“Don’t you dare say that, with such acceptance!” Elise stood, storming toward her sister and taking her arm, forcing her to turn around. “France will not be home to the Nazis, not now and not ever. Have you forgotten what they’ve done? Have you forgotten our brother?” Her breath seemed to hiss out of her, she was so angry. “We stood, side by side, terrified of that man you claim is so lovely. You know he gave that order, you were the one who begged me to take in Harry, and with a few dates and a handful of eggs, you suddenly think that bastard is lovely?”

Adelaide’s hand was so fast that Elise didn’t see the slap coming, but she certainly felt the sting across her cheek.

“You’re defending him now?” Elise asked, shaking her head as she pressed her palm to her inflamed skin. “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore!”

“I’m telling you that with me, he’s someone else,” Addy said. “I know what he’s capable of, but all soldiers are capable of terrible things. I just didn’t understand war before.”

“Oh, and now you’re suddenly an expert?” Elise’s heart sank. She knew there was no point arguing. “There are rules in war, Addy. Rules that stipulate what is and isn’t acceptable. A white flag means surrender, and those men aren’t allowed to be killed in cold blood, they’re to be taken prisoner. And likewise, hospitals are to be off-limits, the red cross signaling a safe zone.”

Adelaide was staring back at her, but it was like she was already gone.

“Your commander, he did something that no soldier should ever do—he committed murder, a massacre of a large group of Allied soldiers, and I can only hope that one day his actions are revealed. Maybe one day he’ll feel the terror of someone putting a bullet through his head or a bayonet through his chest.”

Adelaide’s face was red, her eyes full of tears, but Elise wasn’t going to go easy on her, not now. If she wanted to be treated like an adult, then that was exactly what Elise would do.

“If you think you’re in love with him, then go to him. See what it’s like to be with a monster,” Elise said. “But if you do that, you’re no sister of mine.”

Adelaide’s eyes widened as she registered what Elise had said. Then slowly, deliberately, she turned her back.

“Get out of my room!” Addy cried, and Elise heard the painful catch in her voice, the emotion that she was struggling to keep down.