Chapter 1

The straw in the haystack jabbed painfully at my face.

My sister, Abigail Ritter, was curled up at the very back, one hand still clamped over my mouth. Her palm was slick with sweat, and her whole body was shaking.

"Shh, Aaron, not a sound. Please, I'm begging you."

I looked at her eighteen-year-old face, and tears welled up in my eyes.

Twelve years.

It had been twelve years since I'd last seen my sister alive.

In my last life, it had happened right here too. She'd been wearing a blue shirt so faded it was nearly white, the hems of her pants caked with mud and an old backpack at her feet.

Back then, I had no idea why she was hiding. All I knew was that today was her wedding day.

The family had slaughtered a hog, and wedding decoration hung all over the yard. My mother, Rhonda Ritter, had even pinned a little flower to my jacket.

She'd told me that if I found my runaway sister and brought her back, I'd get candy.

So when I spotted Abigail, I was over the moon.

I yelled for them. My father, Dennis Ritter, my uncle, Stuart Cornwell, and the people the groom's family had sent to fetch the bride all came running.

When Dad dragged Abigail out of the haystack by her hair, the look she gave me was full of disbelief. In the end, there was nothing left in it but despair.

For years afterward, I had nightmares about those eyes.

Now I couldn't say a word. I only clutched the two pieces of candy in my palm.

My sister's gaze landed on the candy wrappers, and the color slowly drained from her face. She probably thought Mom had used the candy to coax me into finding her, because the hand over my mouth tightened instead of loosening.

"Aaron, don't yell. It's not that I don't want you. Once I get out of here, I'll find a way to come back for you."

By the end, her voice had cracked.

Suddenly, Mom's voice rang out from outside.

"Aaron!

"Abigail!

"Where did you two run off to?"

My sister went rigid. I could feel the hand pressed over my mouth turn cold.

I shook my head hard, pried her hand away, and whispered, "I won't yell."

She froze for a moment. Instead of relaxing, she eyed me warily.

I knew why she didn't believe me.

Last night, she'd tried to slip out the back door, and Dad had caught her and given her a beating.

Then this morning, Dad called me over and drilled it into me again and again, "The second you see your sister, yell. Don't let her blow the money for this family."

At six, I had no idea what eighteen thousand dollars meant. I only remembered Dad patting my head and saying, "Once your sister's married, we'll have money to build a new house. Then you can have your schooling, a house of your own, and a wife someday."

Back then, I'd even thought my sister getting married was good news for the whole family.

I sniffled and lowered my voice. "Abby, I know you don't want to marry Justin."

Her expression changed instantly. She stared at me. "Who told you that? Did Dad send you to trick it out of me?"