by Leyton, Bisi
“I am too young to get married.”
“Well you don’t have to marry for another four years. I am surprised your father has not explained this to you, actually. There is a lot about your life your father should have told you. Listen, you do not have to name your intended until you turn nineteen and officially complete your Great Walk, because after that you are technically a man. Four years later, you will marry her.” Rafel tapped his foot on the ground. “I like you, Bach, and I would like you to name Alba as your intended, but only if you want to.”
“Alba is so amazing and beautiful…”
“Papa, please do not talk about what you do not understand.” Alba appeared at the end of the hall. “I care about Bach, but I have so much to learn and you need me here.”
“Alba, you should not have been eavesdropping.”
“I was not. I came to look for you. The Sen-Filla Lidia of the Second Pillar has arrived. She is asking for you. As I came in, it was very easy to hear what you two were talking about,” she continued. “And since you were talking about my life, I do not call that eavesdropping.”
“Bach, we will talk about this later.” Rafel hurried out.
“Do not worry, I do not want to pledge to you either.” Alba’s green eyes lit up. “I will talk to him.” She left.
Walking out a few minutes later, he saw Alba standing on the bridge. The girl’s gaze was pensive as she watched the calm waters below.
“Hi.” He walked up to her.
“I think my father is going to go ahead with this pledge between us.” Sighing, she continued to watch the wasters. “This is going to ruin everything and destroy any chance at happiness for the both of us.”
“We should go and explain it to them. Make it clear that neither of us want this.”
“No, my mother is doing this to punish me,” she explained. “I am just sorry you have to be the one who has to carry this burden.”
“What burden?”
Pausing, the thin girl stared at him. “Suppose they believe a Famila guy is in love with a Terran. They would be so disgusted they would do something harsh to stop it.”
He paused, terrified she knew his secret. “What are you talking about?”
“Love, passion, freedom. They will probably force you into this pledge and eventual marriage because of me.”
“You? You have a Terran?”
What were the odds that two Famila who loved Terrans would find each other?
“Yes, but as far as my mother and everyone else is concerned, no. There was a Terran boy I used to--know. When my father discovered it, he sent me away to the Sixth Pillar for years and when I came back, he was gone.”
“Was he a free Terran?”
Scrunching her face, she shook her head. “I met him when he was free. I was studying to be an empiric and he was a Terran brought to us to observe. I do not even know what became of him.”
“What was his name?” he asked.
“Donat.” Her face brightened as she whispered his name. “I shouldn’t be telling this to you, but I know you of all people understand these things.”
“You loved him?”
“Yes.” She stroked his shoulder. “But my father just thinks I got carried away.” Slowly, she withdrew her fingers from his body and they disappeared into the long sleeves of her blue and white dress. “I know you understand how I feel, I have heard about your Terran, the human. I am jealous that you have someone so amazing.” Alba wept. “Oh, Bach, I just wish Donat was here.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he let her sob against him. He wasn’t going to acknowledge what she said, because he was surprised she knew about Wisteria.
“I am fine.” Pulling away, she wiped her tears with her sleeve. “I will find a way to make my father understand.”
“I am sure these rumors will pass.”
Nodding, she smiled at him and glided away toward the castle.
*****
“What do you mean, no?” Sen Aleix yelled three hours later. The giant of a man stormed down the steps from his throne to the center of the Triad hall where Bach and his brothers stood. “I have provided you with five options for an intended, four more than my father gave me, and yet you stand here and say no?”
“Sen, I am sure there is a reasonable explanation,” Yordi implored, his voice echoing through the empty hall. “Bach—”
“I do not want to hear you speak again, Prime Yordi.” Pushing Yordi aside, Sen Aleix grabbed Bach by the collar.
“Sen, please,” implored Belem, Bach’s stepmother.
“Shut up, woman. Bach, you pick one today, do you understand me? There shall be no discussion on this matter.” Letting go, he pushed Bach to the ground.
Embarrassed, Bach quickly rose. He was glad that only his brothers and stepmother were in the room to see this.
“Now tell me.” The Sen retook his seat. “Who will it be?”
“Why?” Bach demanded. “I do not have to name my intended now. At least not until I have completed my Great Walk.”
“Be quiet,” Yordi said to him.
“No, the Sen never picked your intended, or even Lluc’s. Lluc is older. The Sen has not put him under this pressure. Why is he expecting this from me?” Bach asked Yordi, but he was really speaking to his father.
“What the Sen is asking is not unreasonable,” Yordi remarked. “The five girls are more than suitable. D’cara, if you do not want Talia, I will be happy to trade her with mine.”
“You want to know why I have made settling you down my priority?” the Sen asked in a low voice. “Why I had to debase myself to negotiate your pledge and concern myself with the nocturnal habits of our socialites, when I should be ensuring the prosperity and security of our people?”
Something in his father’s tone made Bach decide he didn’t want to know the answer.
“Because I heard rumors about you and the free Terrans—you were communing with them. I need you to show me and the Pillar they are not true,” his father continued.
Bach couldn’t understand how his father suspected this. He’d been discreet.
“Free Terrans? I . . . Father—what?” Yordi stuttered.
The hall fell silent.
Bach felt all the blood drain out of his face.
“So tell me, are those stories true?” his father demanded.
“Of course they are not true. Bach could never commit such an abomination,” Yordi barked at his father. “How can you say that about your own son?”
“Tell me, why does he not decide? Alba is his old friend. I do not see why that would be a problem for him, and Talia is very beautiful. But he acts like it is true. Do you prefer Terrans?”
“Father!” Yordi shouted angrily at the Sen. “How can you say something so base and disgusting about your own son? I would be within my rights as your Prime to kill you for that.” He advanced to the Sen
“Yordi, stop.” Lluc grabbed his older brother. “Father is just angry.”
“No! No, he has insulted us all.” Yordi broke free, but this time Bach and Lluc restrained him. “There is no anger that justifies what he said about you. Does he think our mother was an animal he bought on the streets, so he can speak to you like that?”
“No, but Bach needs to explain it to me,” Sen Aleix demanded, unmoved.
“He just needs time to decide. You make this sound like it is an easy decision; you of all people know the price of choosing badly,” Lluc explained. “Let him finish his 1,000 days. When he returns, he will have decided.”
“That sounds fair,” Belem said softly.
“Fine.” The word spewed from the Sen’s lips like poison.
This calmed Yordi down and the boys let go of the Prime. Adjusting his suit, he turned to Bach. “Explain to our father, so he understands you are not perverted.”
“Once I have returned from Terra with the answers.” Bach wanted it to be true.
His father didn’t look convinced, but he nodded and dismissed his sons.
&n
bsp; *****
Bach banged again on the large glass doors. If there was no answer in three seconds, he would smash through them. Moments later, the door opened and Enric appeared.
“You look like you are about to go to war.”
Rushing toward him, until there were only a few inches apart, Bach fumed, “Who did you tell about Wisteria?”
“Do not tell me you have come this early to ask about a girl?” Enric seethed.
“Answer me!”
“No, but I wish I had.”
“You helped me save her life!”
“I know, because I thought your brother was being a qwaynide, but he was right.”
“So, why did you return with me to Smythe several times to see her?”
“Because, you are still my friend and you need someone to protect you and your secrets, which are now my secrets because I attached as Sen-Son.”
“Enric—”
“Did you ever renew her?”
Bach didn’t answer.
“Are you crazy? What are you doing? If I knew you were not going to renew her, I would not have helped you. You have dragged me into your twisted world and now I am just as culpable as you.”
“If you did not tell the Sen, how did he find out?”
“Well, maybe because you burst into homes asking about your pet, or going to Terra and no one can find you. That would arouse suspicion in even the stupidest Famila.”
His friend was right. Running off to Smythe to see that Terran when the Sen was in Jarthan probably made some people suspicious.
“I am sorry I accused you.”
“I am dead if they know. I know about her, so your secret is keeping me alive, too.” Enric groaned. “Please do not name my sister as your intended. She needs to be with someone who is devoted to her.”
“I will try not to break her heart.”
“Break her what?” Enric scoffed. “You are not Alba’s only suitor. The last time I checked, you were ninth behind Quire, the Sen-Son of the sixth Pillar.”
“Ninth?”
“Yes, so there are eight other guys I have got to put in their place before I even come to you.” Enric patted his shoulder while cracking his own neck.
“You intend to fight every single one of them. Eight fights?”
“Well, you and me for the most part. We will probably just break an arm or a leg.”
“Do not worry about me. Your sister has made it clear she does not want me to be her intended either.”
CHAPTER SIX
Wisteria and Garfield headed to the SUV to start their first shift since she had gotten over the flu. Passing the gate on the way to the tracker station, they saw people crowding around. Climbing on to an abandoned car for a better vantage point, the two kids saw soldiers loading suitcases and boxes into a rundown hatchback as the crowd hissed and booed.
A middle-aged man, Jerry Saunders, emerged carrying a shotgun and the people cheered.
“Jerry, you don’t have to go anywhere,” someone yelled. “Those bloody soldiers can’t do nothing to you, mate.”
“I’ll be fine.” Jerry smiled nervously, waving the gun at the crowd, who cheered in response.
Three more people followed him out. Among them was seventeen-year-old Billy Saunders. He’d helped Hailey attack Wisteria months ago.
“That’s Billy’s family,” Garfield said, bewildered. “Why do they have a car? They aren’t trackers or anything. He works in the factory, right?”
Nodding, Wisteria watched as Jerry’s wife fell to her knees, pleading with a civilian guard, Quincy Markesan.
Quincy ignored her and threw a box into the car.
“They’re getting evicted from Smythe,” she realized.
“Are you joking?” he gasped. “Why? Where will they go?”
“I don’t know, but they’re going to die out there.”
Residents were evicted or kicked out of the Isle of Smythe for various reasons. They might’ve robbed someone or killed someone, but the most common reason was not earning their keep. A few years ago, people were being kicked out every week. This was the fifth eviction this year, an all-time low.
Steven climbed onto the car with them. “Hey, rat-boy,” he said to Garfield.
“What do you want, Hindle?” Garfield snapped.
“Besides the obvious, I came to get a better view of the show.” He squeezed Wisteria’s arm.
She punched him on the shoulder.
“Ow.” He laughed.
“Man, get lost.” Garfield jabbed at the taller boy, but Steven easily sent him reeling down the side of the car into a large puddle of muddy water.
“Garfield.” She attempted to reach for him, but the blond-haired boy hauled her back. “Steven, I’m tired of telling you to stay away from me.”
“Don’t you want to know why they’re kicking Saunders off the island?” He let go. “It’s got to do with your stepdad.”
“What did Coles do?” someone in the crowd called out. “We want to hear this.”
She didn’t want everyone hearing her family business, even though Coles was a nutcase. “Fine.” She signaled for Steven to come to her.
He shook his head at her. “Come up here, or I’ll yell it for everyone to hear.”
“Just get down, Steven.” Garfield pulled the boy down.
Falling into the mud, Steven jumped up and lunged at Garfield, but her friend had disappeared. “I hate that kid. One day soon, I’m going to break his face.”
“Let’s go, Steven.”
“Forget it.” He brushed past her and stomped off, embarrassed and mad.
“Wait.” Although she was glad he was walking away, she wanted to know what he knew about her stepfather, because ultimately it affected her now. “You were going to tell me something.”
“Yeah, well that was before. I’m out of here.”
“Come on, Steven.” Hurrying after him, she pleaded with him, but then she halted. “Wait, you don’t know why Jerry’s being kicked out, do you? You’re just messing with me.”
Stopping, he came over to her. “If I tell you? You’ve got to start treating me better.”
“Better? I take all your nonsense.”
“You know what I mean.” He grinned, and glanced back at the crowd. “They weren’t earning their keep in town.”
“How come? Jerry works at the factory. We sell those tablets to the merchants, so how can they say he’s not pulling his weight?”
“Jerry was, but his wife and Billy weren’t. The boy was hanging around Hailey and her girls too long. Forgot a few shifts at the waste treatment.”
“How many shifts?”
“He hasn’t worked for more than a year and he didn’t think he had to, since Hailey and Yvette don’t.”
“No, Hailey and Yvette run the theatrical society. That’s hard work,” she said sarcastically.
“Well her father runs the island. Well, him and sometimes your stepfather.”
“Jerry’s going to have to face life on the outside because of Billy?” She always hated hearing this kind of thing.
“And his mum too. She wanted to work as one of my dad’s lab technicians, but they sent her to work in sanitation because she didn’t have the skills. She didn’t go and that was eight months ago.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, but Jerry and his friend Mike were given the option to stay in town.”
“There's no way he’d leave his family to die outside,” she replied.
“And that why he’s going with them.”
“What has this got to do with Coles?”
“Everyone’s mad at Jerry’s leaving. Who do you think they’re going to blame?” He flicked her chin. “I thought I’d give you a heads up, and now you owe me.”
“I owe you nothing and you need to stop touching me.” Slapping his hand, she pushed him back.
At her actions, he snickered.
“Hey, you better watch yourself, girl.” A burly man rushed up to her. “Just because your old man i
s in charge doesn’t give you the right to attack other people.”
“I wasn’t—”
“I saw you,” the man shouted at her.
“Steven, tell him,” she demanded. “There’s no way I could knock him around.”
“Don’t make the boy lie for you,” the man seethed. “Tell your dad that things are going to change here. He and his thugs can’t just do whatever they want and expect us to take it.” He shook her.
Digging her nails into his forearm, she made the man recoil in pain. She dashed through the alley behind the nearest house, away from the crowd.
*****
“Everything is under control,” Wisteria’s mother said repeatedly as she sat in the kitchen, cleaning her rifle that evening. That was all her mother would say about the eviction. “There’s no way the Leadership can survive without Coles in charge. And if they were deluded enough to kick him out, no soldiers would follow the puppet they put in charge.”
There was no more conversation on the matter after that.
She returned to her room, not sure if she was convinced or not. Her mother seemed completely unbothered, but then again her mother was not there when the townspeople were yelling and screaming at the soldiers.
Later that night, she woke up to the sound of someone tapping on her window. Lifting her head, she saw it was Garfield. Kicking off the covers, she crept to the window. Sliding the glass open, but not the metal cage, she noticed from the strong wind it was about to rain. “What are you doing here? My mum’ll have kittens if she sees you.”
“Is your brother home?”
She shrugged. “Probably not. Why?”
“They’re having another party.” Amanda pushed her way to the window.
“Another one?” She dejectedly tapped her head against the window. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“They’ve gone to Woolmer,” Garfield informed her.
“Woolmer.” Wisteria froze. “There are biters in Woolmer.”
“We didn’t know. No one told us Woolmer was infected. They felt they wouldn’t get caught, since Norton is safe. Woolmer has to be safe too, right?” Amanda explained.
“You knew this, Amanda?” She unlocked the metal cage. “Why didn’t you tell me before they left?”