I stared and stared at him, not wanting to speak. Seconds passed by, but my mouth did not open. Suddenly, a hand struck my face; the blow was blinding. All I could see were stars.

“Speak to the Lord’s prophet, whore!” I lifted my head to see Brother Micah’s angry face glaring at me. Micah, he had changed so much. That little boy I once called friend was gone. In his place stood this brutal and hateful man.

But I would not speak. Mae and Maddie… I had to protect my sisters.

Fire lit in Prophet Cain’s eyes as he looked upon Micah, and he swerved to face Brother Judah. “We take her back to Zion and we will revisit how to take back Salome and Magdalene. The revelation must be met! To save us all, it must be met!” Prophet Cain then faced the other brothers. “Do not hit her again. She will cooperate more if she is not struck by you.”

Brother Luke nodded at Prophet Cain, then lunged forward and took me by my bound wrists, wrenching me forward. My father joined me at my other side and hurt ached in my heart. He was my father; he had renounced me. Right now he was looking upon me like he was staring down the devil himself.

I meant nothing to him. I was nothing to him. He had truly renounced me, and a deep cave of rejection burrowed in my stomach.

“Hey! What about our money?” a male voice shouted behind us as my father and Brother Luke began hauling me into a thick forest, my feet dragging, still bound, along the ground.

I watched Brother Judah step toward them and signal something to Brother Micah. Brother Micah reached into his tunic and pulled out a firearm and opened fire on the six men who captured me, their bodies ripping apart with bullets and blood as they hit the ground—dead.

I screamed as I watched the men fall one by one. Brother Luke wrapped his hand over my mouth. “Hush, Rapunzel whore! Those men were sinners and deserved to die. It was God’s will.”

Prophet Cain stood beside us, his face blank, but I caught a slight tightening of his eyes, showing me that the execution of the men may have bothered him. Brother Judah and Micah caught up with us.

“Inform Landry the men have been disposed of and he will receive the payment within the hour,” Brother Judah told Brother Micah.

Brother Micah nodded and ran ahead into the forest but stopped to glance back and ask, “My lord, with permission, I would like to be the elder appointed to the Cursed Delilah. I would like to continue where Brother Noah left off.”

No, no, no!

My eyes darted to Prophet Cain, who watched me, his eyes narrowed. He waited to reply, like he was mulling it over in his head. I was begging him with my eyes to say no, but Brother Judah moved beside him.

“Brother, She is a Cursed. Prophet David’s revelation said that she must have an elder to instruct her salvation. Brother Micah is an elder. You have to let him take this role.”

My father, Brother Luke and Brother Micah watched on with curious stares and I could see that Brother Judah was uneasy with Prophet Cain’s delay in his answer.

Judah whispered something into Prophet Cain’s ear and the prophet glanced to me then cast his eyes down. Eventually, he waved his hand at Brother Micah. “Agreed, Micah. She needs to be purified. You shall be her ward.”

Brother Micah sighed in gratitude. When he looked at me, he smiled. “Thank you, Master. I will devote all of my time to her salvation.”

My legs grew weak and my head became dizzy. No! Brother Micah would continue where Brother Noah left off. Brother Micah would be my ward. He would be taking me in the Lord’s Sharings… No, no! I could not… I did not want him to touch me.

Fear took hold and I attempted to flee, but Brother Luke’s and my father’s hands stayed strong.

“No! Please!” I begged.

Prophet Cain was suddenly before me.

“Enough!” he demanded, then took a deep breath, causing my cries to halt in my throat. “You are back with your people now, Delilah. Do you not wish for your soul to be saved? This is the only way. Can you not see that?”

As I stared at Prophet Cain, I could see the sincerity and belief in his eyes.

“Prophet Cain, do not pander to her. It is her innate evil trying to seduce you,” my father said and I felt as though I had been stabbed in my back. Prophet Cain raised his hand to stop his protest.

“Well, do you?” Prophet Cain pushed. “Do you wish to continue living with a damned soul or do you want to join with the Lord? Be released from your evil, tempting bonds and be free?”

A shuddering breath escaped me and I nodded. Because I did. I wanted more than anything for my soul to be free. I wanted a man to want me for me and not my looks. My heart swelled with hope as I thought of my biggest wish… for Ky to love me, not the blond hair, the eyes, and my mouth… I wanted him to want me without the bewitching spell he was under.

“Yes,” I whispered to Prophet Cain. “I wish for my Satan-spawned soul to be saved.”

Prophet Cain nodded, triumph in his brown eyes. “Then you shall be as a woman should. You shall be obedient, meek, and submissive. And you shall abide by Brother Micah’s instruction and strive to rid yourself of Satan’s sin.”

*****

It was like nothing I could ever have imagined. People and buildings were scattered everywhere. Tall structures, farmland, and houses were everywhere. As far as the eye could see.

If Prophet David’s commune was a small village, New Zion was a vast city.

If the elders and disciples from Prophet David’s commune were guards, the thousands of men keeping vigil at the boundaries of New Zion were an army.