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Resting in the center of its enormous palm is a single kernel of corn.

Deep red.

Wet enough to gleam beneath the firelight.

My entire body recoils. “No.”

The hand descends toward me.

Ezra moves before I can.

He steps directly over my body, planting himself between me and the Harvest.

“NO.”

The creature stops.

So does everyone else.

Hundreds of people stand around the Communion field, but suddenly I can’t hear a single one of them.

Ezra stands over me with blood streaking his face, his clothes torn, and SOWN burning red around his wrist.

His hands curl into fists. “You got my choice.” His voice shakes.

Not with fear… Rage.

“You asked me to choose, and I fucking chose.”

The Harvest leans closer.

Ezra doesn’t move. “But you do not get hers.”

Something ripples through the creature.

The mouths buried across its body begin to smile.

One after another.

Until every stolen mouth is grinning.

“THE SOWER PLANTS.”

Ezra goes still.

His gaze drops to the kernel.

Then to me.

Then to the altar waiting behind us.

Understanding crawls across his face.

And turns immediately into horror.

“No.”

The Harvest extends the kernel toward him.