Prologue
Vex
Victory aged 8
“Victory, can you hold the ropes for me and Loyal?” Patience asks, her missing teeth making her lisp.
I don’t really want to stand at the end of the skipping rope so I can watch my little sister skip but I know that being kind to my little sister is what the elders would want from me. They tell us all the time, to be good men we have to nurture and provide for the women. I nod, moving closer to where my sister and her friend are playing.
“Thank you, Victory,” Loyal’s burnt copper hair shines in the sunlight, making it look like it’s on fire. Her small hand passes me one end of the rope and I take it from her with a nod.
“Hurry up!” Patience yells and I roll my eyes playfully at Loyal, her blue eyes dancing.
Victory aged 10
“This one is yours,” Loyal smiles up at me, her eyes shining.
Loyal Blessing has the bluest eyes I have ever seen. Most of us here have dark eyes, like my dad and my uncle, but Loyal’sare light and bright and sometimes they hurt in the sun. I don’t know why. I know that she has to wear a hat and long sleeves though so she doesn’t get too burnt when we play outside.
“Thank you, Loyal,” I offer her a smile as she passes me my wrapped lunch.
Victory aged 12
My gaze follows Loyal as she slowly walks across the lawn. She’s dragging one of her feet and I get to mine, ready to help her carry the laundry she is delivering to the dormitory where the single women sleep.
“What’s wrong?” Wisdom asks.
“Loyal looks like she’s hurt,” I mutter, not even looking at my brother before I jog across the lawn, reaching Loyal before she can enter the female dormitory. “Loyal?”
She flinches at my voice, blue eyes wide before she realizes it’s me, her shoulders dropping. “Victory, hi.” She lowers her gaze and shifts slightly on her feet.
I don’t say anything more, just take the clean laundry basket from her, tipping my head to lead the way. She gazes at me from the corner of her eye before nodding once, shuffling ahead of me. I don’t ask what happened, or if she wants to talk about it. She never does. So I will help her and pretend that I don’t know her father is a mean old man.
Victory aged 14
“I would like to take your daughter on a picnic, sir.” I stare at Elder Blessing, not breaking eye contact, shoulders pulled back like my mom said to do. I’d seen her and my father go on picnics, and I want to do the same with Loyal.
The old man sneers at me, his blue eyes cruel instead of bright like Loyal’s, narrow. “Too late, son. Loyal has beenpromised to Elder Goodson. They are to be wed in three months.” The words steal my breath and the old man smirks.
“But, she’s fourteen, sir.”
He sits forward, his expression thunderous. “You question what I do withmyproperty? Get out of my house, boy, before I have you whipped in front of The Keep.”
Victory aged 17
“He’s hurting her again,” I mutter to my brothers, watching Loyal limping across the yard, fists balled at my side.
“Want us to have a word with him?” Christian asks, wincing as he watches Loyal.
I stare at her across the lawn, like I do every time her copper hair catches in the sunlight. Her posture is stiff, head down, shoulders hunched. A hand lands on my shoulder, pulling me from my thoughts which have turned murderous, not for the first time.
“We’ll talk with Goodson.”
Before we can make a move my uncle steps in front of the three of us. “Boys, it’s time you left to find your own way in the world. Follow me.”
I watch her over my shoulder, stoic as she limps further away from me. This isn’t goodbye. One day I will return to Eden’s Keep and make Loyal Blessing mine.
Chapter 1
