“You are correct on all accounts.”
“And my grandchildren will age right before my eyes, their lives only a flash of the eternity you will have burdened me with.”
“Yes.”
“I am sorry. The answer is no. Go back to your wife, Jonas. I prefer to suffer my own death than to watch one more person I love die.”
“I cannot. She does not want me there. I will die before I harm her or go against her wishes again.”
“Are you certain the only other option is death?”
He nodded. Moving before her, he dropped to his knees and carefully took her hands in his. She was so frail. Her fingers seemed made of the bones of birds. “Clara, you are my only hope of salvation. I know you loved Arthur. I, too, love my wife. Without you I will be leaving her to an eternity of misery. I have no doubt she will soon follow me to heaven and thus leave our children orphaned. I do not wish to intrude on what you had with your husband, but I beg you, please, help me save my marriage to Abilene.”
“She would abide you being with another woman?”
“Even if she could not, I would spend the rest of my existence continuing to watch over her as I have done since she was a child.”
“How old are you, Jonas?”
“One hundred and forty-eight.”
“And I thought I was old.” She laughed then more seriously said, “I do not wish to live an eternity. I have somehow come to peace with my departure. You will not require anything of me past the bond, correct?”
“I…I do not know. I do not intend to betray my wife more than I must. I believe the need will fade once the bond is complete.”
She nodded and was silent for a while. “I have an offer I am considering. I am not agreeing to it yet, but I will tell you what I am thinking and see how it sits with you. You have a nice son. I have noticed Cybil is quite fond of him. Dane is coming around. I know a bit about the Amish, having lived in the area all of my life. You are kind and good, but most of all, your people have managed to exist untouched by the ugliness that has tainted the rest of the world. I do not wish to see my grandchildren turned over to the state. If I do this thing for you, would you give me your word to raise my grandchildren on your farm until they are of age and decide to leave? If they want to stay forever, they may. Would you do that?”
“If you bonded with me, you would be there to raise them, Clara.”
“I have not told you the other half of my conditions. If I bond with you, I would only do so if you gave me your word to end my life the moment it was over.”
He drew back as if she were Satan himself. “I cannot.”
“Then I’m sorry.”
“You are my mate. It is unheard of.”
“But you do not see me as such.”
“A part of me very much does, Clara. And besides that, I am a Christian. I cannot kill another living being. It is an unforgivable transgression in the eyes of the Lord. You are a child of God. I would be murdering his child.”
“Those are my conditions. You want to live with your Abilene. I want to join my Arthur and know that my grandchildren are being looked after. I’m sorry. It is the only way I can agree to such a fate.”
“But you said you were only considering it.”
“Well, when you only have a week or two left, you tend to make up your mind fast. That’s my final choice. You decide and let me know when you have made up your mind.” She stood slowly, having trouble lifting herself from the chair. “But, Jonas…”
He looked up at her. “Yes,”
“Do not dawdle. I feel myself slipping away.”
Chapter 32
The following morning Eleazar woke to find Larissa absent from their bed. He turned and saw her form silhouetted in the gray light seeping through the window as a cold winter dawn approached. At first, he said nothing, only watched her. He had left her alone the night before, knowing the day had been taxing on her. He knew something had shifted since their arrival at the farm and he wanted to set things back to right now that the matter of her marriage was being resolved.
“Come back to bed, bellissima. It is too cold this morning to be anywhere else.”
She turned and softly smiled at him, but Eleazar knew her smile was not genuine. Why had she been holding back with him as of late? She dutifully walked to the bed and as he held up the covers, she climbed back into his arms.
He leaned on his elbow, holding his head in his palm and watched her as he mindlessly twirled a lock of her ebony hair around his finger. “Will you talk to me, Larissa? I know you are worried. Whatever has you upset I will do my best to remedy.”
She looked at him in silence for a moment then softly asked, “Why wasn’t my father at the trial yesterday?”
Eleazar sighed. He had known this discussion would come sooner or later. “Larissa, your father has been sick.”
“I am aware something was ailing him for some time. Cain had told me.”
“Yes, Cain. Your brother seems to have a gift for being everywhere at once except for where he is needed.”
“Cain will come see me when he can. I asked Adriel to visit Annalise with my message for him.”
Eleazar frowned. “How does Annalise intend to find him when he is off the farm?”
“They share dreams.”
Eleazar sucked in a breath. His mind went back to that stormy night in August when he had Cain in one of the cells. Nothing of the bond with that woman, Annalise, made sense. “She is still dreaming?”
“Yes, but only with Cain. After her and Adam bonded, their dreams ended.”
“I suppose I have not dreamt since our bond as well.”
“Eleazar?”
“Yes.”
“My father, you were going to explain my father’s absence.”
“Right.” He let go of her hair and sat up. “Larissa, your father is not on the farm right now. I am unsure if he will return.” He heard her draw in a fast breath and waited for her to speak.
“Where has he gone?”
“He had to take care of something that could no longer be put off. He did not want to go and that is why he was here the day we returned. He asked if I would…excuse him from this obligation.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because it was not my place.”
“Did my mother go with him? I was hoping to visit her today.”
“Your mother is here.”
“What are you not telling me, Bishop?”
He hesitated. There was no easy way to say this. “Larissa, your father has been called to another.”
“What?”
“I am sorry.”
“When? How? Oh my goodness. How is my mother?”
“I do not know. I was busy with my own call while this was going on.”
“Does everyone know? She must be a mess. I must go to her.”
He stilled her movement and looked at her seriously. “Larissa, you cannot interfere with another male’s calling. Your father is obligated by law to do this thing. It is God’s will.”
She pulled her arm out of his grasp. “I know what it is. What I don’t know is how my mother is coping with this. Eleazar, I need to go to her. Now.”
He sighed. “I will take you.”
“No. I want to go alone.”
“Larissa—”
“No, Eleazar. You may be my mate, but to my family you are just the bishop.” Her words stung more than they should have. “My mother is a prideful woman. She will have a difficult time even speaking to me on such matters. If you are there it will only make matters more difficult. I need to go to her and I need to go alone.”
He considered her words then finally compromised. “I do not want you walking alone. I will take you and when you are prepared to come home, you either send message with one of the children for me to come get you or have your brother run you back. It is really quite inconvenient that I cannot get into your head.”
She was already up and dressing. “That is fine. We must go now.�
��
Just as the sun crested the horizon, Eleazar was lifting Larissa into a buggy. He looked to the east and felt a melancholy sense of foreboding. It was bitter out. Even the sun seemed to be clinging to warmer places. Faded magenta hues hardly fought for the sky as clouds rolled overhead. The horses huffed and kicked as steam rose off their bodies and misted up from their nostrils. Eleazar briskly walked to the other side of the carriage and grabbed the reins.
They rode in silence, nothing but the click-clack of horse hooves over the ground accompanied by the rattling of their rig. Larissa shivered beside him and he pulled her closer to his body. “We will have to have some cloaks made up for you. Winter is approaching.”
“I have cloaks.”
“I would rather have new ones made than have to ask Silus for one more thing. I will arrange for you to have new ones.”
“I can make my own.”
“Larissa, let me do this for you. Not everything must be a battle.”
She quieted and said no more on the subject. When they pulled in front of the Hartzler house, Eleazar said a silent prayer that this day not be too difficult for his mate. He climbed down from the carriage and walked around to Larissa’s side. He heard the door of the house open and close and sensed Abilene’s presence behind him.
As he handed Larissa down, he heard the woman gasp and move to greet her daughter. The moment he turned, Abilene froze.
“Bish…Bishop King.” She looked terrified to see him there. He loathed the effect his presence could have on some. He had never, in his mind, done anything to deserve such a reaction. He was a good and fair male to his thinking. Abilene’s trembling fingers went to her mouth. “Is Jonas…?”
“Good morning, Abilene. I am only here to deliver your daughter. I know nothing of Jonas’s whereabouts, only that he was…well enough the last time I set eyes on him.”
He could see she wanted to embrace her daughter, but would not while he remained present. He pressed a forced smile to his lips and turned to his mate. His palms went to the side of her face where he gently ran his thumbs along her cheekbone. “Now you be good,” he whispered. “Do not stray from this house without the escort of your brother or myself.”
Knowing Abilene was watching them with keen, disbelieving eyes, he did not kiss her, but simply tapped her nose affectionately. He turned to Abilene and tipped his hat then circled back around the carriage. Seeing that Abilene was suffering quite a shock, he hid a smirk and commanded the horses to move.
* * * *
“What is this, Larissa?”
“May we go in and talk? I am freezing.”
She followed her mother into her childhood home, which had an odd empty feeling compared to what it once was with six of them living under its roof. There was a stampede of movement and a squeal as Larissa found herself being thrown off balance as her younger sister Gracie catapulted herself into her arms.
“You’re back! I knew you would be back! Oh, how I have missed you, Sister!”
Larissa laughed joyfully and hugged her sister’s smaller form tightly to her. “Oh, Grace, I have missed you dreadfully. You look exactly the same.”
“Did you expect me to change?”
“No, I just…I guess I just feel as though I have been away for so long that something should be different.”
“Larissa.” She turned at her mother’s concerned voice. She had lost weight. Her cheeks were gaunt and her eyes heavily shadowed. It seemed Eleazar was correct.
Larissa turned to her mother and asked. “Is it true? Has Father…”
Her mother shut her eyes and pressed her lips firmly together and nodded. “It is. Your father has gone to claim his mate.”
“Oh, Mother…”
“There is nothing to be done for it. He needed to go. I sent him, knowing full well I was giving away a piece of my soul I will never have back.”
“But…Father must come back.”
“He cannot.”
“How can you say that?”
“I know your father. He intends to resolve this situation and return as if nothing has changed. He will see when that day comes that he cannot face me.”
“Would you hold this against him? If he chose you, would you tell him no?”
“I will never have to make that choice, Larissa. He will not be able to live with his choice so long as I am by his side. He will be overwrought with guilt every time he looks at me and that is not how a marriage should be.”
“But he is your husband.”
“And he is another female’s mate. He belongs to her more than he will ever belong to me. In truth, I am not sure, once they bond, if our marriage could hold a candle to what he will feel for her. It is best that I let him go. I love him enough to give him this last blessing.”
Larissa looked to her sister who was listening with sad, downcast eyes as if she had already heard her mother speak such words. How could this have happened? She had no words, so she did the only thing she could and walked to her mother and hugged her tightly. She could feel her bones through her gown and flesh. She was not taking care of herself.
After a few moments she pressed her away and clapped her hands together with feigned optimism. “Let me make your morning meal while we catch up. I am sure there is plenty that I must be caught up on. How is Adam’s new wife?”
Larissa busied herself at the cook stove while Gracie chattered about Annalise and Adam’s marriage, their expected son, and how well Annalise was adapting to Amish life. Her mother did not contribute too much of the conversation. Larissa was overjoyed at the thought of having a nephew. Gracie was certain the baby was a male. Larissa imagined he would have silver-blue eyes just as Adam and Cain had.
When breakfast was prepared the three women sat and ate as they chatted about the weather, the price of fabric, and, again, Adam’s son. Annalise was expected to deliver early spring.
As they finished eating Larissa mindfully took note of her mother’s plate. Her food was barely touched, but she was grateful her mother had at least eaten a few bites. There was no doubt in Larissa’s mind that if she had not prepared breakfast, her mother would have skipped the morning meal entirely.
“Tell me about Bishop King,” her mother requested casually.
Before Larissa could announce her news, Gracie blurted, “Ugh, must we speak of that old codger?” Larissa turned to her sister sharply. “What? You know he’s an old goat.”
“Eleazar is not an old goat, Gracie!”
“Eleazar? You had better watch, Sister. If he hears you call him by his Christian name, and I have no doubt that fossil can hear an acorn fall from a million miles away, you will find yourself in trouble.”
“Stop that, Gracie. You have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Wow, he must have chastised you good when he found you.”
“He did not chastise me!”
Gracie fought a smirk and held her hands up in surrender. “My apologies. I had no idea you were so fond of antiques.”
“For someone who is fearful of him overhearing, you sure have a loose tongue,” Larissa snapped. “Do be quiet.”
“What has gotten in to you, Larissa? He is a grumpy old rooster. Since when do you care for what I say of him?”
“I do care. He is not as grumpy as everyone thinks. Perhaps if others would take the time to know him rather than simply use him for their own personal gains, they would see that! You have no right to say such things about him. No right!” She felt herself moving toward tears and angrily stood to clear the table. Once she carried the plates to the sink, she placed her palms on the cool porcelain and took a calming breath. When she turned back to her mother and sister, they were staring at her like a pair of trout with their mouths hung wide. “What?”
Abilene was the first to recover. “Larissa, where is Silus?”
She screwed her lips together then mumbled, “The council has agreed to give me an annulment.”
“I see,” her mother said.
Grac
ie, on the other hand, shouted, “What? How is that possible? They would only let you be rid of that horrible man if you or he were called to your true mate. I know for a fact Silus wasn’t called. I have the misfortune of seeing him lurking around every day, wondering if I have somehow smuggled you back onto the farm. He would never abide an annulment. The only way that would be possible is if he had no say in it. You would have had to of been—Oh, my God…”
“Is this true, Larissa?” her mother asked in a much calmer voice than her sister had used. Larissa nodded. “Is it our bishop God has called to you?”
“It is.”
“Why can I not have one fun brother-in-law?”
“Gracie, hush,” Abilene chided. “Are you pleased with this match, Larissa?”
She felt blood rush to her cheeks. “I am. Eleazar is not who I believed he was. He is good and honorable. True, he places his duty above almost everything else. I know he can be rigid, but he must set an example for the rest of us. He sacrifices much of his own happiness to always do what is right for the greater good and that is a noble trait a frau can be proud of. He will protect me, I believe, and he is kind.”
Gracie grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. All humor was gone from her expression. “Larissa, are you sure? I know…I can only imagine what a marriage to Silus entailed. Do not sentence yourself to another overbearing authoritarian.”
She smiled and gave her sister’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “I am sure, Grace. Eleazar is kind. He is gentle and loving and cares for not only my well-being, but my happiness as well. We are still adjusting and I am learning as we go. Where my husband would have…ignored my comforts in all marital matters, Eleazar will not. If I am not comfortable or happy, he is unsatisfied. He will not ignore me as Silus did. I…I trust him.”
“Has Silus been informed?” Abilene asked, her concern clear.
“Yes. We returned two days ago. Eleazar called a meeting and yesterday I had to sit on trial before the Elder’s Council. Oh, Mother, it was so frightening being in there. I hope I never have to walk into that room again. But I did and Eleazar told the council what had happened. Silus became very agitated and there was a bit of a scene. They asked me questions and I can barely recall answering them I was so nervous, but before I knew what was happening, the council was granting me an annulment. Silus was so angry. I was frightened he would retaliate, but then he tried to approach me after the trial and Adriel Schrock—do you know her, Mother? She is a fascinating female—anyway, she stopped Silus. He was quite humiliated when she was finished rebuking him. I doubt he will bother with me again. Once the paperwork is signed, Eleazar and I can be married and I never have to deal with that rotten man again.”
Calling for a Miracle [The Order of Vampyres 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 31