Maybe one of the flaws in Ophelia’s world is that Residents are too trusting of their own kind. Luckily for us, we get to use it against them.

I make my way to the right wing of the palace, where libraries and art galleries slumber behind every doorway. The ceilings are embellished with silver flowers, and gleaming tiles stretch along the hallways.

Walking through the corridors feels like a strange memory; everything about it feels familiar. Like I’ve been here before. And I guess I have, through Annika’s Exchange. Which means someone, at some point in time, has seen these walls and made it back to the Colony long enough to share the information.

I don’t have to wonder if they’re still in the palace. If they were, the others wouldn’t have needed me for this job.

Whoever obtained the map for these hallways is somewhere much worse. Maybe they were taken to the Winter Keep, or maybe they were sent to War. Maybe by now they’ve even taken the pill.

I avert my eyes when I pass another human servant, their silver armlet sending a chill through my bloodstream. Were any of these humans in the Resistance? How many came from War and Famine?

Is it possible any of them are still aware?

I listen to the servant’s footsteps fade, pushing forward down the hall. Now is not the time for curiosity.

The council room sits at the end of the corridor, distinct with its double doors and ornate silver handles. I look over my shoulder, surveying the empty hall, before slipping quietly inside.

Exposed beams crisscross in exaggerated arches over the room, and chunky metal chandeliers hang from the ceilings, white candles flickering with life from their cradles. The stone floor stretches into an enormous oval, with a wide archway leading to a balcony. In the center is a long table surrounded by at least two dozen chairs, all matching except for the chair on the end—a throne of iron branches and white velvet. Painted in the center of the table is Victory’s symbol: a wolf with three tails.

I move through the space, searching for a spot to hide the device. On the other side of the room is an oak shelf stacked with rolled parchment and several maps. It’s cluttered, but appears frequently used. I need somewhere with less odds of being disturbed.