll be fine. Go, Leila. Maybe you will find your sisters.” Her mother struck a chord. One of her deepest desires was to be reunited with Elisa and Katherine. Leila’s mother let out a shrill laugh. “Who are we kidding?” she wheezed. “You will be selected instantly. You’re one of the only fair-haired girls to ever come through North Point. You won’t last a second once they lay eyes on you.” Leila gave a faint smile and hugged her mother gently. She had never loved her mother more than she did in this moment.

* * * * *

CHAPTER FOUR

Leila

* * * * *

Leila stared at her reflection in the rusted mirror that hung above her broken dresser. Her room was pitiful. It contained a small twin bed with a tattered quilt, a broken dresser that was in desperate need of a paint job, and the rusty mirror.

Leila ran a brush through her golden hair again, letting it cascade softly down her back in a long, bouncy sheet. Her complexion was flawless, and her bright blue eyes stood out against her smooth skin. She tried to look at herself from an objective standpoint. Her eyes were spaced nicely apart and not too deep-set in her face. She had a small button nose, high cheekbones and full pink lips. When she smiled she had two rows of perfect, white teeth.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way out of the room and grabbed her worn and battered school bag, carefully slinging it over her shoulder. Leila wore the best clothes that she owned—a pale pink ruffled blouse with a scoop neck that had once belonged to Katherine. The shirt was just a tad too tight, since Leila had a bigger chest than Katherine, and she remembered how Katherine had spent weeks working in a paper shop so she could afford to buy the shirt new. Katherine had also worn the shirt on the day the scouts had visited.

Along with the pink shirt, Leila wore a black skirt that fell just below her knees with a slight flare. Women in North Point were not supposed to wear skirts above the knee. Leila knew that some parts of the Eastern Highlands did not permit women to wear skirts above their ankles.

For a brief moment, Leila was grateful to live in North Point. A shorter skirt allowed her to better show off her figure and her slender legs. It was a second-hand, of course, as were all of Leila’s clothes. Up close, one could see that Leila had patched up a few rips, but from a distance, the skirt looked decent. Leila had completed her ensemble with basic black shoes. It wasn’t the best choice, but she had to work with what she had. She tiptoed into her mother’s room, and was surprised to see her mother sitting up in bed, her face having more color than it had in months.

“You’re awake?”

“I wanted to wish you luck. I love you, Leila.”

Leila leaned in to kiss her mother gently on the cheek. “Thank you, Momma. I’ll see you after school.” Leila glanced one more time at her mother, and then slipped out of the room and made her way out of their tiny apartment.

At school, Leila could feel the excitement. There was some tension, but mostly it was happy anticipation. Women were desperate to escape North Point. Some women were eager to volunteer, but Leila knew from past years that the scouts were selective. They weren’t going to let just any female come to the Breeding Lands. Especially since the women were selected to ensure the survival of their species.

Leila’s eyes instantly began searching wrists for blue bracelets. After her first hour in school, she saw a classmate, Selena, waving her arm around for everyone to see.

“Congratulations,” Leila said, as she took a seat behind Selena.

Selena turned around, flashing Leila a smile. “Thank you!” she beamed. “I’m sure you’ll get one too,” she said happily. Then she quickly backtracked. “I mean—I’m assuming you want one.”

Leila smiled back brightly, feeling the anticipation building within her. “Of course I do!” She then lowered her voice conspiratorially. “I want to get the hell out of North Point.”

Selena laughed her melodious laugh and turned back around, her shiny dark hair bouncing behind her. Selena was probably one of the most attractive dark-haired girls in the school. She had dark olive skin that complemented her hair, and big amber eyes to complete her exotic look. She also had the biggest chest of all the girls at school, and she had worked her assets that day, dressing in a tight and low-cut shirt to put her best feature on display.

Leila couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy that Selena had already been chosen. Two more classes passed, and Leila had seen only a scout from a distance. They were easy to spot in their crisp white clothes, and Leila was always envious of their pristine garments. Leila was about to go back into class when she saw Gemma hurry around a corner, her head ducked low. Wanting to make sure she was okay, Leila quickly hurried around the same corner and ran directly into a solid wall of white.

“I’m so sorry!” Leila gasped as her books tumbled out of her bag.

“It’s not a problem,” the deep male voice said, and for the first time Leila looked up to see who she had bumped into.

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw it was a scout. She instantly panicked. Would he think her clumsy? Would her write her off because she had been so careless? She forgot all about Gemma. The scout bent down to retrieve her books, and Leila hastily bent down too.

“Please, that’s not necessary,” she said, hastily gathering her books.

The scout handed her the one in his hand, and their eyes met for the first time. He was slightly younger than the scouts Leila had seen before. He was of average build, with thick dark curls and bright green eyes. Leila could see just a few wispy gray hairs in his wild mane. The scout stared at her for several long seconds, and Leila felt exposed as his eyes took in her golden hair. Self-consciously, Leila stood, and the scout stood too, his eyes assessing her body.