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He is silent I think I see the answer in his eyes, and I feel ill My brother is a traitor to his own people? My brother is siding with the Empire?

If he hoarded grain, or sold books, or taught children to read, I’d understand I’d be proud of hih to do

The E a six-year-old her letters isn’t evil—not in the minds of my people, the Scholar people

But what Darin has done is sick It’s a betrayal

“The Empire killed our parents ” I whisper “Our sister ”

I want to shout at him, but I choke on the words The Martials conquered Scholar lands five hundred years ago, and since then, they’ve done nothing but oppress and enslave us Once, the Scholar Empire was home to the finest universities and libraries in the world Now, most of our people can’t tell a school from an armory

“How could you side with the Martials? How, Darin?”

“It’s not what you think, Laia I’ll explain everything, but—”

He pauses suddenly, his hand jerking up to silence me when I ask for the promised explanation He cocks his head toward the

Through the thin walls, I hear Pop’s snores, Nan shifting in her sleep, adove’s croon Familiar sounds Home sounds

Darin hears so else The blood drains from his face, and dread flashes in his eyes “Laia,” he says “Raid ”

“But if you work for the E us?

“I’ for them ” He sounds calm Calmer than I feel “Hide the sketchbook That’s what they want That’s what they’re here for ”

Then he’s out the door, and I’s move like cold molasses, my hands like wooden blocks Hurry, Laia!

Usually, the Empire raids in the heat of the day The soldiers want Scholar mothers and children to watch They want fathers and brothers to see another ht raids are worse

The night raids are for when the Empire doesn’t itnesses

I wonder if this is real If it’s a nightmare It’s real, Laia Move

I drop the sketchbook out theinto a hedge It’s a poor hiding place, but I have no time Nan hobbles into my room Her hands, so steady when she stirs vats of jam or braids my hair, flutter like frantic birds, desperate for me to move faster

She pulls me into the hallway Darin stands with Pop at the back door My grandfather’s white hair is scattered as a haystack and his clothes are wrinkled, but there’s no sleep in the deep grooves of his face He est kitchen knife I don’t knohy he bothers Against the Serric steel of a Martial blade, the knife will only shatter

“You and Darin leave through the backyard,” Nan says, her eyes darting from indow “They haven’t surrounded the house yet ”

No No No “Nan,” I breathe her na when she pushes me toward Pop

“Hide in the east end of the Quarter—” Her sentence ends in a choke, her eyes on the frontThrough the ragged curtains, I catch a flash of a liquid silver face My stomach clenches

“A Mask,” Nan says “They’ve brought a Mask Go, Laia Before he gets inside ”

“What about you? What about Pop?”

“We’ll hold theently out the door “Keep your secrets close, love Listen to Darin He’ll take care of you Go ”

Darin’s lean shadow falls over rabs my hand as the door closes behind us He slouches to blend into the war silently across the loose sand of the backyard with a confidence I wish I felt Although I arip his hand like it’s the only solid thing in this world

I’ for?