Page 20 of Deviant

Especially considering…

“I’m not wrong, Rowen,” he says, sounding guilty to be the bearer of such news. “Your mom… she was… an anomaly.”

“An anomaly?” I spit out the word. “Right. Because that’s what every child wants to hear. That their mother died for nothing.”

“I didn’t say that,” Joe quickly backpedals, uncomfortable with the anger brewing in my eyes. “I just meant that… she should have never made the cut, that’s all.”

I try to temper my rage since my fury isn’t directed at him but at this town. No one ever lifted a finger to help my mother when she was chosen for the Harvest Dozen when I was just five years old.

They just let her go.

Watched her leave me… fully knowing she’d never come back.

It’s a wound that will never fully heal, no matter how hard I try to ignore it.

“I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but no parent has ever been chosen before your mom or since. That alone tells me it’s one of their requirements and that your mom was, for lack of a better term—”

“An anomaly,” I finish for him, still unconvinced. “Are you saying that whoever is behind the games has a conscience somehow?”

“Fuck no,” he blurts out, appalled. “We know these fuckers don’t have a heart, much less a conscience… But they do have an intention… one intention in particular… and that’s to keep the games running smoothly every year. They can’t do that in a town that refuses to reproduce. Keeping parents out of their selection pool is their own form of silent manipulation and incentive. If people feel safe enough to raise families, then new potentials forthe harvest are cultivated for the slaughter every year. See? It’s just pragmatic.”

My stomach churns at the thought.

“That’s sick,” I whisper, feeling a chill run through my bones.

“Agreed.” Joe nods despondently. “Why do you think I never had kids? Wouldn’t want to bring some poor child into this fucking nightmare. Fucking selfish, if you ask me.”

His gaze turns apologetic yet again when he sees me frown at his heartfelt remark.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re right. I agree with you. Who wants to bring a child into this?”

“You say that now, but one day when you shack up with the Larsen kid for good, he’ll pressure you into having a couple of rugrats of your own. That kid is a breeder just like his daddy.”

Like hell, I’d ever let that happen.

Even if my life wasn’t already on the clock, I’d never bring an innocent life to… this hell.

And I certainly wouldn’t do it with Aidan, of all people.

He’d program our child to live a subservient life early on, and living one single day like that is a curse all on its own.

“Okay, so is there another rule? I feel like that finger right there wants to pop up, too.” I point at the last digit in his hand, wanting to move this conversation along.

Joe’s face turns to stone.

“There is, isn’t there? One more rule?”

He nods.

“And? What is it?” I ask impatiently.

“Every person chosen… every last one selected… has a secret they don’t want anyone to know about.”

“A secret?” I mimic skeptically.

“Yes,” he confirms assuredly.

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