The Tithe

By KC Burn

Seven years ago, Aric watched his best friend enlist in the United Human Coalition military and leave aboard a starship. Aric was a simple farmer, one of many who provided foodstuffs to the UHC. How could he possibly compete with the lure of space travel and the chance to see other planets? But it's time to move on with his life. Mourning "what might have been" was futile and only made his family worry.

Seven years ago, Tobin had nothing to offer Aric beside his heart and a strong body. Not nearly enough for Aric's family, who'd already begun the search for suitable brides. Without prospects and unwilling to watch Aric marry someone else, Tobin enlisted. At least he'd have the excitement of seeing new worlds while fighting to protect humanity. But military life was not kind to him, and when he unexpectedly returns home, he has even less to offer Aric than before.

Seeing Tobin again fills Aric with joy and he's bursting with feelings he'd never dared confess. But Tobin is a different man from the boy who left. Settling back into farm life might be well beyond his capabilities, and the unspoken feelings might be better off left unsaid. Because losing Tobin again could break Aric for good.

• Language: English
• Publisher: KC Burn
• Release date: Aug 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781950068937

Book preview

Chapter 1

Aric Durain leaned over the tub and dumped a pitcher of water over his head. The sharp chill was refreshing, even if it wasn't the full shower he'd hoped for. He'd barely had time to grab a meal here and there for the past week. With three of his farmhands recovering from a Krezan parasite and two major pieces of farm equipment waiting for parts, Aric had had no choice but to work long, grueling days to ensure his farm's tithe was ready when the transport ship arrived. Today.

Three hours of sleep would normally fray his patience, but he didn't have time for temper. He had to travel to Cang, the closest port city, to hand over his farm's tithe, as he'd done every year for the past thirteen years. At twelve years of age, he'd been so proud his father had entrusted him with such an important task. Back then he'd also had the company of his best friend, Tobin. It had been a mini holiday for the two of them, to take a skimmer into the port, watch the ponderous berthing of the great transport ship in the sky, then turn over the tithe tally to the quartermaster. After that, they'd spend hours watching the tithes get loaded onto the ship before heading back to the farm, arriving just as dusk fell.

For the past seven years, he'd done it alone.

Using a grubby towel, he scrubbed at his face, hair, and chest, hoping the friction would not only dry him off but take most of the week's ruchaba dust with it. Ruchabas might be a legume so packed with nutrients a person could survive on nothing but a diet of them, but Aric sure as shit wouldn't want to. He'd lost his taste for the mealy things long ago, but they were of immense value to the United Human Coalition's military, so his farm did well, as did all the ruchaba farms on P-591.

A quick inspection of the towel assured him he was, if not clean, at least better than he'd been ten minutes ago.

After grabbing a brush, he ran it through his wild red tangles, just enough to temporarily tame them before he donned a simple but flattering navy shirt. He tucked it into the waistband of his pants and managed to avoid catching sight of his plain farmer's face in the mirror.

Now if only he could also manage to avoid his sister, Rissa, he could count this day a success.

He strode out of his room and through the common areas of the farmhouse to the door.

Not fast enough.

Aric. Let me go this year.

He turned to face his sister standing at the doorway to the kitchen. She'd arrived the previous day to check that the hands were on the mend, and as early as it was, he hadn't expected to see her again before he left for Cang.

Don't worry about it. I'm ready to leave already.

He'd sent his remaining farmhands ahead to convey the ruchabas to the port. All that was truly required was for a Durain to present the tally to the quartermaster sometime over the next two days, while soldiers loaded the crops into the belly of the transport ship.

Rissa's russet brows drew together.

Why do you do this to yourself? It's been seven years. He's never coming back. Tobin Wichary is gone. Accept that. Move on, please.

He shrugged. How could he explain it to his sister when he couldn't explain it to himself? Spending the day watching the activities of the transport was more like a pilgrimage or a memorial than because of any real hope Tobin would return. Even if Tobin came home, there's no way he'd stay. The ruchaba-covered dustbowl of P-591 couldn't compare to the glamour of space travel and the excitement of other planets.

There's a nice guy in the next town. A friend of Garrett's.

I don't know, Ris.

"Please. Just meet him. I'm worried