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“No. I mean, not today I didn’t. I can always tell who is or isn’t going to be one. She’s a no.”
A gong sounded loudly, and the girl walked out the back of the cabin. Looking around, she was suddenly embraced by her parents. “I don’t even know what happened,” she said.
Wait. What? My mother hadn’t been able to talk about the ritual or Hawkseye or anything about this time, but maybe it was because, if they didn’t match, they didn’t remember. Would Jayne forget what we were about to go through?
The next girl entered the cabin. I knew her at least, having met her the day before. Molly was her name, and I found her nice. She worked as one of the servants at the dinner, but like the girl before her, she stepped inside, and the ritual watcher shut the door behind her. The same amount of time passed, but this time, four of the Warriors fell forward, gripping each other as if reeling from a blow. They weren’t Warriors I noticed the night before, but they quickly straightened and opened the back door to greet the girl as she exited.
She was pale and collapsed into one of their arms.
“I knew it.” Hannah whispered. “This next one is a no. Actually, the next two are nos.”
Hannah proved to be very, very right. “Is there something about them that just screams gifted or not gifted?”
“It’s the eyes. I’ve always been able to tell. You’re very obviously gifted, but I knew that because you’re my best friend and I am, too.”
I smiled despite myself. “Thank you for letting me know about our friendship. I might have missed it otherwise.”
“Oh, now she’s sarcastic. We’re about to go through something and she finally makes jokes.”
Her own voice was filled with amusement. I’d never been so glad to have someone with me. Caroline turned to look at me. “You can’t just be her best friend, because you’re mine, too.”
I laughed. “I’ve never really had friends. Only Jayne had to put up with me her whole life.”
“And I’ve been lucky to do so.” Jayne smiled from behind Hannah.
It was Caroline’s turn. My heart thudded.
Hannah whispered in my ear, “She’s a yes.”
My friend stepped into the cottage. What?
Chapter Four
Caroline was a yes? I stared at Hannah. “She doesn’t seem to have any power.”
“But she does. She’s a yes, just like you’re a yes.”
Jayne cut in front of me. “I can’t wait anymore. You have to let me get this done. I’m sick to my stomach thinking about it.”
The drums continued to pound, and I blinked. Of course, Jayne could go first. I didn’t care when I walked into the small house and got handed my punishment for being born with powers. I could go last, if I had a choice in the matter.
Four men grabbed onto each other, one of them crying out. I recognized them as the other group to take the dragon down the night before. They were a little older than us but were not terribly advanced in age. Truett said something to one of them and they rushed to the door just in time to catch Caroline when she swooned upon stepping outside.
She was Chosen, and she would become their wife. They carried her off like she weighed nothing. I hoped she wouldn’t be too upset to not be with Pascal’s group. They seemed to be hitting it off the night before.
Jayne sighed. “My turn.” She walked, head high and shoulders back, toward the door. I scanned the crowd for my parents, but it was too hard to find any individual person in the mass of people.
Hannah whispered in my ear. “She’s a yes.”
“No…” I whispered back. “Please no. She needs to go home. She has no power.”
Hannah sighed. “It isn’t going to be a punishment, it’s a gift. And she does have power. She just didn’t know before. A lot of these girls won’t know before the ritual. You and me? We’re just special.”
Are we? Or are we doomed and just unfortunate enough to see it coming?
A shout sounded, and Matthew from Pascal’s group cried out. They all stumbled forward, and Charles from Frederick’s group jumped upon seeing it. The older men all looked at each other as Pascal led his fellow warriors to the door to greet my sister. I winced. Jayne didn’t like them even a little. My poor sister. I wanted her to go home, not to get dragged into this mess.
What would happen to her? What would happen to Mama? She couldn’t lose both of us.
