I had no words in response, and Judah stepped closer. “She has been integral to my plan, to my surprise for you.” Judah reached out and took Sarai’s hand. “You did well, my love.”
Her blue eyes sparkled at my brother and then her lip curled. “They are whores. All of them. The men they reside with, the devil’s men, they are impure, sinners of the worst kind. I felt sick the entire time I was with them. But I kept strong for the cause. I kept focus on our plan. And they never doubted me for a second.”
Judah kissed her head and with his arm around her shoulders, promised. “They will be exorcised of their misgivings when we return home. They will be punished, and you will be praised. Just wait until our people hear of what you have done for them.”
I listened to Judah talk to Sarai. And I watched as he led her forward toward the wooden partition. But all I could hear in my head was, They are whores. All of them. The men they reside with, the devil’s men, they are impure, sinners of the worst kind…
No, I thought, as my heart slammed in my chest. He would not go against my orders. He did not go in and retrieve them, not until we were strong, not until we were ready; surely he did not—
“Brother, come,” Judah said, smiling at me as he stood looking behind the partition at someone. “I have something you need to see.”
My legs felt as though they were carrying dead weight as I walked forward. And as I passed the wooden partition, I heard a gasp and my eyes snapped to the left.
My breathing stilled when I saw her, and my pulse took off like a bat out of hell in my neck. She looked exactly the same. Long black hair, the purest and palest of white skin, and ice blue eyes. Eyes that were abnormally wide as they stared up at me now.
And it felt like it was just yesterday that I’d seen her. Felt like just yesterday when we had sat together in my room, watching movies and lazing on the couch.
“Mae,” I whispered, as I took a step forward.
But Mae flinched at my movement, and the sisters at her side curled further into her. It took me a moment to realize that they were all terrified. That Mae was fearful of me.
Me.
A hand clapped on my shoulder and Judah stood by my side. I saw Mae look from Judah to me and back again, as though she could not believe what stood before her. “This is your gift?” I asked Judah, quietly. “You retrieved the Cursed from the Hangmen, without my permission?”
Judah’s hand became iron tight and I heard his quick inhale of breath at the tone of my voice. “You need a wife, brother. And I knew you would only take her,” he pointed to Mae and bit out, “Salome. The destined wife of the Prophet.” Judah sighed, but added, “I know you said to wait, but we are protected by God. And you need a wife.” He pointed at Mae. “You need her.”
Mae’s eyes closed as she heard those words, and I stepped forward again, shrugging off Judah’s hold. “Leave us,” I said to Judah and Brother Luke, who had been waiting behind us.
“But, Cain—”
“I said leave us!” I shouted, as I glanced behind to meet my brother’s eyes. His jaw clenched as he stared me down, but he turned and left the mill, taking the child and the men with him.
When they had gone, I ran my hands through my hair. What had he been thinking? Sending that child in—a child he had been taking sexually—into the Hangmen's compound to retrieve the Cursed. We were not strong enough. And Styx would bring all of Hades’ fury on the commune when he realized she was gone. All three were here, and it would not take long for the Prez to work out where they had been taken. I was to get her, in time. But not yet.
Not fucking yet!
“Cain?” The soft sound of Mae’s shaking voice stopped me dead, and exhaling, I turned to see Mae looking up at me. Her sisters' hands were gripping hers, but she released them to get to her feet.