DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS

27

Past

Kianna

“Here.” Kianna turned the book around and showed the text to Selina and Calvin. Though the siblings were different ages and would have been in different levels in school, it was much easier for Kianna if she taught them the same thing. So, she fell right in the middle—she taught them what a ten year old would be learning.

“All of this?” Calvin grimaced. He hated reading, much less writing about what he had read afterward, but it was a requirement if he ever wanted to measure up to the other kids who were able to attend an actual school.

A sliver of annoyance snaked inside Kianna’s veins. She had way too much to do. Teach the siblings their daily lessons, prepare the lessons for tomorrow, check the clothes on the clothesline, wash a few more, prepare dinner, check if there was anything she could help out with in the field before the sun went down, make sure the tools were functional and clean enough for tomorrow, have dinner, put the kids to bed, clean the kitchen, wash herself, and only then she could think about going to sleep. It would be past midnight again.

What she wouldn’t give for a day off, a day she could do whatever she wanted—she would spend the day sleeping.

“This is too long,” Selina said, adding fuel to the fire.

Kianna clenched her hands under the table before she lunged over it and slapped each one of her siblings hard. She had never hit them, but she wouldn’t promise she never would.

Cat slapped the table, startling Kianna. “Be quiet and read the stupid thing.” She poked a finger to her own book, open in front of her. “I’m trying to study here.”

Cat couldn’t afford school either. Her mother didn’t allow her to come over every day, because she was afraid Cat would goof off and not study at all, but Giles was able to intercede, and Cat ended up studying with Selina and Calvin at least three afternoons in a week. The only difference was that she was in a more advanced level.

Selina and Calvin muttered some complaints, but lowered their gazes and read from the book.

Kianna let out a relieved sigh. She glanced at her best friend seated beside her and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Cat winked at her, then she, too, returned her attention to her book.

Having already finished her studies, Kianna watched, waiting until they were done to explain the text. To not waste time, she pulled out paper, ink, and a quill, and began her notes for the next day’s lessons.

Not two minutes later, Selina complained. “I’m hungry.”

Kianna fought an eye roll. “Lunch wasn’t three hours ago, and supper will be in two.”

“I’m hungry too,” Calvin mumbled. “Can’t we have a snack?”

Kianna opened her mouth to tell them to quiet down and read—

“I’m kind of hungry too,” Cat whispered.

She glared at her best friend.

Cat pouted and batted her eyes.

This time, Kiana didn’t suppress her eye roll. “Fine. Keep studying. I’ll see what we have.” She got up from the chair and dragged her feet to the kitchen.

Kianna cleaned her hands in the wash basin and glanced out the window. It was only spring and the sun was already too hot to handle. Her poor mother, Giles, and Devon were outside, working in the field and baking under the sun.

Kianna had wanted to trade places with her mother—she was young and healthy. She could endure the heavy work in the field under the scorching sun, while her mother stayed inside, teaching the kids. But her mother insisted Kianna was smarter than her, and the better choice to homeschool the siblings.

But as Kianna watched her mother wiping her sweaty forehead with a dirty rag in the middle of the field, Kianna’s heart squeezed. Her mother was too old for this kind of work. If only they could afford to pay one more worker, one more farmhand as energetic and strong as Devon.

No, no one was as energetic and strong as Devon.

And he wasn’t even being paid. All he got was a roof over his head, food on his plate, and a short allowance to buy cheap, personal things. Why he endured such hard work for scraps, Kianna would never understand.

Well, she hadn’t asked him about that, about why he was working himself to death for people he didn’t know.

Kianna grabbed the carrots and the apples from the ice box and washed them on the basin over the counter. Once more, she looked through the window.

It was easy to spot him in the field. It was as if Kianna’s brain was tuned to him and her eyes just knew where to look.

As a testament to how hot it was outside, Devon had taken his shirt off and tied it around his long hair to keep the loose strands back. His smooth skin dipped and crested over the muscles of his shoulders and back. He moved with vigor, making his muscles contract and expand. Glistening with sweat and the brightness of the sun, Devon looked more like an angel than a normal man.

Heat crept up her cheeks. Kianna averted her eyes, ashamed of where her thoughts had veered to.

She couldn’t think of him like that. She couldn’t think of him like that.

Easier said than done.

Kianna set the carrots and apples on a cutting board and began chopping them. She tried focusing on preparing the snack, but her mind and body betrayed her. When she least expected, her eyes looked up and spied on Devon.

However, the next time she looked out the window, she was surprised to see Devon beside the barn, drinking water from the pitcher left in the shade. He raised his chin, swallowing the water, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

Kianna’s breath caught.

Devon set the glass down and turned to the manor. He looked directly at Kianna. His lips curled up.

Kianna dropped the knife and took a step back from the cutting board, breaking the line of sight with Devon. She had better pay attention to what she was doing or she would lose a finger or two.

Annoyed with herself, Kianna inhaled deeply, trying to reason with herself. Why did she feel like this? Why was she so attracted to this strange, quiet, and mysterious man? Why couldn’t she rein in her mind and heart? She had to prove to herself this was just lust. He was an attractive man and he was close. That made it easy to think she was falling for him. Because she was falling for him. That was stupid. It was just lust.

Just lust.

The backdoor opened and Kianna yelped, startled.