It was what I relied on for this moment.
His hand reached out and landed on my head. For a moment, feeling his touch, my confidence waned. But I closed my eyes tightly and brought Harmony’s brave yet fearful face to mind.
I had to do this for her.
“You have chosen to repent?” Judah asked.
“Yes,” I replied. “I want to repent for doubting our ways . . . I . . . I have thought and thought of what I have done to you, to our people. And I cannot . . . I cannot . . . ” I let my words fade on a choked cry.
“Look up,” Judah commanded.
I lifted my head. I studied Judah’s face, his hair. I drank in how he was wearing his tunic. Everything I possibly could. “My brother,” I whispered, forcing tears to my eyes. “My prophet.”
Judah’s eyes flared at my reverence, and his hand tightened in my hair. He kneeled down, placing his face directly in front of mine. Judah’s hand drifted down my face then fell to land on my shoulder. My chest squeezed as he touched me. But all I could think of was what Sister Ruth had made me realize days ago.
Judah had never cared for me.
This act of affection was all for power. Everything he did was calculated. Measured for his optimum gain.
Nothing was pure in his soul . . . not anymore.
“I have missed you, brother,” he said, and a smile formed on his lips. “When I was told you wanted to repent, I had to come and see you. I never wanted to hurt you, brother. But I had no choice. You pushed my hand.”
“I know that now. I understand.”
His head tilted to the side. “And you will adhere to our practices?”
Bile rose in my throat, but I forced myself to nod my head. “Yes,” I said. “I will fall into line . . . I will stand proudly by your side. You were always the one who should have been our leader. I see that now.”
Judah’s nostrils flared in triumph.
“And after my isolation period with the Cursed has ended, you will take a consort in my honor?” I nodded my head. Judah leaned forward. “You will awaken a child in my honor? We have three that have been prepared for next week’s post-wedding celebration.”
My cheek twitched as a sudden, blistering anger roared through me. But I quelled it enough to say, “Yes. I would do anything for you. Anything.”
Judah opened his mouth to say something else, when a loud crash came from the entrance of the cell and I heard Solomon and Samson raise their voices as if they were under attack. Judah’s attention snapped to the open door. “What the—?” he began, and I launched from the floor and tackled him to the ground.
Judah’s wide shocked eyes were the last thing I saw as I raised my clenched fist and slammed it against his jaw. Judah lost consciousness immediately. I was careful where I’d hit him. I couldn’t draw blood and stain his pristine white tunic.
“Now!” I called out and several feet immediately came rushing into my cell. Brother Stephen smothered Judah’s mouth with the chloroform-coated rag. Solomon and Samson helped me rid Judah of his clothes. In minutes I was dressed in the tunic and Sister Ruth had applied the makeup to my bruised skin. Judah was now dressed in my filth-ridden pants.
My heart pounded as adrenaline rushed through me. Sister Ruth stepped back, water filling her eyes. “Well?” I asked. “Will I pass as him? The bruising is not too much?”
Sister Ruth looked down to the unconscious Judah on the ground, and then back to me. “The guards have not harmed your face too badly in recent days, so it is fine.” She paused, then said, “The two of you are completely identical in every way . . . it is . . . it is astonishing.” I breathed out a sigh of relief, but Sister Ruth’s sudden sadness touched something inside me. She did not belong in a place like this. Her soul was too kind, too tender. She only looked to be in her late thirties. If I could just pull this off, she could have a life outside. A good, happy life.
Another reason why I couldn’t fail.
“Brothers Luke, Michael and James were in the prophet’s quarters when I collected him,” Solomon said. “They have already gathered the people for the ceremony. Judah told the brothers he would be back, then they would go straight to the altar.”
I cast a glance down at my unconscious brother. “We will be fine,” said Brother Stephen. I inhaled deeply. Just as I was about to leave, he said, “Protect her, Cain. Take her back to her sisters . . . Just get her to a better life.”
“I will be coming back for you,” I promised.
He nodded. “I believe you can do this.”
I cast a final look down to my twin, sprawled on the ground. My gut twisted . . . and I knew that when the Hangmen came, Judah would pay. It had to be that way, but . . . I could barely stand the thought of being without him. He was my brother.
I left the cellblock and went out into the fresh air. When I arrived at the mansion, Brothers Luke, Michael and James were there, exactly as Solomon told me they would be.
Brother Luke watched me closely as I entered. “Did he repent?”
I nodded my head and smiled as Judah would do. A prideful smirk. “Of course. He was never going to stay in that place forever. He has pledged his allegiance to me. And he accepts me as his lord and prophet.”
Brother James looked behind me. “Where is he?”
I waved my hand. “He is filthy and not fit to be seen yet. I will collect him after the four days have passed.” I forced a salacious smile onto my lips. “Then I will reintroduce him into the fold at the post-wedding Lord’s Sharing.”
“He will participate?” Brother Luke asked suspiciously.
I smiled even wider. “Not only that, but he will awaken a child.”
Brother Luke reached for my hand and kissed the back of it with reverence. “You are truly the prophet, my lord. God has blessed you. He has blessed us with your power.”
I placed my hand on his bowed head. “Come,” I said. “We have souls to save.”
I turned back to the daylight and led the way out of the mansion, praying that I had played my part sufficiently well. I waited for a hit or strike to come from the men behind me . . .
But none came.
As we arrived at the altar I gave a long sigh of relief. I looked at the bed in the center of the raised platform. A new nervousness flooded my veins when I thought of what I had to do . . . what Harmony must do with me so we could be free.