The Forsaken (The Chosen Series Book 2), Patricia Bell [e textbook reader .txt] 📗

age that whoever married the brutal man would be sorry. He had a temper like no other, and all the girls feared him. Now she would be the one to marry him.

Why did Jacob have to die?

She’d marry Jacob any day over his brother. And now she would be forced into marriage at thirteen. Nothing like it had ever happened among The Chosen. Never had a girl married so young.

Elder Aaron was right. Things had begun to change since that English girl had come and stirred up evil. As she helped her younger siblings dress in their nightclothes, she tried not to think about it. Only the more she tried not to, the more she did.

“ABIGAIL,” A DEEP VOICE called as she walked home from the work building the next day.

She turned to look but saw no one. She wasn’t in the mood for idle conversation, so she picked up her pace.

“Abigail,” the voice rang out again.

Recognizing the voice, Abigail turned hesitantly to see Malachi standing straight and stern next to a Palo Verde tree.

She had no choice but to go back to where he stood, watching her. They were officially betrothed, and she could be in serious trouble if she did not comply. They had never spoken in private before. In truth, he intimidated her, and she avoided him at all costs. But now, she had no choice.

Her knees wobbled, and she slowed as she drew closer. She stopped several feet away from him. His lips were pulled thin and tight, arms across his chest, and his forearms flexed showing the veins in his bulging muscles. Abigail shuddered at the sight of him. How could she marry a man such as him?

“You heard?” he asked.

“I did.”

“I am sorry, Abigail.” His hands fell to his sides, and a look of sadness entered his eyes. “I do not know why they are making us do this. You are too young and I—”

“God is punishing me.”

“No, I do not . . . why would you say that?”

His face contorted so strangely that Abigail almost laughed. For a split second, she’d forgotten he was a monster. He stared at her, eyebrows lifted, and she covered her mouth to stifle a nervous giggle.

“Abigail? Are you well?”

“I am.” Not knowing what had come over her, she tried to be serious. “I am under a lot of stress right now. I mean, I am about to be married to a—”

“A monster,” he finished for her.

Abigail’s eyes widened.

“You think I do not know what people call me?” His face hardened. “You think I do not hear?”

“I am sorry,” she whispered.

“It is well. I am used to it. But I am not a monster. And I will not marry you.”

He’d said the same thing as Jacob had said. For a moment, the statement bothered her. She didn’t want to marry him either, but still, it offended her that both Malachi and Jacob had refused to marry her. “What is wrong with me?”

He raised an eyebrow again. “You want to marry me?” he asked.

“Well, no. Of course not. I am too young . . .  how will you get out of it? Jacob tried, and now he is dead.”

“I do not know, but I shall find a way out of it.” He looked past her and a frown formed on his face. “I must go.”

She crooked her head to see Elder Aaron walking in her direction. She turned to leave, and the elder called out to her. “Abigail!”

It was too late. She turned back to him.

“Come with me.”

“I must get home, Elder. My family—”

“Your father is aware. I have been sent to collect you.”

“Why—”

“Come with me.” Elder Aaron grabbed her arm tightly and pulled her in the direction of the church.

Chapter 12 ― Luna

“No!” Luna cried out as she sat up in her bed. Her eyes blurred as she looked around. She was home in her bed in complete darkness. The nightmare that woke her lingered in her mind.

It was Abigail again. She was being held captive in some kind of dark place. Her dress was dirty and torn, and one leg was bound at the ankle by a long chain attached to a pole in the center of the dark and creepy room. The girl’s eerie cries for help reverberated in Luna’s head, giving her chills.

As the dream faded, Luna rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. She washed her face, staring into the mirror. Bed lines crossed her cheeks in all directions. Although she seemed to have slept the entire night, she felt as though she hadn’t rested a bit. The dream, although almost completely gone, still bothered her. The vision of Abigail calling out to her did not disappear.

She snuck out to the living room where Jonathan lay fast asleep and snoring. Outside it was still dark. She hadn’t even looked at the time. The clock on the DVR said 2:36. It was too early to wake him, so Luna cuddled in next to him and tried to go back to sleep.

He woke just long enough to kiss her on the forehead. “Another bad dream?” he mumbled.

“Uh, huh,” she answered.

He placed his arm around her and fell back asleep.

LUNA WOKE UP TO A NUDGE. She opened her eyes, and her mother was standing over her, staring at her and Jonathan cuddled up on the couch. She sat up.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” She stretched. “I had another bad dream.”

Jonathan yawned and stretched next to her as he sat up.

“You two agreed you would not sleep in the same bed if I let him stay here.”

“Mom, I know. I’m sorry. I really am. I had this horrible dream, and I came out to talk to him, but then I didn’t want to wake him, so I just laid down next to him.”

“This is not the first time I have woken up to find the two of you together.”

Luna had thought she’d been careful to sneak back to her room before