My mind flickers to the Chancellor’s face. The way he belittles, bleeds, and corrupts, the way he let the General play his games in East Row.

That’s not who I am.

And no moment of vulnerability is going to turn me into something I’m not. That’s the difference between me and the Chancellor.

The woman studies my eyes, and her chest heaves harder. A tip of metal glints from her hand as she slowly pulls a blade out of her dress. This isn’t the way. Not my way.

I keep walking down the hall. “I’m just worried about them, that’s all.”

“I understand.” Her voice cracks with relief.

My door comes into view. “Okay, well, can you at least tell me if y’all got a witch here?”

Willa stops dead in her tracks but doesn’t turn around. “I-I don’t know anything about that, I’m afraid, dear. Taavi can answer your questions.”

She closes me in my room and locks it from the outside. I pace, triggered.

I’m not in prison. She isn’t the Chancellor.

They fed me, let me sleep.

This is different.

This is…

I tug at my hair, forcing myself to breathe.

Five… four… three… two… one.

Taavi is hard to read. Could she be playing me? She doesn’t know me, but her sister did, and well. That alone makes me want to believe Taavi’s cool. But why would she lie if there’s some sort of magic here? And if there is, why is it a secret?

Messages vibrate my arm, one after another, as I move closer to the hole in my ceiling. I plop on the bed and exhale.

Julius: Aight, so I remember that time your Moms was at work and you had me come over but wouldn’t tell me why.

Reading “Moms” stills me.

Julius: And I took forever to get there bc I was being a dumbass. Sorry for that.

Julius: Anyway, I was holding you and when you finally fell asleep, you said something I never told you.

I remember that night. Tasha had stayed with friends, and I kept hearing noises or something in the attic.

Julius: While you was dreaming, you said you was scared to fall asleep. And you thanked me for being there. Next day you ain’t remember saying shit.

Julius: I guess my point is, you ain’t good at talking about shit, Rue, I know that. You keep a lot bottled up, but you don’t have to do that with me. Pretend you’re dreaming LOL. Tell me wassup.

The way Julius rips the veil off my mirror makes me shift in my seat.

Julius: Helllloooooo.