“They look human, I know,” Otto continued, louder now, pleased to have the attention of the entire gathering. “It can be confusing to those who do not yet understand, but the science is clear—Jews are truly subhuman creatures. They lack the intellect and the moral purity the Aryans possess. It is such a problem that they have weaseled their way into secret positions of authority, pulling the strings of so many inferior nations. Even our nation in the past.”

“Which is it?” I whispered under my breath to Jürgen. “The Jews are intellectually inferior, or they are smart enough to secretly run the world? Surely both things can’t be true.”

“Sofie?” Karl called on me suddenly. “Did you have something to add?”

All eyes turned to me. I imagined two paths forward—the first, where I repeated my question again, louder. This was surely the moral thing to do. How could I sit idly by?

But how would the room react? Otto would be embarrassed and furious. Even if he didn’t report me to the Gestapo for disloyalty, Dietger surely would.

Who would support me if that happened? Karl was the man who put me on the spot. Lydia looked confused, her gaze flicking between me and Otto. Jürgen turned to face me too. I saw a mix of panic and pleading in the depths of his blue eyes.

My face flamed as I realized I had no choice but to choose the other path—the lesser path. The Nazis had not just made comments like Otto’s acceptable—they’d made them fashionable. That was why there was no pause, no silent acknowledgment of the line that had been crossed. The line had been moved. How on earth had the Nazis flipped things around so quickly?

“I’m embarrassed to admit it,” I said, forcing a weak laugh. “I was just wondering how far away that pork knuckle is. Doesn’t it smell delicious?”

The brittle tinkle of laughter echoed around the table. Jürgen almost slumped with relief, and he fished for my hand under the table, then squeezed it. Hard.

But Otto’s eyes stayed on me a moment too long, as did Dietger’s. Before the main course was served, I was counting down the seconds until we could leave.

Guests were excusing themselves by eleven o’clock. Dietger and Anne were the first to go, rubbing their full bellies and thanking Lydia and Karl as they left. When Aldo rose to leave, he stumbled as he tried to push back his chair. The wine and beer had flowed thick and fast all evening, and many of the men looked disheveled.