And if this decision makes me commit an actual sin, then so be it.
Soren
The boat sways from side to side, nausea making it hard to breathe. But I keep myself grounded by staring at the water ahead. I’ve always felt more comfortable on my jet ski, though I probably won’t ever be able to do that again. Life at the House had its benefits, with electrical gadgets, copious amounts of food, a warm bed, and a lavish lifestyle. Nothing but dirt, trees, and rocks are out here, and the people who inhabit these islands live as close to nature as possible. It’s the complete opposite of what I was used to all these years … but it definitely reminds me of where I came from.
The place I used to call home.
A large island looms in the distance, smoke rising from the thick woods, signaling the people that another boat is arriving. Boats rarely arrive, if ever, on the island. They only carry supplies … or those who have returned after their duties are completed to reap the rewards of their service.
But I am not one of those men.
My stomach churns, and I lean over the edge of the boat, my body feeling heavier and heavier the closer we get.
“I’m surprised you wanna go there,” the guide who owns this boat suddenly says with an accent that reminds me of a long time ago. “Not a lot of people wanna visit that island. If ever. Bunch of hippies there, practicing some occult magic shit.”
I just grumble and look ahead as the boat comes near the shore.
“Well, not that it matters. As long as I get paid,” he muses. “But I’m not returning to pick you up, just so you know. So good luck out there.”
The boat reaches the docks, and he secures the rope to make sure the boat doesn’t go anywhere as I step off. My stomach is glad I’m on land, but my mind … My mind knows I’m not going to get a warm welcome.
I swallow as I step off the pier and onto the soil of the island I was birthed on.
The island I used to call my home.
My teeth grate as I tear my eyes away from the boat and peer up at the trees beyond. Several heads peek out from the forest line, the people not daring to step closer. Not until the boat is gone and I’m all alone.
The guy doesn’t wait long and immediately unhooks the rope, waving me goodbye before setting off again. I don’t wave back. Instead, I focus on what lies ahead. On the punishment that awaits me when the Elder finds out what I have done.
Two men step out from the shadows of the forest. They peer around to secure the area before more of them appear from the woods, all headed toward me. I don’t even flinch even though my heart begins to race as they approach me in their signature underpants, no shirt, bodies covered in tattoos.
One of them stands in front of me, his knives on full display, his eyes glinting with a kind of temper that I recognize from staring in the mirror. It’s the kind of look that says he won’t back down from a fight should there be one. But I know better than to pick a fight with the people who raised me.
So I lower my head in honor and then turn to show them my back. Slowly, I peel away my shirt from bottom to top, tearing it over my head to reveal the tattoos on my back that were so painstakingly applied by the tattooists on this island. A privilege bestowed only to those who serve and belong.
And when I turn around again, the guy lowers his knife and tucks it back into his pocket.
“Arvid, protector of the island,” he says with a sullen voice.
“Soren,” I reply.
Protector.
A skilled warrior who will do anything to protect the island from invaders and uninvited guests. They are picked from the best of the best trainees, specifically appointed by the wisest Elder.
His eyes are no longer volatile but questioning as he furrows his brows.
“Did you complete your mission?”
I avert my eyes in shame. “I failed.”
Arvid sucks in a breath through his nose and glances at the others that accompanied him. “C’mon. They’re waiting for you.”
They? As in … the Elders?
“Did they know I was coming?” I ask as we walk across the beach and head straight into the forest.
“Of course,” Arvid replies. “The Elders received a notice by a letter from your Owner stating you had failed your duty.”
Fuck.
I’d forgotten mail arrives quicker than people. And of course Tobias would let them know ahead of time that I was coming back.
I grumble and follow Arvid deep into the heart of the forest, where I know only one thing awaits me.