Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K. Tyler

there for a long time,” I said, smiling
apologetically in hopes of appealing to Ada’s compassion. The lies fell easily
now, like drops of rain on the back of my hand.
    With a nod, Ada appeared to accept what I said without
question.
    Lace snorted.
    “I understand,” Ada said. “It’s happened before. We’ve seen
people go a little wild when they’re separated for long periods of time. Are
you a Matched Pair?”
    I nodded. She used the same phrase Lock had in the woods. I
didn’t know what it meant to them, but if a Matched Pair meant two things that
went together, well, that was good enough for me.
    “That will at least make finding you a room easier. If you’re
already Matched we won’t need to have you go through Medical to register for
Matching,” Ada smiled and gestured at Elgon. “Will... it be all right if
we tie it somewhere?”
    A low, feral sound came from behind me. Too low in the
register for their Erdlander ears, but I heard the menacing growl. I couldn’t
tell if Tor or Elgon had made it.
    “I... it would be better if he could stay with us.” I
approached Ada, surprised by the lack of odor coming from her. Mother always said
Erdlanders were dirty and foul, but Ada smelled clean, like fresh air. “I don’t
know how Tor would handle being separated just yet,” I whispered to her.
    “Are you jikmanae kidding?” Lace spoke up, anger
woven through her words.
    “Lace,” Ada said calmly without turning to acknowledge her. “You
don’t have a Match. When you do, you’ll understand how important it is to trust
their connection.”
    “Like you would know,” Lace spat. “And thanks for the
reminder. Come on, Lock.”
    “I’m going to stay here, see if I can help Tor in the men’s
section since Sera can’t go in,” Lock said, his voice unsure.
    “What?” Lace whipped around and stormed toward him.
    He looked down at the ground. “I’m... I’m staying here.”
    “Thank you, Lock,” Ada interrupted before Lace could say
anything else.
    Lace’s hands clenched at her sides, anger and frustration
pulsing from her in rhythmic waves. “Fine!” she spat, then stormed off past the
row of platforms.
    “Lock’s right,” Ada said to me. “You must be tired. Let’s
get you cleaned up and assigned to a room. We can talk more once you’ve rested.
What are your names?” Ada pulled a small black object from her pocket. With a
touch, it opened into a rectangle the size of a small, thin book. She looked
down at it and tapped it a few times before looking back up at me.
    “Your names?”
    I peeked over at the object but couldn’t see anything beyond
more black. “I’m Serafay and this is Torkek. And, that’s Elgon.”
    “Elgon....” She raised an eyebrow at the foreign sound of
his Sualwet name. “Afraid I don’t know that word.”
    “Tor,” Lock murmured from next to me, pulling attention away
from our names. Stepping forward, he leaned down, making himself smaller. His
posture changed into that of a child, someone nonthreatening. Elgon did not
growl when Lock neared the platform.
    Ada went back to her object and tapped it a few more times.
    “Tor.” Lock said. “Elgon can come with us, but we should go
get cleaned up. I’ll take you to the men’s area to wash and change into some
fresh clothes, and then we’ll meet up with Sera again, okay?”
    Tor faced me. The innocent fear in his eyes broke me. Was
this the same man who had rescued me from my grief, who had saved my life by
forcing me to climb a mountain and run from the Erdlanders who had killed my
mother? The same terrifying man who could start a fire out of nothing? My fear
of discovery was shadowed next to his.
    “Come on.” I held out my hand for him—the offer of contact,
something he knew I didn’t offer lightly, might help.
    Lock stood and returned to Ada’s side, giving us a moment
alone.
    “Huh,” Tor whispered, patting Elgon’s head.
    He rose and nodded to Lock before both wild males came to
stand at