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The reflection in the mirror caught her attention. What was that? Her hands flew to her chest. She looked down her nose at the mark as she moved closer to the mirror. She rubbed at it. Put her fingers to her tongue for moisture and rubbed at it again. But it remained. She stared into the mirror.
    There was a small wing imprinted on her chest about an inch below her left collarbone. She tipped her head sideways. It looked like a smaller version of the mark she’d seen on the Lander yesterday. She stared. Could this be a trick? Her brothers had done this to her as a Birth Remembrance surprise. Well, surprise! She wasn’t amused.
    She ran to the bathroom and grabbed a washrag. Wetting it, she scrubbed at the mark. It didn’t come off. In fact, it didn’t even look applied. It appeared to be part of her skin.
    Her hands started to shake. “Mother!” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Mother!”
    She ran for Mother’s bedroom and pushed the door open. The heavily curtained room kept the sunlight at bay. Selah picked her way around a chair and small table and flung herself onto the sleeping woman.
    â€œMother, help!” she cried as she rubbed at her chest. The area had grown red from her scraping and digging.
    Mother jerked awake, eyes bleary with sleep. “Selah, sweetheart.” She yawned. “What’s the matter? You act like the house is on fire.”
    Tears welled in Selah’s eyes. “Worse! Look at this!” she wailed. “The boys must have done it as a joke while I slept.” Although she couldn’t figure out how they wouldn’t have woken her.
    Mother sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She glanced at Selah’s chest, then did a double take. Her eyes opened wide, and she reached to touch the winged imprint. Selah could feel her fingers tremble.
    â€œWhy do you look scared? This is a joke, right?” Selah asked in a shaky voice.
    â€œUm . . . honey . . .” Mother bit down on her bottom lip. A sob rushed from her throat. “I don’t think this is a joke.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Of course it’s a joke. This is the Lander symbol, and it’s on me. I’m not a Lander!”
    Mother’s face turned crimson as she withdrew her hand. She turned her head away, and her voice became so small it was almost a whisper. “I thought you said you didn’t touch the Lander.”
    Should she admit the lie? Selah fiddled with her fingers. How did Mother know? “I . . . It was just—”
    Mother shook her head. “You have no idea what you’ve done.” She wrapped her arms around her own chest, lowered her head, and began to rock back and forth.
    Selah angled around her and looked up into her face. “Mother? You’re scaring me.”
    Mother closed her eyes, tears cascading down her cheeks. Her arms trembled violently as she reached out and hugged Selah so hard the air rushed from her chest.
    Selah pulled back and touched her shoulder. “You aren’t saying anything. What’s wrong? This has to be some stupidprank by the boys. They were really mad at me for arguing with them about my catch.”
    â€œNo, my sweet child, I’m afraid not.” She reached out and stroked Selah’s cheek. “I have dreaded for years that this day might come, and now my fears have grown fruit. There is no choice. You must leave, and do it before your father gets back.” She squeezed her eyes shut again. Her bottom lip quivered as she rocked.
    Selah leaned away. Her jaw slacked. “Look, I’m sorry I told you a lie. I’ll never do it again. Why do I have to leave?” That seemed a radical punishment for so simple a mistake.
    Fear enveloped the tingling in her chest until it grew to full-fledged thunder. It felt like all the air had been sucked from the room. She struggled to breathe. “But this is just a joke.”
    Mother stared at