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The conductor is shocked when we pull up at the station.

“Get this train ready to leave now!” the medic yells at him. “And let the Jewel know. Carnelian of the House of the Lake has been injured in a Black Key bombing.”

“Where is Miss Coral?” he asks, but the Regimentals blow past him with Carnelian and he pales at the sight of her unconscious form. He jumps into the driver’s seat and I rush into the carriage behind everyone. The train lurches forward as I stumble into the statue of the woman with the bird. The Regimentals have moved aside one of the couches so that Carnelian’s stretcher lies out on the floor.

I can’t believe she and Coral were in this train car, snapping at each other, only an hour ago. It doesn’t seem real.

When we arrive in the Jewel, there is a glamorous motorcar waiting, with an extra-large backseat. A chauffer opens the back of it and the Regimentals slide Carnelian inside.

“Just . . . just the one?” the chauffeur asks.

The medic nods, and repeats what he told me about Carnelian’s condition.

I ride in the front with the driver as he peels through the streets of the Jewel. Gravel flies from under the tires as he pulls up to the palace of the Lake. The doctor is waiting by the garage with One and Six.

“This way, this way,” he says as they rush to get Carnelian out of the car. He pulls down on the branch of a shrub that I thought was real, but instead slides aside to reveal a dark tunnel and a set of stone stairs. The secret passage to the medical room I couldn’t find. They vanish down into the darkness and the shrub glides into its original place. The chauffeur goes to park the car in the garage and I find myself alone.

I don’t know where to go, what to do. Everything feels like a dream. My feet take me wherever they want and I end up in the kitchen. The servants are huddled together in groups, talking worriedly. Even Rye is there.

The silence that falls as I enter is abrupt, like someone pulling the needle from a gramophone. Maude is the first to spring into action.

“Imogen!” She rushes over. “Are you all right? Are you hurt? What happened?”

“She’s in shock,” Rye says, and then Zara is by my side, a bowl of broth in one hand and the end of a baguette in the other.

“Sit down,” she says gently, and I realize there’s a stool beside me. I wonder if it’s been there this whole time or if I only just noticed it.

“Clara, bring a wet washcloth,” Zara commands. Mary and Elizabeth gaze at me with fearful eyes, as if I’m something unreal and dangerous. I clutch the baguette like a lifeline. It’s still warm, and the scent reminds me of my mother. Hot tears fill my eyes.

“You’re all right, child,” Zara says, wiping my face with the cloth. “Be still now. You’re safe.”

I didn’t realize how badly I was shaking.

“Back up, back up,” Maude says. “Give the poor girl some room to breathe.”

All the room in the world won’t make breathing any easier. I look down at my dress and for the first time have some idea of what I must look like.

The white fabric has turned a mottled brownish gray, covered with dust and bits of rubble. There is a large tear in one sleeve, and blood on the other. My hands are crusted with dirt and more blood.

Coral’s blood on my hands.

When I’m finally calm enough to breathe normally, Zara begins spoon-feeding me a bit of the broth. I’m surprised at how quickly it helps steady me and clear my muddled head.

“Now,” she says, taking my hands in hers. “Tell us what happened. All we know is that there was an explosion in the Bank.” I nod. “And Coral and Carnelian were injured.” I close my eyes.

“Dead?” Rye gasps.

“Just Coral,” I croak. There are more gasps and murmurs.

“Was it the Black Key?”

“Yes,” I say. “There was a Royal Bank next door. I don’t think they intended to hurt . . . I don’t think . . .”

I don’t know what I think. The fact is, the Society did intend to hurt people. I just never thought about it being people I knew personally.

“Poor Garnet,” Maude says. “First his father, now his wife . . .”

I hadn’t even thought about Garnet. I wonder how he’ll feel. Probably the same way I do. He might not have been in love with Coral, but he didn’t hate her.