She looked nervous. I was, too. I’d never seen a Greater before. The lenses in his glasses were dark, shrouding his eyes. I couldn’t determine their color, and I loved to see people’s eyes. Lulu always said that the eyes were the bearers of truth–the windows to the very soul of a person.
“Hold still, Abigail Kelley. This will be painful, but your back will heal very quickly.”
“Okay.”
He and Evelyn quickly unraveled the maze of bandages that crisscrossed my torso and soon, my back was bare.
“Gracious!” Mr. Guthrie exclaimed. “In all of my days I have never seen anything like this.”
Well that makes me feel so much better. Evelyn squeezed my hand in confidence. At least that was what I thought, until the first swipe of the cool gel across the wounds on my back. Fire spread over my flesh and I literally panted in pain. I couldn’t get enough breath in my lungs to scream. Evelyn positioned the handle of a wooden spoon at my lips. “Bite down.”
I did. I tried to chomp the damn thing in half. He methodically swiped the strange gel onto my back, then went back over it again. Halfway through, I passed into unconsciousness. Thankfully.
∞
I WOKE AT NOON THE following day. Kyan sat beside me in a chair he had pulled next to the bed. His head was pillowed on his arms and he snored lightly. My back didn’t hurt. I stretched slightly waiting for pain that never came. Then stretched, eagerly, languidly, and groaned in relief. Ky stirred and sat up, copying my motions.
“You’re moving!” He leapt from his chair, overturning it behind him.
“I know. My back feels so much better!”
“Evelyn!” he yelled.
The door burst open. “What’s the matter?” Evelyn looked disheveled. Has anyone slept around here lately?
Kyan smiled brightly and announced to her that I could actually move. “My back feels much better.”
Mr. Guthrie entered the room and smiled lightly. “Feeling better, my dear?”
“Much.”
“We need to check your back to ensure healing and ward off infection.” I nodded and lay flat again. Bandages were peeled off slowly and when the last layer, a large square, was lifted, gasps sound out from Kyan and Evelyn. “What? Is it bad?”
Their eyes were wide. Evelyn covered her mouth with her hand. Kyan’s mouth gaped open.
I looked to the other side where Mr. Guthrie smiled knowingly. “You are healed, my dear.”
“Healed?”
“Healed,” he affirmed.
“Evelyn, can you assist her with getting dressed. Her body will be stiff and sore from having lain in the same position for so long, but she’s good as new.”
Evelyn was silent. Mr. Guthrie and I both looked at her and she finally nodded. “Of course. I’ll help her. Kyan. Kyan,” she nudged his shoulder. “Go. I’ll help her get ready.”
He shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
That made two of us. The men exited the room and closed the door behind them. Evelyn’s feet hadn’t moved. Nor had her hand. It was still clamped over her lips.
“Evelyn?”
Her eyes found mine. She moved over to the bed and grabbed hold of my shoulders and helped me up. I was so stiff. “Abigail. Your back is healed.”
“He said it was. It feels better.”
“No, baby girl. It’s healed as in...flawless. It looks as if nothing happened. There are no scars on your back at all. Not from the prior whipping and not from this one.”
“What?”
She nodded. “I don’t understand. I know the Greaters have advanced medicine, but I’ve never seen anything like this.” She moved toward the dresser and pulls out drawer after drawer, before moving on to the small table beside the bed. “Here!”
She pulled out a small hand mirror and then helped me up. The chest of drawers had a small mirror sitting atop it and she pointed it on my back. I held up the mirror and gasped. There was nothing on my skin. It was perfect. In fact, it wasn’t even tan anymore. It was pale as the day I was born. My eyes found Evelyn’s, tears springing into my eyes.
“How can this be?”
“I honestly don’t know,” she admitted, softly.
∞
KYAN WALKED ME HOME. OTHER than the stiffness of my joints and muscles, I felt amazing. The walk helped me work some of the soreness out of my body. The smell of the cut hay in the field next to my cabin fills the air and I sighed. I’d missed this so much. Missed the village and my home.
“What happened to them?”
“To whom?”
“Norris? The Preston’s?”
He stopped and looked at me. Then with his eyes as soft as his voice, he said, “They can’t hurt you anymore, Abs.”
“I know, but what happened to them?”
“Cole took charge. They had Norris and the entire Preston family detained and placed in a rusty train car heading toward Olympus, where it was said the guard would be waiting for them. They will stand trial in the city. Not just for what the bastards did to you, either. I mean, that’s one of the charges. But, I guess they’re being charged with several things: abuse of their power and position, conduct against the Greaters, extortion, bribery, treason... The list goes on and on. I guess Councilman Cole learned a lot while staying with them the few weeks, and none of it was good.”
“Cole seems well connected.”
Ky nodded. “Very well connected. But, I’m glad. That Guthrie guy brought just what you needed and healed you right up. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. But, I’m glad all the same. I thought I was going to lose you, Abby Blue.” His voice cracked as he says my name.
I hugged him tight. “I’m fine.”
He nodded into the crook of my neck and held me.
“God, I missed you. When you didn’t show up to the festival, I knew something was wrong. I found Crew and when he hadn’t seen you either, the dude went kind of crazy. We both did. He...” Kyan looked at me and then away toward the trees. His jaw clenched and his teeth clamped together.
“What? He what?”
“He pulled out some sort of device and punched a bunch of buttons and not a minute later, his Dad showed up, and we went looking for you. We checked the Preston house. It was empty, so we went to find Norris’s cabin. That’s when I saw you strung up to that tree limb. If someone hadn’t have stopped me, I would have killed Norris. I nearly beat him to death for what he did to you. Arrogant jerk never even saw me coming.”
“Thank you, Kyan.”
He nodded. My mind was reeling. “Lulu had a communicator. She used it to order supplies and coordinate the shipments of apples to Olympus.”
“I saw it once.” He glanced at me. “Okay, more than once. I watch the tracks a lot.”
“She never used it at the house, but when I was smaller, I would go to work with her sometimes and she always had it out while she worked. She would inventory the supply houses, interview planters about the crop and monitor growth in the orchards. It was all very detailed and intense from what I could tell.”
“Why does a guy from Cotton have such technology? My bet is his father had one, too. That’s how he reached us so quickly. That’s who he was contacting.”
“I don’t know.”
“Something’s not right with him, Abby. I know...I know you don’t want to hear it. I know you have feelings for him on some level, but something isn’t right and I want you to be careful.”
I nodded. He was right. Crew was hiding something. “I will. I promise.”
“Good.” He smiled and it nearly lit the sky. “Tonight, there’s a celebration in your honor.”
“What?”
“Well, the Harvest Festival sort of got interrupted, and you’re all better so we’re celebrating tonight. A do over. And, you,” he put his arm around my shoulders and started walking toward my home. “You’re the guest of honor.”
I groaned dramatically causing Kyan to chuckle and drag me along.
IT WAS EARLY EVENI
NG WHEN Kyan left me to get ready. I washed my hair and was wrapping it in a towel when I noticed the small piece of paper on my unusually made bed.
Look on Lulu’s bed.
—Yours, Crew
Crew’s been here? I leaped up, still clenching the note and ran to Lulu’s room. Stopping just before the threshold, I peered inside. Sure enough, a large rectangular box sat on the bed, tied in the middle with a thick, red ribbon.
I padded into the room, picked up the bulky package and rushed back to my bedroom. The box was heavy, the ribbon some sort of silky fabric, soft and smooth under my fingertips. Before I could pull on it, Laney yelled into the house. “Abby?”
“In here!”
She rushed into my room and pulled me into a hug, squeezing my neck tightly. “Can’t breathe,” I croaked.
“Oh! Sorry! I just was so worried and I missed you and I love you so much, Abby!” She hugged me quickly again and then let go.
“I love you, too, Laney.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes as she took me in. “You look wonderful! The last time I saw you, you wouldn’t even wake up! And your back... Oh, my goodness. Your back was mangled and I honestly didn’t know if you were going to live or die or wake up or be in a coma forever...and I just love you and didn’t want you to miss out on your life. I mean, it’s just beginning. And tonight! Oh, Abs! Tonight is going to be so wonderful!”
She paused to take a breath, making me giggle. “Sorry. I just missed you!”
Her arms wrapped tight around me yet again and then she pushed me away. The red ribbon must have caught her eye. “What is this?” Her eyes widened and glittered mischievously. She bounced onto the bed landing on her knees. “Open it. Open it, please!”
“Okay.” I blew out a breath and sat next to her. “It’s from Crew.”
“That guy worships you, Abs.”
I tugged the richly colored ribbon, leaving it to fall limply onto the comforter below. The lid was suctioned to its other half, so I jerked harder. Laney’s eyes widened and her mouth formed an “O.”
My face mirrored hers. Folded delicately was a dress made in the most beautiful fabric I’d ever seen. It was teal. I lifted it carefully out of the box and Laney smoothed her hand underneath it, and together, we laid it on the bed. It wasn’t cotton or silk. The material was metallic looking but felt soft to the touch, like satin.
“There are no sleeves at all.” How was I supposed to keep the thing from falling down and exposing myself to the world?
“It’s strapless! Look! Here are the undergarments. Don’t worry. With these, the dress won’t move once it’s on.” Taking up the stiff white garment, I examined it closely. It looked painful and way too small for me. “It’s a corset! The boning is exquisite. I’ve only read about these in the magazines Mother had Lulu order for the birthday celebration last year. Oh, my goodness!” She caressed the frightening piece of cloth reverently, its bones supporting it like a skeletal torture device. How was I supposed to get this on?
“I can tell what you’re thinking and yes, I’ll help you dress! You’re going to look stunning for Crew.”
For Crew? Yes. I wanted to look beautiful for him. I would look lovely for the last bit of time we could steal together. The thought made my heart clench. I would miss his smile, his eyes, and his rich, deep laughter. Laney’s eyes narrowed at the fabric in her hands and then again at me. “Strip.”
∞
LANEY LEFT ME TWENTY MINUTES ago to go her own house. She had to dress and get ready. But, the girl was a tornado, a bubbly whirlwind of energy and excitement, with a passion for all things fashionable. As much as we ever learned of such things in the village. And I knew that with her ability to sew and the fabric that I now knew her mother and Lulu managed to sneak in for her, she would no doubt look stunning as well.
Awkwardly, I sat on the sunken cushions of the old blue couch in my living room. The fine fabric, wrapped around my body like a second skin, stood apart from the threadbare tweed beneath it. If you looked carefully, in certain places, you could almost see a few of the pink flowers that once delicately dotted the country blue color beneath it. It was why Lulu loved the couch at first. I remembered sitting on it as a child, trying to count the tiny blossoms.
Two rapid knocks in succession sounded at the front door. Kyan’s early. My palms were warm and sweaty. I was the guest of honor tonight. I prayed they don’t ask me to speak in front of everyone. I crossed the room and opened the door to find Crew waiting for me. His eyes twinkled like the stars and his smile was so bright, it could chase away the need for moonlight. His gaze rakes slowly down the length of my body before making their way back up and meeting mine once again. I smiled.
“Wow.”
He looked beautiful. If a man could be said to be beautiful, that man would be Crew. Especially on this night. His suit was black as the night sky, a color deep as the coal pulled out of the earth’s belly. The shirt underneath was crisp and white. A small white rosebud was pinned to his lapel. His dark hair was slicked back and his jaw was clean shaven.
“Abigail. You look amazing.” He emphasized the last word breathlessly.
“You look handsome, yourself,” I teased, hoping he wouldn’t notice my blushing cheeks.
“May I escort you to the festival?”
“Of course.” He offered his elbow, which I greedily claimed, pulling the cabin door closed behind me with my free hand. The evening air was surprisingly warm. I mean, it was chilly. But, for this time of year, it was pleasant and perfect. I tried not to tug my dress up. It really hadn’t moved, but I realized now how much of my flesh was exposed with this strapless gown, how much was heaved up by the corset. Crew had noticed, too.
Half way to town, Crew stopped abruptly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this.” His eyes flash to mine and somehow, they darken, like caramel.
“What’s wrong?”
He leaned forward quickly and his lips crashed on mine. I bathed in the taste of his mouth and of the feel of his body against my own. Steel against softness. I wanted to stay wrapped up in him forever. Never leave this place. When we broke apart, we were still mostly molded together. “I didn’t want to mess up your hair or dress or makeup. I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. You look so beautiful. And that dress...it...I...wow.”
“Thank you for it.” I grinned up at him.
“Anything for you, Abby. We probably should go. People are no doubt waiting for the guest of honor.” He grinned as I groaned. And we both began to climb up the final hill, with our fingers intertwined together, one last time.
When we approached the village square, I could see the torches. When this village was created by the Greaters, they installed the iron torch holders. We would pile firewood into the wrought iron baskets and with kindling, and light them. Soft flickering light and warmth flooded the square. The square was just that, a large patch of grass, lined with those torches. A few wooden picnic tables and benches normally dotted the landscape, which hosted a few beds of flowers that were now drying out and re-seeding the ground as the winter approached. But for this evening, the tables and benches had been moved aside and in the square, a wooden dance floor had been erected, just below a wooden stage. Musicians tuned their instruments. Instruments? I looked from the stage to Crew who smiled, blinked once heavily and nodded back toward them.
All four of the musicians were men, who wore shaded glasses over their eyes, just as Guthrie wore. Were they Greaters, too? How could they see at night through the dark lenses? How would they read the music in front of them? One dragged a long stringed stick across a curvy wooden instrument positioned at his throat. The sound was beautifully high-pitched, the note drawn out, like the cry of a lover to her match.
The second plucked strings on, what Crew explained, was a guitar. His fingers nimbly worked over the strings tickling them incessantly. A very tall man sitting on the outside of the group, pulled his bow, as Crew called it, across an enormous wooden instrument. A cello. I immediat
ely fell in love with its sad, soulful sound. Its somber, haunting notes mirrored my own soul. I wanted to be happy, to enjoy this unique night with Crew, but deep down I was crying. I already missed him and he wasn’t even gone yet. I missed Lulu, too. She would have loved to have seen live musicians.
Crew continued, listing the names of the other instruments, and I wanted to listen, but couldn’t seem to drown out the sorrow bleeding from my own heart. Laney ran up to us and tackle-hugged me. I couldn’t help but smile. She looked absolutely lovely in a light pink gown, overlaid with matching lace. The neckline was high and elegant and the hem of the skirt flirted with her calves. She’d pinned her hair up into an intricate twist upon her head.
Laney quickly and excitedly spewed comments about who was here with whom, who was to be wed at the ceremony at the end of the evening, about who she wanted to dance with. “May I dance one with your man, Abs?”
I looked from Crew back to her nervously. Crew smiled. Thank goodness. I knew he wasn’t mine, but he didn’t embarrass me by correcting her. “Of course,” he answered.
The band stopped playing. Excited chatter filled the air as the festivities were about to begin. Laney pulled me and Crew through the crowd of well-dressed youth, past the parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren who lined the square people-watching. The brides were easily distinguished. Each wore white. Each dress was unique and befitting. There were three this year. Dawn, Paige’s best friend stood among them, along with two girls from the other Lesser villages. The latter appeared younger than I was and I wondered if these young women were truly ready for the responsibilities that come with being a man’s wife. I definitely wasn’t. Beyond the intimacies of the bedroom laid the hours of hard work, not only in their villages, but in keeping a house running.
We nodded to the featured brides as Laney dragged us past them to a rectangular table just to the left of the stage. A tented piece of white paper sat in the center of the table, backed against a beautiful vase of white roses, encircled by wildflowers. A burlap bow was sweetly tied around the glass. Candles twinkled from each side illuminating the words, “Reserved: Abigail Kelley, Guest of Honor.”
Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) Page 15