Chapter 24 #2
“O-kay,” I said slowly, watching the line for the Baby Lottery dwindling.
“I just need you to tell him to pass a message to Erlen's wife that her...daughter’s doing fine. And not to look for me.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Please,” Sarina pleaded.
“You know I'll do it.” I took her hands in mine and squeezed them. She was still wearing the bracelet. “But later, sometime when you're feeling up to it, will you tell me what this is all about?”
“Will you tell me the truth about what's going on between you and Instructor Tyrell?” Sarina challenged.
It nipped, but I deserved that. “Yes,” I said. “But you're going to be disappointed.”
“Doubt it. But I'll tell you later too,” Sarina promised as I dropped her hands. “I'll be in the room outta sight until lessons. See you then?”
“Sounds good.” I started toward the Priest.
“Oh, and Lisia?” I turned back toward Sarina. “Thank you.”
I grinned, shooing her off as I got back into line. At least it was much shorter this time. I was the last one in line as I stepped up to the Priest again.
“We only accept one entry per citizen,” the Priest started with a consoling tone, recognizing me.
“Oh, that's not why I'm here,” I said. “I just have a message I need you to relay to Erlen's wife, if you could?”
His bushy eyebrows shot up. “Prelate Erlen?”
Surprise must have shown on my face too, but I nodded anyway. If it was the wrong Erlen, then Sarina had given this task to the wrong person. “Yeah, I just need you to tell her that her daughter’s doing fine. Oh, and not to come looking for her.”
The Priest grabbed my forearm faster than my reflexes could pull it away. “Do you know where the Prelate’s missing daughters are?” His grip wasn't tight, but it shocked me all the same. I yanked my arm away.
“Look, I'm just the messenger.” I backed away. “I don't know anything.”
He stared at me, not unkindly, but with too much scrutiny for my comfort.
I fidgeted under his gaze. “Alright,” he said at last, standing up straight again.
“I will pass on this message. But if you do happen to know where Corra or Sarra Erlen–” Surprise must have shown on my face because he shook his head.
Getting the full story on what was going on from Sarina, or 'Sarra', just moved up to my top priority.
“—Are, please encourage them to return home. Their father is not well.”
“Um, sure.” I turned, and before I headed back to our room, went instead to the Fitness center. I didn't like the idea of the Priest knowing where I went, especially if it led him to Sarina.
Sarina was practicing knife throwing as I entered.
“Hello, Sarina.” I tried and failed to stay calm. “Or should I call you Sarra?”
She flinched, alarm clear on her face. “Let’s talk in our room.”
“And what are you doing here anyway?” I groused as we walked together back to our room. “I thought you said you’d be staying in our room until lessons?”
“Yeah about that…” She opened our bedroom door, ushering me in and closing it behind me.
Except, she was already in the room.
Sarina was studying at her desk, and Sarina was standing behind me next to the door.
My brain locked up. Confusion overshadowed anger.
What the hell…?
“Okay. Don’t panic. But I think I might be going insane,” I said to myself.
“You’re not,” said the Sarina by the door, draping herself on the end of her bed. “I’m Corra. It’s nice to finally officially meet you.”
“And technically I’m Sarra, but please don’t call me that. Sarina is my name here for a reason.” Sarina set her notes down. “We’re twins.”
“Well, triplets, actually,” Corra corrected her.
I sat on my bed, letting the shock sink in. “Triplets.” I repeated.
My chest constricted. Everyone knew what happened to triplets on Mesmoria.
“Yeah,” Sarina said, her tone bland. “Hanna was the third born, and Mom decided that whoever was last would be...” she trailed off, letting the sentence hang. “I don't even remember her, but it still hurts, every time I think about her.”
And now it made sense why Sarina hated her birthday.
Unlike overcrowding, multiple births above two were a decriminalized natural phenomenon.
Still, the only exception to the two children per mother rule was for those who had won Baby Lottery tickets.
Women who gave birth to multiples above two had to make an impossible choice.
They had to decide which of their newborns to return to the Devourer.
Seeing Sarina and Corra sitting together in the same room, the resemblance was remarkable. It was like an invisible mirror divided the space between them.
“Okay,” I said, processing everything. “So why Sarina and not Sarra? And why haven’t I met Corra before?”
“You have,” Corra answered. “You just didn’t know it was me and not Sarra.”
“It’s Sarina.” Sarina repeated. “It's personal. And I wasn't ready to talk about it.”
Irritation swelled up in me, pummeling confusion down. I shouldn't have underestimated Sarina, that much was obvious after playing Haburi with her. But she was my roommate, someone I shared meals with everyday for months, and she had lied to me about who she was. What her name even was.
It hurt. She hadn't trusted me.
But then again, there was quite a lot I hadn't trusted her with either. Could I fault her?
I leaned back against a pillow, feeling more tired than was reasonable, given the early hour.
“I’m staying as Corra,” Corra said.