“Marian, how are you settling, dear?” she asked.
Marian was ever so sweet. “Very well, ma’am. Crew has seen to my every need. He is a true gentleman.”
My father chuckled. “I am glad he is seeing to your every need. Perhaps we will have some grandchildren running the hallways soon.”
Marian stiffened in the seat beside me. “Perhaps, King.” Rage flooded my veins. How dare he make such a remark knowing that he was the sole reason she would never conceive naturally. I twisted the cloth napkin in my lap.
When a servant passed by, Father ordered some apple wine.
“Courtesy of our friends from Orchard. They do make fine wine. There are many fine things to be found in that village, right Crew?”
What was he doing? “Um. Yes, I suppose.”
“Are you aware of his childish affection for the girl who singlehandedly ruined your wedding ceremony the other night?”
Marian glanced nervously at me. “I am aware that they were friends, yes.”
“Friends?” Father laughed.
My mother interrupted, “Please, Harrison. That was just a passing attraction. Right, Crew? I cannot imagine you more happy than you are with Marian.”
Father kept chuckling.
“I agree, Mother. I am very lucky to have her by my side.” I grabbed Marian’s hand and placed a kiss on her knuckle.
To my surprise, she blushed.
After dinner, Marian and I retired to my room. Our room, rather. The servants had brought her belongings in just after the ceremony, while we were listening to father rage in his study. She had more dresses than I knew one woman could ever possibly wear. I let her dress for bed and slip beneath the covers before I did the same.
Her hair was splayed over the pillow in delicate crimson curls. She was lovely. “You’re staring.”
I looked away for a moment. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She grabbed my face and pulled me to her. I did not fight it. I should have. But, in that moment, I did not want to fight anymore. I just wanted to feel something good. There was so much bad everywhere—all around me. I just wanted to feel something else for a moment. That moment turned into an entire night. Every time Abby would pop into my mind, I would push her away, turn my focus back to Marian, on what was in front of me. I focused on what was mine, and Marian did the same.
It was not until the morning light stirred me that the guilt of what I had done began to wash over me in waves. In my moment of weakness, had betrayed the one that I loved. I had betrayed Abby.
I lay looking up at the ceiling. The paint was peeling off of it, too. Curls of paint littered the floor and reached out from every direction in this awful place, like colorful, arthritic fingers waiting to grab us and swallow us whole. When exploring a place like this as a kid, it was thrilling. When locked up in here as an adult, not so much. The moonlit shadows cast in this place played with my imagination way too much.
Gray’s arm was serving as my pillow. “Gray?”
“Hmm?”
“You asleep?”
“Not now.”
I sighed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not like we don’t have time to catch up on sleep tomorrow.”
“True. Can I ask you something? I need an honest guy opinion. No crap.”
He chuckled. “No crap.”
“Yep.”
I could feel his chest vibrate with laughter, so I smacked it lightly. “Shut up. Seriously. This is serious.”
“Fine. What’s up?”
“Do you think he’s with her? I mean, do you think he’s been with her-with her?”
“Are you asking if I think Crew’s slept with his wife?”
“Yeah.”
He cleared his throat. “Probably. Yes. I think he probably has. No crap.”
I rasped, “No crap.” Silence was crazy loud in this place. “Why do you think that?”
“You think it, too, Abs, or you wouldn’t be asking me.”
He was right.
He hugged me tight to him. “I’m sorry you’re hurting.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry you’re hurting, too.”
He shrugged, moving my head a little. “Mine’s just physical. I’ll be good as new in a few more days.”
“What about your ribs?”
“I think they’re just cracked. I can breathe easier now. If they were broken, I’d still be having trouble breathing.”
“That’s good, I guess.”
“Yeah.”
With pain crawling onto his facial features, Gray twisted and turned until he faced me. “What did you see in him, anyway?”
“Honestly?”
“Of course. No crap.”
I laughed. “No crap. Um. I don’t know. He was different. Exciting to be around. He was fun.”
“That’s it?”
“What did you expect me to say?”
“Were you ever with him-with him?” Gray wagged his eyebrows and smiled.
I flicked his chest. “Gray!” I should have smacked it, but with broken ribs, that would really have been cruel.
He smiled and is entire face lit up with orneriness. “What? Inquiring minds want to know.”
My cheeks grew warm. “No. We kissed and stuff, but we were never together like that.”
Still smiling, his eyes caught mine. “You’ve never been intimate with anyone?”
“No.”
He smiled. “Good. You’re a good girl, Abs.”
“I’m not. I’m bad as they come. I got you locked up, didn’t I?”
He laughed. “Yeah. I guess you did.”
Footsteps echoed down the hallway and we sat up quickly. The guards hadn’t brought dinner, so I figured that’s what this little visit was about. Ardis stepped up to the lock with an evil smile on his face, flanked by two guards with their rifles trained on us. He slid his thumb over the lock and it uncoiled, the glowing blue faded away.
“Tie him to the window bars.”
The guards moved into the small cell and approached Gray. He held his hands up in surrender. We couldn’t fight them and win and both of us knew it. He let them tie ropes to his left hand, thread it through the bars, and then secure his right. He was standing completely exposed. His eyes never left me.
Shifting back and forth on his feet, the guard in front of me looked like he was getting ready for something. Ardis returned with a metal chair. “Tie her to this.”
One of the guards, a greasy-haired almost-teenager sneered at me as he approached. I rolled my eyes. Like we could fight our way out of this now.
I sat in the chair and he bent my arms back and tied rope around my wrists. The coarse fibers cut into my skin, so I tried to keep still. The guards stood to the side and let Ardis approach.
“We need information. You have it.”
“What information?”
“The King wants information on the resistance.”
I laughed. “You’re looking at it.”
“You?”
“Yep. Resist. Resist. That’s what I do. Or, what I did, when I took the cameras over.”
“Who in the village is part of the movement?”
“There is no movement.”
He bent slowly toward me and grabbed my chin. “Who is helping you then?”
“You shot one of them, arrested the other.”
“Him?” He ticked his head at Gray.
I shook my head. “No, not him. Councilman Stephens. That’s it. They helped me. It’s over.”
“I don’t believe you. I think the whole village would revolt given the right circumstance.”
“How would we fight? Rolling pins? Throwing stones? Apples? Could we hit you with apples? Come on, Ardis. You have guns and who knows what else. We wouldn’t stand a chance. You know it and I know it. Everyone in the village knows it.” He narrowed his eyes in thought.
“What about in Olympus? Is there a resistance movement there?”
“I have no idea. I was there with Crew in th
e palace during most of my stay. I didn’t see anything there. The last part of my stay, I was recovering from whatever they did to me.”
“You still say you’re telling the truth?”
I looked right in his eyes. “I am telling the truth.”
He let go of me. “My wife has had a procedure. It took place in her physician’s office and caused her a lot of pain for a few days. She’s okay now. Do you think they placed your egg inside of my wife?”
“Yes. Mine or one of the eggs from the other Lesser women they took.”
He inched forward. I could smell alcohol on his breath. He threaded his fingers into my hair. “You see, I have a problem with that.”
“Get your hands off of her!” Gray yelled.
One of the guards hit him in the stomach with the butt of their rifle. “Stop! Leave him alone.” I turned to Ardis and spoke directly to him. “Leave him alone, Ardis. He has nothing to do with this.”
“But you do.”
“Why are you so upset about your wife?”
He let go of my hair and plopped heavily onto the metal bed. “She will have a Lesser child.”
“Sort of. I’m part Greater, apparently.”
“But you’re part Lesser.” He buried his dirty face into his hands. The guards across the small room shifted on their feet uncomfortably, looking to one another.
“Ardis, will you and your wife care for the baby?”
He scrubbed his hands down his face and sighed. “More than anything. We’ve tried for so long.”
I smiled. “Then who cares whose egg the baby comes from. The child will be yours. Take care of it. Teach him a better way. This way isn’t working. It’s not right. Everyone with a conscience knows it, too.”
Ardis looked up at me, and for just a minute, he didn’t look like he wanted to slam my face into the wall. He was just a man with vulnerabilities, hopes, and dreams like every other man.
He nodded at the two guards, who cut Gray down. They helped Ardis out of the cell. As he sealed the lock, he looked at me and nodded. I’d earned his respect.
Gray crouched down behind my chair and went to work untying my wrists. When finally free, I rubbed the abrasions left behind by the scratchy rope.
Gray’s voice rose from behind me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
“I meant with the baby thing. If they are implanting women with your eggs, technically those are your babies.”
“I know. But it’s not like I had the babies and the Greaters took them. I don’t want to sound callous or cold, but I guess I’m not as attached to my eggs as I would be a child.”
He stood up. “I understand. It’s not like you could raise a thousand kids anyway.”
I smiled. “I’m a hard working woman. I could do it.”
Chuckling, he held out his hand to help me stand up. “You would die trying. I’ll give you that.”
Two hours later, the two guards who had been with Ardis earlier returned. They silently delivered blankets, water, plenty of food and some extra clothes.
I looked at Gray in disbelief as item after item was shoved through the tiny spaces between the rows of steel bars. He just smirked and pulled me into his shoulder, hugging me tightly to him.
It was rumored that the stench of blood could be smelled throughout Olympus. My father had gone on a rampage, having the guards round up anyone who even glanced at him, accusing everyone of being a part of the resistance. Now, not only were the Lessers housed within the city walls frightened, but the Greater citizens were as well.
In truth, only fourteen had been beheaded. But it had been a spectacle. My father had made sure of it. He mandated that all citizens attend. I was on my way back from another meeting with my father and his men when I saw Gretchen jogging toward me down the long corridor.
“Hello, Gretchen.”
“Crew!” Her voice was trembling.
“What is the matter?”
“It is Marian. They took her to the medical pavilion. She tried to fight them, but they slid something onto her tongue and the next thing I knew, she was unconscious.”
“I told him! I told Father not to touch her! We were going to wait a while, to be sure… Never mind. I told him to leave her alone!”
She sniffed and nodded. “I know. I heard you.”
I rushed down the hallway slamming the doors behind me.
“Sir, you can’t leave the palace unescorted! Sir! Prince Crew!” a guard shouted behind me.
Before he could catch up with me, I’d jogged out of the palace gates and into a PerT. The automatic doors closed when he was only a few feet away. He looked angry when he slammed his fist against the metal doors. But I guarantee that he was nowhere near as angry as I was. I smiled and waved as the PerT took off.
I entered my destination on the comm and synced it to the PerT. It zoomed toward the city’s center, toward the medical pavilion. My only hope was to get there before they were able to perform any sort of procedure on her. She did not want this. I did not want this. Not yet. We had both decided to put off the procedure until things in the city settled down. It was insane.
Running off the platform, I sprinted toward the cluster of tall buildings, not knowing which one held Marian. There were four enormous buildings between us. The automatic doors of the nearest building opened with a whoosh. But, before I could make my way to the reception desk, a heavy blow landed at the base of my neck. Everything faded quickly to black.
I jumped up and ran as fast as I could to the toilet, collapsing in front of it, grasping the cold, metal seat for dear life. We’d figured out that if we poured some water down it once in a while, it would flush most everything down. Throwing the lid up, I heaved and heaved. I felt strong hands weave into my hair and hold it back from my face. “I’ve got you. You’re okay.”
Not much came up. We ate more last night than we had since being brought here but that was long gone. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Well, I had an idea, but admitting it scared me to death, so I tried to ignore it.
When I was finished, I wiped my mouth with a scrap of fabric. My hands were quaking. I felt horrible.
“Come on. Let’s get you up.” Gray helped me to my feet and then guided me slowly over to the bed. My legs were shaking uncontrollably. I plopped down onto the mattress. The covers had made such a difference last night. We spread one beneath us and laid the thickest overtop.
“You need food.”
“That’s the last thing I need.”
“No. I promise. You’ll feel better if you eat.”
I nodded. “Fine. Something light though.”
Gray produced a yeast roll that was surprisingly still soft and moist. I peeled small pieces from it, chewing them well. I needed to get the sour taste out of my mouth before it made me sick all over again. Gray grabbed some food for himself and settled next to me.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I’m fine. Almost healed up.”
“Good.” I had a bad feeling that we were going to need his strength before it was all over.
“You know what’s probably wrong with you, right?” Gray glanced up at me with his sunset eyes.
“I’m so awesome that my body can’t hold it all, so it bubbles out occasionally?” I smiled.
Gray barely blinked. “You are awesome, but that’s not it. You know, don’t you?”
What? “Know? What do you know?”
“That your womb was implanted while you were in Olympus.”
“Implanted?”
“With a fertilized egg. Yes. Implanted.”
“I’m pregnant.” The words felt hollow, foreign.
He stopped chewing and locked eyes with me. “I think so, yes.”
“I’m pregnant.” The words were barely audible.
Gray grabbed my hand. “It’s okay.”
I jerked my hand away. “No, it’s not. I’m not ready for all of this. I’m not ready for any of it. I’m still a virgin! This is crazy!”<
br />
Gray didn’t come smother me with affection like Kyan would have. He didn’t try to kiss me to shut me up. He waited patiently while Storm Abigail blew over.
I paced, cried, and hugged my stomach while I told him exactly what I thought about King Harrison Cole and exactly where on his person I’d like to shove my boot.
When I was finished, I sat back down. Gray looked at me and finished chewing whatever meat he had in his hand. “Abs, look, you’re the strongest chick I’ve ever met. Whatever happens, I know you can handle it. Besides, you won’t have to handle it alone.”
I sniffed. “Yes, I will. I don’t have anyone.”
“You have Kyan.”
“No. I don’t. Kyan needs to let me go. I need distance from him. I love him, strictly in a brotherly way.” I blew out a breath. “I can’t make myself feel something I just don’t.” We sat in silence. “You know what’s crazy, Gray?”
“What?”
“You and I are a lot alike. We’re in the world, a part of it, but always on the outside. I don’t fit in anywhere. The Greaters won’t accept me because I’m part Lesser. The Lessers won’t like me because I’m part of what they’ve grown to hate. I can’t be with Kyan, don’t want to be. Lulu’s gone. This is just so messed up. How am I going to raise a child? I don’t even know what to do with myself.”
“I think you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
“Why would you say that?” I sniffed.
“Because you see the whole picture. You see the wrong, the right, and the gray areas in between. You’ll teach your child to see it as well. I wish you could teach them all to look closer,” he ticked his head toward the window.
“Thank you.”
“It’s true.” He shifted his legs.
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“I don’t know, Abs, but whatever it is, I hope I’m standing beside you.” His orange eyes burned into mine.
“I hope so, too.”
∞
For four more days and nights, Gray and I were imprisoned. At least, I thought it had been that long. It could have been longer. Time lost meaning in a place like this.
We cuddled up to keep warm at night, busied ourselves during the days, and wondered what would become of the situation. He had helped me through my sickness, holding my hair and offering me fresh sips of water. I would have killed for a hot, steamy bath.
Resist (The Harvest Saga Book 2) Page 8