The Choosing by Annabelle Jacobs Page A

Only when the fish bones have been picked clean does Serim sigh and lean on Jerath’s shoulder. “Do you think they’re all okay? Our mothers, Mahli, and the others?”
    Jerath swallows thickly. “I don’t know.” He slips his arm around her and pulls her close. “I hope so….”
    “Yeah… me too.”
    He places a gentle kiss on her forehead and gives her shoulders a squeeze. “Come on, we need to get moving.” He stands and holds his hand out for her.
    “Thank you, Jerath.” Her voice is low and gravelly, and Jerath can tell she’s fighting back tears as she takes his hand.
    He’s not far off himself. He misses Mahli and his mother so much and he can’t bear to think they might be in danger. But they need to keep going. They need to go and find help and they both need to be focused if they’re going to make it.
    He smiles at her, big and wide, doing his best to reassure her. “It’s going to work out all right, Serim. It’s got to.”
    Serim doesn’t say anything. She still has hold of Jerath’s hand and she’s staring at him, openmouthed. To be more precise, she’s staring at his teeth.
    Oh.
    Jerath quickly claps a hand over his mouth but Serim shakes her head and peels his fingers away.
    “Jerath?” She reaches up and runs her fingertips over his new fangs.
    They’re still sensitive and he flinches a little.
    Serim snatches her fingers back. “Sorry… I forget how it feels for you at first.”
    Jerath licks over his gums, his tongue soothing the tender skin around his teeth.
    “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    She looks confused and a little hurt, and Jerath’s shoulders slump with the weight of his guilt.
    “Jerath?” Serim lays her hand on his arm, her touch gentle and her voice reassuring.
    He raises his head and meets her eyes. “Last night. I woke up with the pain and you were gone… so I….” He takes a deep breath and Serim rubs his bicep, urging him to continue. “I didn’t tell you, because it doesn’t matter.”
    “What? Of course it matters, Jerath.” She grips both his arms tight, and looks at him with wide eyes. “How can you even say that?”
    “Look where we are!” He shrugs out of her grasp and waves his arm out in a wide circle. “Miles away from our village. The full moon is tomorrow, and there’s no way we’ll find a village elder to perform the ritual before then. I’ll just have to wait for the next one.” It suddenly dawns on him what else he needs and he flushes and lowers his gaze. “Besides, I still need to find a partner to help me through it.”
    He scuffs the ground with his boot and studiously avoids Serim’s eyes.
    “Oh, Jerath.” Her voice is soft this time and she gently lifts his chin back up. “We don’t have to wait. Do you not know anything about the Choosing?”
    “Yes, of course I do!”
    “Then you know that the presiding elder is there only to make the ritual easier to perform. The incantations need to be said while the union is in progress.” Jerath’s cheeks get even redder and Serim grins at his embarrassment. “Both parties involved are usually too busy at that point, so one of the village elders recites the words to complete the ritual.”
    “So?” Jerath must still be half asleep because he still doesn’t get it.
    “So…” Serim’s lets out a long suffering sigh, but her eyes are full of warmth. “It means that I can perform it. Girls are taught the words as soon as we can speak, so I know them off by heart. We can still do the ritual tomorrow night, Jerath.”
    “But, that would mean….” The words stick in Jerath’s throat. Serim is one of his best friends, and although both she and Mahli already willingly offered to help him, he has never actually thought about it in great detail. Until now.
    “Yes, it would.” Serim steps into his space again and cups his cheek. Her hands are cool and feel wonderful on his overheated skin. “It’ll be okay, Jerath. You’ll just have to trust