Turning from the stove, I wander farther into the kitchen, acutely aware that I’ve yet to see a single servant. Maybe with both princes gone, the servants are busy getting the rest of the palace in order.

I should be grateful for the quiet, but it makes me uneasy.

I find another hallway, and then another, until I reach a set of narrow stairs leading to what I assume must be a basement. Hoping I’ve found the living quarters, I carefully make my way down the steps, ignoring the way the creaks of each floorboard sound so much like wailing.

When I reach the lowest level, I peer into the darkness. The echo of my footsteps makes me think the room is large, but I can’t see a thing beyond the little bit of light pouring down from upstairs. I run my hand along the smooth stone wall, hoping to find a switch of some kind—something to help me see.

Eventually my fingertips meet metal, and I press the button carefully.

In an instant, the room erupts with light, and to my horror, I find hundreds of eyes staring right at me.

A gasp escapes my mouth, and I stumble backward against the wall, pressing my spine to the cold. It takes only a second to confirm they’re not Residents. The blue stones in their silver armlets give away their servitude.

Lined up in orderly rows, at least a hundred humans stand like mannequins in front of me. They don’t sway, or blink, or move at all. And when I study the horrible blankness of their faces, I realize they haven’t even noticed me.

I gulp down the knot in my throat and force myself to stand straighter. Tucking my hands in my cloak, I step toward them, eyes searching for the girl with twin buns and a tear seared in my memory.

I walk through rows of humans, hating the chill in the air, like they’re produce stuffed in a freezer. Part of me keeps hoping one of them will look up and give me a sign that they’re aware. The other part of me hopes they’re sleeping too soundly to ever see something so haunting.

Is this what the rest of the humans in Victory do when they aren’t working?

Is this what’s waiting for my family? For Mei?

I start to back away, retreating from the rows of vacant-eyed shells, when the fear starts to grow inside me.

So many humans…

So many eyes…

Sweat builds in my palms, and I feel the hold over my Resident skin start to shake. I ball my fists.

You shouldn’t be down here. They could be watching you. Ophelia could be watching you.

I order myself to move and race for the light switch, the adrenaline making my heart pound, and send the room back into darkness before hurrying up the stairs without another glance.