Page 56 of The Monster's Mate

“Do you know who River’s father was? Who mine is, the one that just left?” I ask tentatively.

The prophet shrugs. “What do we care?”

“That man you just let go is Duke Milinazzo, who thought he’d run for president until it was found out he impregnated a child. Isabel was only fourteen years old. Everyone is looking for him. You think to hide him? Just like those aliens came for River, they’ll come for me. They’ll find me here and they’ll know you bargained with Duke for both of his daughters.”

And only then does Donald look worried.

“It’ll be too late.” The prophet calms him. “She’ll be safely married, replacing her sister.”

“That heathen broke my wrist,” Donald says. “It still pains me to this day.”

“You have three wives to wait on you,” the prophet says.

“Two of them are idiots,” Donald snaps. “And First Wife has her hands full with the household duties.” He eyes me. “Maybe it would be fitting for me to take this one—”

The prophet lays his withered, spotted hand on the man’s arm. “Brother Donald, normally I wouldn’t mind. However, because River was your daughter and this one resembles her, I think those rumblings would grow. Tales of perverted hidden desires. And right now, we don’t need any negativity. No excuses that we’re doing anything out of order. So, she’ll staymyreplacement bride. One sister for another.”

I almost choke on my breath. I’m not sure which—husband—would be worse.

“I’ll lock her up for tonight.” He eyes me thoughtfully. “River’s old room will be beneficial for us all.”

“Send a message to this Duke.” The prophet scrunches up his nose in distaste. “Make sure he’s present at the ceremony tomorrow night to give me his daughter if he wants payment for his end of the bargain.”

I’m dragged away by Donald—River’s adoptive father. Or rather, the man who stole her from the river where Isabel was sailing her down to her aunt.

I’m tossed in a room, the door locking behind me from the outside. Was River locked into her room? Quickly, I look around. There’s a closet with a door. I swing it open to find a few pastel abominations hanging. To be fair, I might be rather spoiled since Samantha has started sharing her expensive clothing. But these things—thesegowns—are heavy and pastel, tiny buttons going all the way up the neck. My throat feels itchy just thinking of them.

They’re well worn, the bottoms scrubbed and faded from dragging in the dirt. Beneath the hanging dresses are boots.

Boots. Workhorse, fit-for-the-fields, boots.

Somehow, I know this is River’s room and it’s hard to imagine the happy, beautiful girl happily wearing alien tattoos strewn down her face and neck lived here once. Wore these ghastly gowns.

Hard to believe she’s my sister.

If I ever get to see Sam again, I’ll ask her if she suspected that Isabel’s long-lost daughter was my sister. Oh, God. That means Isabel—at fourteen—was impregnated bymy father. Who was also impregnating my own mother near the same time.

A short time later, the lights shut down automatically and with nothing left to see or explore, I feel around in the dark and climb into her bed.

Clothes on.

I’m not giving any old geezer easy access.

It’s a long night of tossing and turning. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep, but as soon as I think that, the door bangs open, hitting the wall and making me jump. I’m astonished to find the room light because when I closed my eyes, it was pitch black. The sun is filtering into the windows and I’m surprised I fell asleep at all.

Three older women bustle in. They wear the same type of dresses that the commune womenfolk wear—though an extreme version. Like the atrocious clothing in the closet. They wear their hair in the same style, a high-piled fat bun on top their heads, though the one in the center braided hers before twisting it.

“Get up!” the one in the middle snaps. “The marriage ceremony is being moved up. We no longer have all day to prepare you.” She eyes me disdainfully. “As much as you need it.”

I stare in a sleepy shock. So, it was real. I really was abducted last night, and put in River’s old bedroom.

“My God. She is a relation.” One of the women crosses herself. “You can see the resemblance between them. Shehasbeen brought to us to correct River’s sin, just like they said.”

“Yes,” I say wryly. “What are the chances that two from the same bloodline would be kidnapped by a bunch of crazed lunatics?”

The woman in the middle steps forward and slaps me across the face. After the shock wears off, the burning sting leaves my ear ringing.

And I have nothing left to lose.

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