Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) (7 page)

I walked quickly toward the
orchard. It was a clear, cool morning. The air was wet and the grass saturated with cool dew. Crickets chirped happily. A deep blue-gray unfolded overhead. Only the eastern horizon hinted at the dawn to come. I didn’t even register the fact that someone had fallen into step beside me until he reached out and grabbed my elbow, roughly. I stopped and turned to face Zander Preston.
Crap.

“Zander.”

“Do you think your aunt can stop me from getting what I want?” He stepped toward me.

“Ever hear of personal space?” I backed up a few more paces into the dewy grass. Did that stop him? No. He kept moving forward, his face as hard as his icy blue eyes—eyes that almost glowed, even in the near darkness.

“She won’t stop this. My father said that she refused our union. I will marry you, Abigail.”

I shook my head. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want to marry you, Zander.” He kept moving toward me and I kept walking backward until my back made contact with the wooden fence behind me, preventing further retreat. I gripped the top post for support.

“I don’t care what you want.” He grabbed my upper arm and squeezed tight.

“Zander, you’re hurting me. Let go.” I tried to wrench my arm away from him, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Tell her you’ve changed your mind.”

“No.”

His jaw clenched along with his grip on my arm. I shoved him hard on his chest with my free hand, but it barely moved him. He lowered his face toward mine, and I twisted as far away from him as I could go.

“Get off her. Now,” a rich, deep voice ordered. Zander, with his eyes trained on mine, backed away slowly, finally releasing my arm, which ached in the wake of his grip. I wouldn’t rub it. He wouldn’t get the satisfaction of knowing that he’d hurt me.

Zander pinned me with his eyes. “This isn’t over, Abby,” he said so low that only I could hear. He gave the stranger a hard stare and stomped away. I told him I didn’t want to marry him. Lulu told his father the same thing. Why couldn’t he just accept it?
What the heck is he thinking?

“Hello?” A hand waved in front of my face.

“What?” I asked, still confused by Zander’s actions.

“Are you okay?” That voice. It pulled me toward him. His eyes were the first thing I noticed. And, they were the most beautiful eyes that I’d ever seen. Honey-colored, and only outlined by a hint of warm, golden brown. Streaked gold radiated from the pupil outward. It was stunning. His sable hair was worn longer than what was considered proper in our village. It brushed his brow and curled around his ears, and at the nape of his neck, it flipped out. He was tall, at least as tall as Kyan. “Miss?”

“Yes.” I finally breathed. “I’m okay.”

He watched me for a moment and then relaxed. “Did he hurt you? I saw how he was holding your arm.”

I rubbed it absentmindedly. “I’m fine. Thanks for helping, by the way.” I looked down.

“No problem. Can I ask a favor from you? Two, actually.”

I nodded, looking at those eyes again. “One. Try not to get caught alone with him again.” He ticked his head in the direction Zander had fled.

“Easier said than done. I don’t see him alone often, but I am often alone, so if he’s determined to find me, he will. Two?”

“Do you know where I can find Kyan Marks?”

“That one is much easier. Ky’s my best friend, and my team leader. I’ll take you to him.” I smiled, took a few steps and waved for him to follow.

“Kyan is a male,” he stated, though it sounded more like a question.

“Yes.” I drawled.

“Women and men are allowed to socialize here?” His eyebrows raised.

“Of course. We all work together in the orchards and some are friends.”

A look of confusion knitted his brow, my face mirroring his own. “Which village are you from?”

“Cotton.”

“And, are girls not allowed to speak with guys in your village?”

He blushed, a ruddy color filling his pale white cheeks. “Only on special occasions. They divide the fields by gender to prevent fraternization. Occasionally they have a banquet dinner or dance in which all can attend and socialize. Other than that...”

We walked into the orchard and down one of its many rows. “How strange. I wonder why the rules in your village differ so much from our own.”

He shrugged. His white t-shirt clung to his biceps and his jeans hung perfectly from his body. The work boots he wore were barely scuffed, the warm brown leather pristine. Weird. We never received new shoes. Only worn ones recycled from other villages. Sometimes the soles were worn through when we got them.

He caught me looking at his shoes, turned red again and quickened his pace. “I got lucky. This pair came in our shipment about a week ago. It looks like they’d barely been worn and they were my size, so I grabbed them before anyone else did.” He smiled.

“You’re lucky.”

He nodded.

“Hey, what’s your name?” I asked.

“Crew.”

“Well, Crew. It sure was nice to meet you this morning. Thank you again,” I put my hand out to shake his and he looked unsure. Finally his hand met my own, his warm and soft. It wasn’t calloused like Kyan’s, or even mine, from working in the orchards. Very strange. He pulled his hand back and cleared his throat, looking uneasy at me from the corner of his eyes.

Kyan appeared from around a tree. “Hey, Abby.” He hugged me lightly and placed a small kiss upon my temple. He’d done this a thousand times, but somehow, with Crew watching, it felt strange and I pulled away from him quickly, awkwardly. My face was on fire. Kyan was rattled by my abrupt withdrawal. I could tell. I knew he’d been angry that I’ve been pulling away from him in general, but physically doing so was something else. Something between us had changed. He looked past me to Crew.

“Ky, this is Crew. He’s been assigned to your team.”

“Oh, hey man. Welcome and thanks for your help with our harvest.” The two locked hands and sized each other up the way guys do, each straightening up to full height. Crew was taller than Kyan, but only by an inch or so. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.
Really, guys?

“Sure, man. Show me where to get started.”

Despite my obvious reluctance, Ky pulled me in for another quick hug and then said, “Abs, can you start right down there with Laney?” I could see her blonde hair contrasting against the some of the still green leaves about 10 trees down. I nodded and waved to Kyan and Crew, making my way toward Laney.

“Remember the favor you owe me,” Crew called out behind me. I looked back and smiled, and then saw Kyan. His face hardened as he looked from me to the newest member of our team.  I just hoped he didn’t go all ‘big brother’ on me.

“I will.” I shouted back, hurrying to Laney’s tree.

∞

“Lane, I’ve got to report
for prison duty.”

She laughed. “Prison duty? The Preston Prison. I like it. Hey, who was that hottie you were with this morning?”

I rolled my eyes. “His name is Crew. He’s from Cotton.” I wasn’t sure why her question annoyed me, but it did.

“Is he available?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t ask. I figure he’ll only be here for a few weeks max. Sorry.”

She giggled. “It’s fine. I was just wondering. Not for me.” She holds up her hand, “He was looking at you like you were already his. If his eyes could have claimed you as his intended, you’d be married already!”

“What? Whatever. That’s ridiculous.”

“Abby, you should have seen him and Kyan from a distance. I thought they were going to come to blows over you. They went all caveman. My female. No, my female,” she grunted, strutting around like she actually had muscles to fill out her tiny arms.

“Uga, uga.” I laughed. “Later!” I yelled. I took my last bushel to the end of the row and started toward the Preston house. Mrs. Preston met me at the door. “Oh, Abigail. I’m so glad you’re here.” Her plump lips puckered dramatically.

She grabbed both of my forearms and jerked me inside. “This house must be spotless. Perfect. We are hosting a very important family from Cotton. So,” she pulled out a piece of paper. I cringed. The list was twice as long as I’d ever seen it and I had two fewer hours to complete the tasks that it contained. “Here is your list. And, they will arrive at 4:00pm on the dot, so you must finish early.” I was pretty sure a fly just flew into my mouth and back out. She didn’t even look back at me, just swished her skirt and heels right out the front door. Heels? Really? Even she had to walk the dirty pathways.

I grumbled as I started but pushed hard and was finishing the kitchen floor at 4:00pm, ‘on the dot.’ Sure enough, Mr. Preston entered, as I was replacing the mop and cleaning items in the small closet, followed by another gentleman approximately his age. The newcomer had sharp, strong features. His jaw was chiseled and square, clean-shaven. Hair the color of midnight was peppered with gray along the temples, his skin pale and clear. He was tall and broad of shoulder and even though older, his body was well maintained.

That wasn’t what was so different about him, though. His eyes. They were streaked with honey, like Crew’s, but surrounded with deep brown, almost black. His eyes pinned me to the floor, like a bug. When I was a child, I knew a boy who used to pin bugs to pieces of paper or bark, or anything he could find, really. It had been disturbing then. It was equally as disturbing now, especially as I felt like the bug and not the pinner.

“Never mind the girl. She’s a servant in our home at present.” Mr. Preston tried to steer the stranger further into the house, and away from me. Preston glared at me, but my feet wouldn’t move.

“Your name?” The stranger’s voice was thunderous and I flinched at his sudden demand.

“Abigail, Sir.”

“Abigail.” It was as if he was pondering my name and its match with my face. “You look very familiar. Forgive me,” his eyes softened, slightly, and he extended a hand to me. I took it and shook quickly. Mr. Preston cleared his throat and nodded toward the door. I took my leave as quickly as my feet would carry me. But not before I heard the stranger say, “It seems your village has a secret, Councilman.”
What secret?

After dumping the contents of yet another bucket of dirty water, peppered with soaked dust clumps, I started in the direction of home. Darkness hadn’t fallen, so no one would have been dismissed from the orchard and for a moment, I almost turned in that direction, but decided against it. Kyan would get angry. Lulu as well. As I stepped out of the hayfield and into the outer edge of the woods that surrounded our cabin, I saw them.

Zander smirked at me as he approached with Crew at his side. Crew looked anything but happy. His jaw clenched and his hands were tucked in his front pockets. “Good afternoon, Abigail.”

“Crew.” I acknowledge first with a smile and a nod, although he wasn’t the one who had addressed me.

“Abigail. Really? You can’t ignore me. Besides, I have wonderful news. Crew and his family will be staying at our house for the duration of their visit.”

Crew glanced angrily at Zander, who chuckled and looked back at me. “Crew, Abby is our current...help. She cleans our home.”

“It’s temporary.” I barked.

Crew stood quiet, taking us both in.

“If you say so.” Zander shrugged. “Do you think my Mother will want to go back to cleaning it now that she has you? Why do you think Father won’t put you back in the orchards full time now, during harvest time, of all times? It has nothing to do with your...injury.”

“Injury?” Crew questioned.

“Shut up, Zander. I got hurt and was taken out of the orchards, temporarily.” I made sure to emphasize that last part. “So, I have to work at the Preston’s house until I can return full-time. His father allows me to work the harvest for two hours in the morning, before I have to report to their house.” I shifted my weight.

Zander grinned, feasting happily on my discomfort. He loved to put people in their place–beneath him and his perfect family. And, he knew he had just put me in mine. In front of Crew. The look on Crew’s face bothered me, though. He looked at Zander, at our surroundings, but refused to make eye contact with me.
Does he think I’m beneath him now, too?
How in the hell did a Lesser manage to become less than their lowered designation? I’m not sure, but I think I just did.