He continued to call names.
Seda took a deep breath and refocused her mind on what was happening in front of her.
How many was that? Are we safe this round?
“… Gavin Smith,” the lord continued. “You’re our final Wyrd selectee.”
The crowd, still reeling from the attack on the dome, clapped quietly.
“Our names weren’t selected,” Seda whispered with a smile. “We get another chance.”
“And that concludes our Wy…” Seda looked up at Cahir as Lord Mordred paused. She glanced back up at the podium, and her eyes widened.
Lord Mordred’s intense crimson gaze cut through the bustling crowd, locking onto her with an unsettling focus.
She quickly looked away from him.
Was he aware that she and Cahir had registered this Wyrd without a certificate?
“Excuse me,” he cleared his throat, looked away, and then resumed in a cheerful tone, “What an eventful day we’ve had. I want to thank everyone for their dedication to our success and survival. Please do not forget to collect your tokens on the way out.”
Chapter 2
Seda
Being safe this Wyrd was a huge relief, as if she had found a beacon of light in the darkness. Seda had to fight the urge to smile as she walked beside Cahir.
“Are you okay, Sed?” Cahir asked as they joined the crowd that was heading toward the east exit of the stadium.
“Oh, Cahir! Yes! I’m so happy we have another chance!” she exclaimed, her smile slipping free. “We’ll be successful and conceive this time, I know it.” She longed for the deep connection that comes with being a mom, wanting someone to love and care for, and someone who would love her back just as much. She also desperately wanted them to be safe from the Wyrd.
Cahir hummed thoughtfully, his gaze shifting from the birds soaring above to Seda’s shoulder. “I meant your scratches. Did something happen when shescratched you?”
She looked down at her shoulder, the sharp pain overshadowed by the happiness in her heart.
“No, it just came out of nowhere,” she replied. She hadn’t done anything to deserve the scratches, and it wasn’t the first time a bird had come too close. The birds were always around, watching them, watchingher. At least it felt that way, anyway. Until today, they had always been harmless.
She considered them annoying, similar to the meat bees that sometimes tried to steal her lunch when she ate outside.
“Was Lord Mordred watching me?” she wondered out loud, the rocks crunching under her leather shoes with every step. She recalled the way his eyes seemed to penetrate her, and the memory sent a chill down her spine.
Cahir’s face was unreadable. “It seemed that way. Have you ever met him in person before?” he asked as they both paused, letting others pass.
Throughout her life, she had only ever seen Lord Mordred at the Wyrds or in the numerous portraits of him around Joro.
The only reason he would have stared at her like that is if he knew she registered. What other reason could there be?
“No—ow!” A woman bumped into her, and her shoulder flared in pain. The woman apologized and quickly moved around them to the exit.
“We need to get you to the medical wing to check that out,” Cahir suggested.
“Maybe later,” she said, figuring she could get another insemination if they went, but exhaustion gripped her nerves, and she was eager to head home first.
The crowd led them to a long line, where people were gathering their food tokens from the Rozzers.
“Maybe we can actually get some decent food this time. I’m tired of chicken and rice,” she mumbled as she walked in front of Cahir inline.
The air was thick and heavy as they made their way to the exit. The Rozzers were watching people, making sure they stayed in an orderly, single-file line at the door. As people got closer to the exit, they became quieter.
