I felt my heart racing, and my breath came in quick gasps. The suffocating feeling of entrapment rolled through my body. This sensation grew as I covertly tried several doorknobs to outside doors on our way to breakfast. Each one was locked. I began to panic, wondering if the windows might be painted shut as well.

Get a grip, I thought.

Calla shot me a glance, questions written all over her face.

“You didn’t think you’d be needing those old things, did you?” Sarabeth asked.

“No, of course not,” I said. “I just didn’t know if I was supposed to dispose of them myself.”

“How kind of you,” Sarabeth said. “Already eager to serve. You’ll fit right in here, Penny.”

I decided I’d better go into observation mode and try to do exactly that. Fit in. I smiled, relieved when Calla smiled back.

We followed Sarabeth down a long corridor lined with closed doors. I thought these led to rooms that matched mine and Calla’s. “The other girls are already at the table, of course,” Sarabeth said.

“Always last,” Calla mouthed, motioning between us.

I nodded.

The hallway opened to a large dining room with a long rectangular table. Hard-backed chairs made a dark outline around it. All seats were taken except the two at the end. I followed Calla and sat, closing the loop of chairs.

The table was loaded with various breakfast foods. There were some I recognized, as well as unfamiliar dishes. A hush came over the table, and all heads bowed. I quickly lowered mine as to not stand out.

The voices spoke in unison as they chanted, “Father, we thank you for our new family. For sisters, friends, and husbands-to-be.”

Their words, although loving, were spoken without emotion. These girls were like puppets, or parrots, repeating their master’s words with no thoughts of their own. Something Ever had said the night before flashed to the front of my mind.

Like those other half-wits at The House.

It dawned on me then. Ever had brought me to The House. From what I could tell, this was some sort of holding place for new arrivals. A processing facility where wives could learn to be… what had she called it?

Subservient.

That explained the docile manner of the girls sitting at this table.

“What about you?” asked a dark-haired girl seated on my right.

“Sorry?” I asked.

“Becca,” Calla admonished. “Let Penny settle in before we start bombarding her with questions.”

I smiled at Calla, thankful by how quickly she’d slipped into the big sister role, shielding me from the stares of curious strangers.

“Sorry,” Becca whispered.

Calla began in a kinder tone. “Why don’t you tell Penny your story?”