Starving for so many years had delayed her womanly development, prompting the trader to wait for her first period before selling her at auction. Eporner Alarm beats were more frantic, more irregular. In the pre-dawn light, I could just barely make out men, women, and children exiting their homes and moving towards the square. The shaman paused, breathed slowly in and out, in and out. Before I could give the order, the beating of drums floated up from the town.An alarm? The trader took her to the King’s castle many leagues away, where he said she would be sold at auction. I knew immediately what was going to happen and I sensed an opportunity. They were there to catch anyone who tried to escape. While none of this made sense to Kelly at the time, it made perfect sense to the trader; only virgins capable of giving birth could be sold at the sacrifice auctions, and
