Resist (The Harvest Saga Book 2) Read online

  Resist

  Copyright © 2014 by Casey L. Bond. All rights reserved.

  First Edition.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior express permission of the author except as provided by USA Copyright Law. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment.

  This book is a work of fiction and does not represent any individual, living or dead. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge, 1769. All rights reserved.

  Author photo taken by Sarah Dunlap.

  Book cover designed by Casey L. Bond.

  Professionally Edited by Anna Coy of AGC Editing and Services.

  Paperback and E-book formatted by Nadège Richards of Inkstain Interior Book Designing.

  Published in the United States of America.

  ISBN-13: 978-1500361808

  ISBN-10: 1500361801

  —My first acknowledgement is to God above for his abundant blessings in my life. I don’t deserve them, but am so thankful for His love.

  —They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes an army of fabulous people to bring a book to life. I want to thank my parents, my supportive husband and our wonderful daughters. They never stop believing in me and for that I’m eternally grateful.

  —My extended family and circle of friends are amazing. I appreciate and love you all so much.

  —The support of fellow authors and amazing book bloggers is something I never expected, but cannot imagine being without. My bestie, Rachael is always there for me to bounce questions off of, chat with, plot with and lifts my spirits with the smallest kindnesses.

  —I love my IndiePendent girls: Rachael, Delisa, Amber, Cassy, Savannah, Tara, Annalisa, Alissa, Renee, Kay, Ashley J. and Ashley R. Who knew sporks were such funny things?

  —Anna Coy is an amazing editor and I’m fortunate to call her my friend. Without her insights, this book wouldn’t be what it is and neither would I. Thank you, Anna.

  —Nadège Richards is an amazingly talented young woman who has graced my books with her distinct Inkstain design. I appreciate her more than she will ever know.

  —My street team, The Bond Girls, and my PA’s Michelle Hart and Giana Racine are so amazingly supportive. I feel like I have my own cheerleading squad and am so thankful for all of you!

  —I want to thank my beta-readers. They combed through the manuscript with fierce precision. I appreciate it so much more than they will ever know. Thank you Sherry Bayless, Jilda Holton, Lisa Lovejoy, Ericka Pasco, Cristie Lagarde, Marnie Warren, Kris Seek, Beth Maddox, Wendy Martin, Karen Dailey, Tia Miller, Kimber Linnell, Jessica Watts, Mary Ann Bailey, Nicole Dunton, Maria Garcia (Quimataz), Dana Blizzard, Jennifer Pierson, Michelle Hart, Delisa Lynn and Rachael Brownell.

  —And finally, to the readers who take the time out of their busy lives and schedules to read the words and stories that I wrote: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the gift of your time.

  Morning sunlight trickled in from the small window above me. Dust motes flurried through the beams of light. I didn’t have their energy. I snuggled deeper into the covers. My body and mind were so tired. I was tired from traveling, tired from thinking, and from the procedure the Greaters had performed on me before I left Olympus. My abdomen might never be the same.

  I peeked out from my blanket cocoon and breathed deeply, watching the visible breath escape my mouth, swirling delicately in the cold morning air. Late fall in Orchard was always cold. No doubt, there was frost on the ground this morning. A light knock sounded at my door. “Abs?”

  Gray. I peeked out at him. “Yeah?” My voice was still raspy from sleep.

  “I have to report to the guard station.”

  I sat up, covering myself with the blanket. “Guard station?”

  “Yeah. Kyan had to report that I was here. The guards already knew you were here somehow.”

  “They knew I was here? Did they know I was coming?”

  His burnt orange eyes burned into mine. “I don’t know. But, hopefully I’ll find out.”

  I nodded.

  “Look, I’m not sure if they’ll let me come back or what my duties in the village will be from now on. Kyan said things are bad now. I just want you to know that I...”

  I looked down at my blanket. “I know, Gray. I know who you are. But you can’t let them know. You have to be the Greater guard they expect. You have to be one of them. If not, you’ll pay. We all will.”

  He moved across the small room. The mattress dipped when he sat down beside me and his scent settled between us. Beyond that, the wood of the cabin still smelled fresh, still occasionally cracked as it dried and settled in the autumn air and sunshine. This and two other new cabins had been the assigned projects for everyone to work on since we were taken away. They had to keep the villagers busy.

  “I’ll never hurt you, Abigail.”

  His voice was so soft, yet strong and honest. “I know.” I gave him a small smile and reached over for his hand. “Things have always been hard here, Gray. I can’t imagine that they’re that much worse than before.”

  He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing thickly. “Still. I’ll try to look out for you.”

  “Thanks, Gray. For everything.” I scooted toward him and hugged him tightly. I could feel his sharp inhalation. His hands awkwardly splayed across my shoulders.

  He stood, walked across the small room, pausing again at my door to look back at me. He took a deep breath, pressed his lips into a flat line, and stepped out the door. His footfalls echoed along the floorboards as he made his way out of the cabin. The front door slammed loudly behind him. Two more steps across the porch and he was gone. Gray was gone. He was a guard. I knew it would happen. I just wasn’t ready for it to happen yet. I clung to him like a child to a security blanket since arriving back in Orchard. It was time for the separation.

  When Kyan came into the cabin an hour later, I’d pulled myself together. Kyan was lucky. His home was placed just beside a small stream. He also had a well and water pump in the cabin. I’d been able to wash up a bit in the cool water and had just put on some water to boil for laundry. He had quite the pile amassing in his bedroom. I’d kept myself busy making the beds and getting the kitchen in some kind of order.

  He sat a large wooden crate down near the fireplace. “Thought you might want these.”

  I walked over to the crate and almost screamed in joy. “You found my clothes!” Shuffling through, I found my most comfortable pair of jeans, a long-sleeved tee, my bra, a pair of panties and warm socks! Kyan chuckled as I ran toward the bedroom as fast as my feet would carry me. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate the dress that the Lesser from Olympus had given me, but it was scratchy and had holes in the worst locations imaginable. It had definitely seen better days. Oh, and it was a dress. I hated those.

  Tugging my shirt down, I stepped out of the bedroom. Kyan’s eyes traveled up and down my body. I cleared my throat. This was going to be uncomfortable.

  “You look like my Abby Blue again.”

  He grinned, breaking the awkwardness into a million little pieces. I ran into his open arms, reveling in him, in comfort. “You smell like paint,” I murmured into his shoulder.

  “Yeah. There’s a team painting the inside of the depot building
today. Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’m just glad to be home.”

  He squeezed me tighter. “I’ve never been so worried in all of my life.” There was nothing tentative or awkward about his touch, not like Gray’s. It seemed like Gray didn’t know whether to return my hug or run away as fast as his feet could carry him sometimes. I pulled away from him.

  “Where’s Gray?” he asked.

  “At the Guard Station.”

  Kyan visibly stiffened. “Why is he there?”

  “He’s a guard, Ky. You know this. They asked for him. He had to go. And he’ll have a job to do here.”

  “I don’t like it. He knows too much.”

  “He’s a good guy. He won’t say anything. Before he left, he said he’d never hurt me.”

  Kyan’s eyes flashed and he curled his lip up, a tell-tale sign that he was aggravated. “You have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

  I swallowed and stepped back. “No, I don’t.”

  “Well, you’re about to find out. The council would like a word with you.”

  My palms started to sweat. My throat became dry as the desert sand. “Why?”

  “Why do they ever do anything? They have some sort of agenda. Let’s go, Abby Blue.”

  He held the door open for me and closed it gently behind him. I kept remembering the last time I’d been in front of the council. Of course, there was a new face and Preston was gone, but I doubted the corruption had been extinguished.

  I walked as one whose fate was certainly unsure, but surely condemned. Kyan took my hand. “Don’t worry. I’m with you.”

  “You have to promise me something.” I stopped in the middle of the trail, my arms hugging my body in the cold air.

  “What?” he asked, ticking his head to the side.

  “Promise me.” I crossed my arms.

  Kyan shook his head. “Not until I hear what you want.”

  “Stubborn.”

  He laughed. “Just like you.”

  “Fine. From here on out, you have to make sure you steer clear of trouble, even if I’m drowning in it. You have to keep the line of communication open between our village and the girls still being held in Olympus. You can’t sacrifice them to save me.”

  I could see the little muscles flex in his jaw. “Come on, Ky. You know I’m right.”

  “Fine. I promise. But, I don’t like it.”

  “That’s fine. You don’t have to like it. Let’s just hope I can stay out of trouble for a while.” Trouble was the last thing I needed, regardless of the type. I’d been in enough since the Harvest. My abdomen still bore the yellowing spider-webs of bruises that were only now beginning to fade. And, though I loved my jeans, the dress had been looser and more forgiving on those bruises.

  We crested a small hill and almost ran right into four Greater guards. Clad all in black with enormous guns strapped across their shoulders, the one I guessed was in charge, barked at us. “Move it, Lesser scum.”

  Ky grabbed my elbow and pulled me off the pathway. He lowered his head as they continued by us. What was going on? I lowered my head, but looked from Ky to the two guards who trailed behind the first two. Making eye contact with them was my first mistake.

  The one closest to us stepped so close to me that the toes of his shoes made contact with mine. “Did you look at me, Lesser?”

  I didn’t know what to say. I glanced at Ky. “Yes. I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that I was doing anything wrong. I’ve been away from the village.”

  “I don’t want to hear your excuse.” Spittle from his fleshy lips hit my face. His nose was scrunched and his face was bright red, almost as red as his hair. If he got this angry just because I looked at him, I’d hate to see him when I really did something wrong. He looked me up and down. “Wait. You’re the Prince’s Lesser whore?” A ridiculous smile stretched across his face.

  “I’m no one’s whore.”

  “Brave little thing. Brave, but incredibly stupid.” He grabbed my chin. “Never make eye contact with a Greater. You aren’t even worthy to look in our direction. Understood?”

  I looked down, which made him laugh. “Ahh, she gets it.” The other guards, who had stopped to watch, chuckled.

  “Come on, Ardis,” one said.

  He moved my face up making it difficult to keep my eyes averted. They were almost closed. “You know, we use them to do our dirty work. They are good at laundry, cooking, and cleaning. Do you suppose they would be good at other things?”

  His plump finger scratched down my cheek. “She is pretty. I’ll give the Prince that. I’ll bet she’s good at all sorts of things. Aren’t you?”

  Kyan stepped closer to me. I wanted to motion for him to keep his mouth shut but I was too afraid to move. I definitely didn’t want to call attention to Ky. They either hadn’t noticed his movement of didn’t care. “Permission to speak, sir?”

  Ardis let my face go and stepped back away from me. “Since you asked nicely, permission granted.”

  The other guards chuckled.

  “The council has requested her immediate presence.”

  “Oh. Oh, no. Far be it from me to disturb the schedule of the all-powerful council,” he teased. “Go. Take her to them. We’re finished here.” I could feel the moment when he looked at me again. “For now.”

  I stepped into my father’s office. He motioned to the leather chairs across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

  “I prefer to stand.”

  “I said sit down, Crew.”

  He pushed a few buttons on his computer. A projection illuminated in the space between us. Abby stood next to Kyan in front of the council of Orchard village.

  A young councilman, whom I did not recognize, stood and addressed her. “You are to speak to no one about your visit to Olympus. Many things have changed since your departure. Mr. Marks will explain those changes to you. It will be your responsibility to comply with the newly established rules. We must preserve the stability of our village. This is your first and only warning. Should you breathe one word about your time in Olympus, you will be removed from the village. Should you cause an uprising, you will be beheaded.” I could see the fear in her eyes as she nodded her compliance.

  I sat down on the opposite side of his desk, refusing to make eye contact with him. “I know you arranged for Miss Kelley’s departure. I understand why. But you are to cease all contact with her. You are never to speak of her again. It will be as if she never existed.”

  Finally, my eyes met his own. “I knew you would figure it out. Anyway, it is not like we can call one another up on our comms, Father.”

  He chuckled. “Let me put it this way, Son. If I find out you have any more dealings with Abigail Kelley, or any of the Lesser girls we harvested, I will charge her and you with treason and order you both put to death.”

  I guffawed. “Treason?”

  “Yes. Treason. You are the Crown Prince, yet you work against Olympus—against her needs. Your actions have already been treasonous.”

  I looked away from my father, but the words that fell from his mouth brought my attention back on him immediately. “It is time for you to take a wife.”

  “What?”

  “Let me put it bluntly. We have harvested eggs from each of the Lessers, Abigail included. Those eggs are being implanted into the wombs of Greater women as we speak. Procedures have been scheduled for women all over Olympus for the next several weeks. I have chosen a wife for you. She looks much like Abigail and I believe you will be happy with her. If you are not, you will put on a happy face anyway. She will bear your child.”

  “My child?”

  “We couldn’t request sperm samples from all of the Greater males. So, we have harvested from the most important ten percent amongst our male population. It will ensure strong genetic offspring in the future.”

  “You took mine? Is that what happened after they attacked me and put the anesthesia on my tongue? You would do that to your own son?”

  “Of course. I
t is an honor. You will literally be one of the fathers of a new generation of Greaters.”

  “This is sick.” I slammed my hand down on his desk. “Even for you.”

  “Don’t be so emotional,” he replied flatly.

  I stood and asked, “How can I not be affected by this?”

  “You cannot let your emotions get in the way of your duty. Our way of life is at stake. The very existence of the Greaters hinges on our being able to reproduce. The ‘implantation’ children will be fertile. At least, our scientists predict that many of them will.” He pushed his chair back. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. There is so much truth in that simple statement. This crown will be yours one day, and you will then have to make the difficult choices. You will not have the luxury of ruling with your heart. The welfare of the citizens of Olympus must come first. Do you understand?”

  I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest. There was no arguing with him. Besides, on that singular point at least, he was right. One day I would rule this city, and I would put her citizens first.

  My father interrupted, “Enough talk about your distant future. Let’s discuss your union. You will be married in three days’ time. You will dine with your bride tonight. And this is not up for discussion, Crew.”

  I walked back to my room with thoughts spiraling in every direction. I had to find a way out of this mess. Marrying someone other than Abby was not an option. I had to get back to my forever; I just had to figure out how to do it.

  Kyan escorted me out of the Main Hall. I couldn’t believe they threatened to behead me. I rubbed my neck absently. I was very fond of it. Before they dismissed me, the council had ordered me to the guard station. I was to be assigned to a work team immediately. So much for my aching abdomen.

  When we were far enough away, Kyan finally cleared his throat and spoke. “Abby Blue, you aren’t going to like the guard station.”