Page 57 of Prodigal Son

“But there are the others, the abominations.”

Cain believed they were worth studying, too, but he didn’t want to press his luck. “If God wanted Isaiah dead, he would have killed him by now. What if it’s God’s will that we keep him alive?”

His grandfather’s head lifted and Cain held his stare. No hope hid in Ezekiel’s eyes, only fear.

“You make a strong point, Brother Cain.” The bishop clapped his gavel. “Let it be done. We will send more males, and if Isaiah can be captured, we will bring him home. Males not attending the hunt will reinforce a cell below. However, if the dangers prove too great and Isaiah is in fact too strong, then he is to be destroyed on the shadow of which he stands. You will attack at night and transport him during the day when the sun has him at his weakest. Do not expect him to recognize you as anything other than a male trespassing on his territory. Every volunteer will be risking his own life.” The bishop stood. “Who is brave enough to take this burden upon their shoulders and bring this evil to an end?”

A male in the back stood. “I shall go.” Then another male and another. Soon enough there were over twenty large, imposing males forming the band of brothers vowing to bring Cain’s uncle home.

When The Council meeting was dismissed, Cain waited for his grandfather. Ezekiel appeared grave and deeply troubled by tonight’s decision when Cain hoped he might feel relieved.

“You spoke well tonight, Cain. Your father would have been proud to see it.”

“You don’t seem pleased with the verdict.” They left the safe house and walked slowly through the dark. Insects chattered, and owls called in the distance.

“I’m grateful for your mercy, but there is no saving my brother.”

His grandfather had gone on the first hunt and nearly lost his life when Isaiah tried to decapitate him. Though their kind rarely scarred, his grandfather had returned with a stripe of white hair that never turned black again.

“We don’t know all there is to know about mating, Grandfather.”

“I suppose you make a good argument for that, but I know my brother. That thing is not Isaiah.”

They walked in silence for several steps. “Will you tell me about him?”

A sad smile curled his grandfather’s mouth. “If not for my brother, none of us would be here. Isaiah had heard whispers of the New World. Another plague had unleashed on Europe, making it impossible to feed without risking suffering every time we ingested putrid blood. We were mostly starving. I didn’t want to leave Maman or Pére, but Isaiah had a premonition.”

“Uncle was a prophet?”

“He had visions from time to time. Perhaps they were dreams, but our kind did not dream. He called them aperçus de Dieu, glimpses from God. He saw a great ship transporting us across the sea and warned of many deaths.”

“From Europe?”

“Yes, but he had other visions as well. I had been enchanted by a female called Vashti but scorned when she married Caleb. Isaiah told me not to be bitter, as another love was destined to come my way. He also warned that Vashti would suffer the loss of a child on the journey. She did. And soon after we arrived in Philadelphia, I was called to your grandmother. The more his premonitions came true the less I questioned him. But one night he came to me, and we had a terrible fight.”

Their steps were unhurried. “What did you fight about?”

“Isaiah told me he would disappear. He said I would lose him forever, and I must not think of the past but do whatever was necessary to protect my family in the future, even if it meant ending him. I refused any such fate and we quarreled. I told him his visions were wrong, and we would live millennia as brothers. He became so frustrated with my refusal that we didn’t speak for months. I’d give anything to have those months back now.”

“Because he was right.”

“I should have trusted him,” his grandfather said, voice heavy with remorse. “Isaiah was different. Special. He saw things the rest of us could not. But I could not see how any male could fear themselves so deeply. He claimed a monster hid inside of him and it would eventually break free. He begged me to kill the monster before others were hurt, but I could not make such a promise.”

“Because killing the monster would mean killing your brother.”

“Do you blame me?” His grandfather looked at him through shimmering blue eyes.

“No. As much as Adam angers me, he’ll always be my brother.”

“Adam reminds me a lot of Isaiah. My brother was a charitable male, always helping others, protecting the females, and gifting the children with whimsical finds. His presence was sought after and his spirits were always high, even during the lowest of times.”

Cain considered all his family had built since arriving in America with nothing but the clothes on their backs. While some might see an Amish farm as lacking, The Order had sustained and stood the test of time. “It’s easy to overlook the hardship we no longer face.”

“Those hardships strengthened our values and helped us appreciate what graces we were given. The Charming Nancy had been a tomb upon the sea, but we survived better than most. The nine families that traveled over still exist today. We’ve worked together like a family for more than a century, been blessed by many callings, and celebrated almost as many matings.”

“Except Uncle Isaiah’s.”

“He, and your father, and you.”

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