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Finally, I know it’s time to leave. I’ve stayed too long.
“I have to go,” I say. “But I’ll come back, I swear.”
“Can you bring me food?” she begs. “They only feed me through tubes. I miss chocolate.”
“My little sweet tooth,” I say, giving her nose a teasing pinch. Hazel smiles at the old nickname Father used to call her, when she’d go searching through his pockets for a treat, a piece of licorice or a hard candy.
I help her lie down so I can put the straps back, pulling the covers up to her chin and kissing her on the forehead.
“Do you know,” I say, “that I said good night to you every night I was living in this palace? It always made me feel better.”
“Really?”
“Really. And now I can say it to you in person. Good night, Hazel.”
Hazel’s answering smile is brittle. “Good night, Violet.”
Then I turn and run as fast as I can out of the room before I lose my nerve and stay with her forever. I slide the door shut behind me, collapsing on the staircase, tears streaming down my cheeks.
What did they do to her face? To her eyes? And why? The Duchess clearly knows Hazel can’t get pregnant, so there’s no reason to keep her locked up in the medical room. There’s no reason to keep her alive at all. And yet she’s told the entire city Hazel already is pregnant.
So what is her endgame? I think as I pick myself up and make my way back to my room. What is Hazel’s role in her plans?
Twelve
OVER THE NEXT WEEK, I ADJUST TO LIFE AS A LADY-IN-WAITING.
I sneak down to the medical room to see Hazel late at night. I bring her food when I can and fill her in on everything that’s happening in the city outside the Jewel. I tell her about the White Rose, the Auguries and their true purpose, and all about the Society of the Black Key.
“Ochre used to talk about them,” Hazel says, chewing on a pastry. “I didn’t believe that it was a real thing. He told me he and Sable Tersing would draw keys on walls in the Farm.”
“That’s how the Society found him,” I say.
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah. He’s in the Farm. He’s happy there.”
Hazel smiles. “Good.” She sighs. “Mother didn’t believe him either. She probably wouldn’t have let him out of the house if she knew he could get pulled into a secret society. She was always telling him to keep his head down.” Hazel sniffs. “She needed the money he made so badly, especially after you were sold and we didn’t get the surrogate compensation anymore.”
Worry creeps into my stomach like a cramp. How is my mother surviving with all her children gone?
“Mother is strong,” I say, more for myself than my sister. “And smart. I’m sure she’ll figure something out.”
“Yes,” Hazel agrees, but without real enthusiasm. “Hey, do you think, when this is all over, we could live with you and Ochre in the Farm? I think I’d like the Farm. And Mother would, too.”
I nudge her with my shoulder. “You would both love it. The White Rose especially.”
I also tell Hazel about Ash. There’s still no word from him. I am pulled back and forth between fear for his life and fury at his actions. Every time I see the paper I search for his face. I still remember the signs that hung in every circle of this city after he escaped.
Raven contacts me the night they leave Westgate, to let me know everything is going smoothly, except for Sil.
“We might have Sil wait outside for the rest of the facilities,” she says. “You’re a whole lot better with the ‘let’s be a team’ thing than she is.”
I grin. “Yeah, I can imagine. When do you get to Northgate?”
“A few days. We’re testing the waters here, seeing if we can subtly rustle up some rebellious vibes.” There’s a pause. “And we’re trying to help. With little things. We sneak around at night and make people’s gardens grow bigger. We refill rain barrels and clean up streets a bit. If it’s a cold night, we try and make sure people have fires.”
My heart swells with pride. This revolution doesn’t have to be all death and destruction. There can be kindness in it, too.
