Page 4 of Wrath

CHAPTER TWO

WYNTER

Ishiver uncontrollably, wrapping my arms around myself and hunching my knees up to my chest. Raindrops slide down my face and drip from the end of my nose. I glance up to see my mother watching from the kitchen window. She wants to bring me inside, I can tell by the pained expression on her face. Despite her performance for my father, I know she hates it when he treats me like this.

I’ve been chained to the washing line pole in the garden for three days now. It’s all part of my punishment for interrupting my sister’s ceremony. They have been ordered not to speak to me or even look in my direction. I heard my father laying down the law after he brought me home from the church. I also heard my mother pleading my case, stating how I was an emotional person and how I love my sister dearly. It made no difference. It never does. If she’d have carried on fighting for me, she’d be out here too.

After a few minutes, the door opens and my mother stands in the doorway. She’s out of my reach but close enough that she doesn’t need to shout for me to hear her. “He’s on his way home,” she says in a lowered tone. “Please, Wynter, please don’t aggravate him further with your smart mouth.” I stare at mybare feet, pressing my toes hard against the stone path. “I don’t know what he has planned, but I’m certain if you just take the punishment, he’ll move on, and we can get back to how things were.”

I roll my eyes. “We both know he won’t let me forget this.”

“If you give off this attitude, you’ll be out here for another few days, and the weather isn’t getting any better.”

“Why did he marry you?” I ask, finally meeting her eyes. “If he felt like he couldn’t love the daughter of a warrior, why did he marry you?”

“Stop this nonsense right now,” she hisses. “You make it so difficult, and it doesn’t need to be.”

“He hates me, so whatever I do or say makes everything worse.”

“It’s your role as the eldest daughter to provide services for your family.”

“Like a slave,” I spit.

“Like a good daughter,” she counters. “What you did had so many other consequences. Summer may not fall pregnant, and if that happens, Lord only knows how your father will react. And then he will turn on me for only giving him one daughter.” She goes back inside, locking the door.

I know she’s right. I’ve made things worse for us all, but in that moment, I’d lost control. If Summer fails to conceive, my father’s rating in society will drop. It’s not unheard of for families to offer the third daughter, but my mother almost died during childbirth with Summer, so a third child was out of the question.

“Thought she’d never go,” a voice whispers from behind me, and I smile, turning slightly. “No, don’t look back in case she looks out the window again.” I feel a paper cup being pressed into my palm, and I sigh in relief, gripping it in my shaking hand and taking a sip of water. “There’s some bread here too.I even put some butter on it.” I place the water back behind me and take the bread. It’s still warm, and my stomach growls with hunger. “Any news on the next ceremony?” I check the window is clear before turning my back to the house and staring at my best friend, Abel. His family runs a bakery in town, and they’re the kindest people I’ve ever met. But if my father knew I’d become friends with someone from the town, I’d be in more trouble. He prefers me to not have anyone at all.

“No, but it’s probably going to be Livia.”

Livia Garcia is almost twenty-three, and Abel has loved her since she was ten years old. Not that she knows, because the girls who are used for ceremonies don’t associate with anyone outside their homes and are never unaccompanied by a family member.

“I hope not,” he mutters, watching as I take a bite of bread. “I saw more boys arriving today,” he adds, and my stomach churns at the thought of where those little boys have come from and what awaits them. Jade, who is also from the village, Abel, and I have been watching the comings and goings of the guards.

Once every six months, they leave in a van, and when they return, usually three or four days later, they bring young boys aged around five years, who are taken to the camp below the village and trained to become fighters. The ones who grow strong and fight well are moved to the warrior camp, and eventually, families bid on them and take them into their own camps, where they are trained to fight for the family. Jade works in the dorms, setting up for their arrival. She often tells us how the boys cry for their mothers until they learn not to. Guards beat it out of them quickly enough.

“You should go,” I say. “My father is on his way home, and if he catches you here . . .”

“Yeah, yeah, he doesn’t scare me.” But we both know the penalty for villagers who break rules—helping me would get Abel beaten in front of the entire village.

My father returns ten minutes later and saunters towards me. “Are you ready to rejoin the family?” he asks. It’s the same question he asked me last night, only this time, I’m too cold and hungry to get another beating.

“Yes, please, sir.”

“Stand.” I grip the pole and drag myself to stand on aching legs. I almost buckle to the ground, but he catches my arm. He takes out the key from his pocket and releases the metal cuff from my wrist. “You will bathe and meet me in the dining room in one hour.” Then, he turns on his heel and goes back inside.

I spend way too long in the bathtub, enjoying the warm water heating my bones. It’s only when there’s a light tap on the door that I startle and get out, grabbing a towel. Summer enters, offering a weak smile. “Father wants me to hurry you along,” she says before asking, “Are you okay?” We embrace, and she gently tucks my hair away from my face. “I’ve been so worried about his plan to punish you.”

“I’m sure it can’t be too bad,” I whisper. “Besides, it was worth it if it meant you wouldn’t get hurt.”

She smiles. “I thought Father’s head was about to explode.” She giggles. “Thank you, Wynter. What you did was brave.”

“Was it hurting bad?”

Tears sparkle in her eyes, and she nods. “I’ve never felt pain like it. And I bled afterwards.”

“I just hope you get pregnant,” I mutter.

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