Defy by Raine Thomas Page B

that a Gloresti
bond formed—was never established between the fathers and children.
Over time, it was generally accepted that because Caleb, James and
Gabriel were already formally paired and avowed with Skye, Olivia
and Amber, they couldn’t establish the same type of pairing with
anyone else.
    Jabari looked at Malukali and Knorbis. “Did
you perceive any thoughts last night about this?”
    The two elders shook their heads. Malukali
said, “We have never been able to fully read the Kynzesti, as you
know. We didn’t perceive anything.”
    Knorbis briefly stroked her hair in a
supportive gesture. “In all honesty, it had been a very trying day
for both of us. We went to bed earlier than usual. We might have
missed their departure.”
    “Why would archigos Ini-herit go with
them?” commander Caoilinn asked.
    “Why would any of them go with Tiege?”
the Elphresti commander, Khalidah, replied. “Surely they understand
that he is highly unstable right now.”
    Despite the fact that he had said and
believed as much the night before, Caleb stiffened at the
implication.
    “We have no way of knowing what occurred,”
Gabriel said, briefly catching Caleb’s gaze and giving him a nod.
“Sophia and Clara Kate are as close to Tiege and Tate as siblings.
I’m not terribly surprised that they agreed to go. It’s much more
unexpected that Ini-herit went with them, but I have to think that
he believed Tiege’s story and was somehow convinced to participate
without telling any of us. And I have absolutely no idea what
possessed Quincy to go.”
    Olivia sat between her sisters, holding
Skye’s hand on top of the table. She said, “We may have brought
them into the world, but none of us really understands the bond
between the Kynzesti…particularly Kynzesti twins. I think what we
should be focusing on is how to get to them.”
    “The Waresti are searching for them,” Uriel
said. His commander, Harold, and second commander, Alexius, had
already started the search. “The moment they’re found, we’ll
know.”
    “And if Ini-herit contacts me for anything, I
will know where he is,” Sebastian said. He was the Lekwuesti paired
with each of the elders. The multiple pairings were unique to him
as the class elder.
    “What about this Zachariah guy?” Amber asked.
“Is everyone still looking for him, too? Our kids are out there
with this murderer on the loose.”
    “We’re still searching for Zachariah as well
as Kanika,” Jabari confirmed.
    Skye looked around the table. Strangely,
Caleb noted she had more optimism and life in her light blue gaze
since learning of Tiege’s defiance. “I don’t want to sit here
feeling useless, but…” she looked down at her very round belly.
    “Your families need you with them,” Knorbis
said, his dark purple eyes understanding. “And it wouldn’t be in
the best interests of your health or the health of your future
children to leave the safety of your homes right now. Besides,
Tiege and the others could return at any time.” He looked to his
commander and second commander. “I’ll work with Meda and Leoma to
see if we can try and predict their likely course. We will continue
to work with the information discovered by the investigating
Waresti to reason out what the rogue Mercesti are pursuing, as
well.”
    The others nodded.
    Caleb listened with a heavy weight on his
chest as plans were made that didn’t involve him or his family. It
felt wrong to not be charging into action. But he knew that Knorbis
was right.
    It seemed his firstborn children were meant
to fight this particular battle on their own.
     

PART II:
Resist
     
    Resist [ v . ri- zist ]: Used with
object . To withstand, strive against,
    or oppose: to resist infection; to resist
temptation .
     

Chapter 14
     
    “Ariana, come here.”
    She hurried to comply. As she had been
commanded, she performed a curtsy before the Mercesti who ordered
her over to him, keeping her head bowed. The action had anger