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"Eat this," Mother said

She handed reen seaweed

"All of it Now"

I aloo ritty crunch of sand Itconcoctions They were mild in comparison As soon as I sed, my body flushed with heat Sweat beaded on every inch of irls led nored my requests for water I understood the need for towels as sweat gushed froave me a brown leaf to chew It tasted like paper and flakes stuck to ue It was also difficult to sith a drybuckets After a few minutes, I found out why My sto its contents in painful bouts over one of the buckets I only had a few seconds of peace before cranity during the cleansing ritual, which seemed to have no end I would have loved to spit out the purple flower Mother shoved in my mouth, but Galen’s co pain stabbed deep inside me I bent over as spasms seized s, I panicked

Mother heldharrowing Master Walsh only wants his baby to grow inside you"

Eventually the pain subsided and the girls helped clean me

"Answer me honestly," Mother said "Have you taken moon potion in the last year?"

"Yes Why didn’t you ask ave me that flower?"

"Moon potion is not a hundred percent effective How many years have you taken it?"

"Two"

While she measured out a silver powder, I cursed Galen a thousand tinant One dose lasted a year However, if you wanted to have a child before the year was up, a dose of starlight would neutralize the protection

Mother ht ater and handed it to me "Drink it That is fresh water puetables grown in the Bloodroses’ co all that Iit with substances fro finished after the irls strapped my wrists and ankles to the two posts in the middle of the room My vulnerable position re sounded behindstrands of dried seaweed She cocked her arm