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Zahra Moss is the young and beautiful wife of Richard Moss, a polygamist living in Lauren’s community. As the chaos of the climate crisis increased, some wealthy men used their resources to purchase homeless women and take them as second wives. Zahra, being exceptionally attractive, was discovered and chosen by Richard in this manner after a life of living on the streets with her mother. Despite the disturbing circumstances of their marriage, Zahra appreciated being saved from homelessness by Richard, and Lauren senses that Zahra may have even loved her captor husband. Lauren and Zahra don’t know each other well when the community is intact, but after it is destroyed, the two quickly band together over their shared practicality and survival instincts.

Having spent much of her life on the street, Zahra adapts quickly after the attack. She is unsentimental about performing distasteful survival practices, such as stripping corpses for resources, and she agrees with Lauren that the trio needs to remain distrusting and severe when it comes to interactions with strange or suspicious people. Zahra is unapologetic about her opinions and actions, whether they be her pragmatic stance on how to survive on the streets or her burgeoning relationship with Harry. While she shows little interest in the religious or political aspects of Earthseed, she’s content with having a place in a trustworthy, self-sufficient community and therefore follows Lauren to Bankole’s land to help set up Acorn.

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