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"I a when she burns her fingertips on the bulb

I grab a new bulb froe at her feet and hold it up "You’re a peach," she says, stooping to take it

"We’re going out in a few roup"

"I was hoping you’d let "

Alice climbs down from the table and dusts her hands on her shirtfront "I don’t see why not," she says "It’ll givein the hallway They don’t even offer me any of their snacks"

"Tell Mom so she doesn’t worry," Lex says

"She’s sleeping Already left a note"

Alice runs the tap and smoothes water over some defiant strands of hair She’s done it up in elaborate curls held in place by bronze clips that co a blue dress that curls and billows around her knees and elbows as sheaway the bulbs and straightening an i that floated down from the sky

Before the incident, she and Lex were seldom home She had a dress for every color the sun illuminates and there was always cause to wear one Even when I was a child, I ad, every dinner party or hike through the woods was an adventure Now Alice dresses up only for weekend errands, and Lex’s juh the only people to see her are the shuttle and train passengers Her job in the gardens requires a drab unifor to smother her

I feel underdressed in e Alice, readingsilver earrings intodown little chains

"Better getthe back of Lex’s chair "If we miss the train, we’ll have to walk"

Outside, the sky has beco fast with stars As we step onto the train platfor between the cobbles I wonder if he remembers what flowers are, not only what they look like, but that they exist at all He’s knocked over plenty of Alice’s vases, and he has no idea what the shattering glass was before he ruined it He’s told me that he can’t ree of our h he had looked at them every day of his life

The seven thirty train isn’t crowded There’s a group of men in suits at the far end of the car; one of thes on her earring, s Lex into his seat There’s achild recites thealone, which I wouldn’t have found strange before the h eighth-year students She’s young but her face is pointed up, and souely familiar

Beside me, Alice rests her head on Lex’s shoulder, and he rubs her ar in her ear that makes her smile

A patrolun tofro the snarl she gives once he has passed by Her eyesdarker blue In the long season, the sun burns until late evening, but the short season is approaching now and the days are getting shorter

"We’ll have two hours to burn," Alice says "There’s a tea shop at the end of the block we could try"

I s okay?" she says "You seeirl in the blue tie watching h I don’t look in her direction to confir o For the first time in my life, I feel unsafe and I don’t kno to help it The king has insisted that we go about our lives as normal, that the patrolmen will keep us safe, but as there to keep Daphne Leander safe?

"I’m okay," I say

"Dad shouldn’t have let you watch the broadcast," Lex says "All it’s done is cause you to worry about everything"

"I needed to see it," I say "I don’t need to be sheltered"

"Says the girl who still sleeps with the light on after I tell her a haro," I say "I’m not a baby, you know"

"I am certain it was only last season," Lex says, and his voice deepens when he adds, "The tale of the ghost birds that flew into the city and pecked everyone to death"

"I don’t recall leaving any lights on," I say, and am impressed by my cool tone

"Don’t listen to him," Alice says

"Do they sell sweets at the tea shop?" I say "I skipped dinner and now I’ry"