Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)(24)

“Thank you.” Oracle squeezed his shoulder. “Any of the other crews at critical levels?”

He shook his head. “Southern Cliffs is close, but they’ve had some luck fishing. They’ll last another month if they have to.”

A hand gripped Serina’s arm tightly, making her jump. She whirled to find Cliff frowning at her.

“There you are,” the woman said. “I was looking for you.”

Serina let out a breath. “Sorry. I—I woke up early and had to use the privy. I was just—”

“Ogling Valentino?” Cliff asked, jerking her chin toward the guard.

Serina’s cheeks reddened. “He showed up when I was on my way back in.”

“Oh, I’m teasing.” A grin split Cliff’s broad, plain face. “We all like Val. He’s the youngest guard, so he gets to deliver rations. Sometimes he offers a tip or two, lets us know when the Commander’s in a mood.”

Serina opened her mouth to ask what that meant, but Cliff’s smile vanished. “Stay away from the rest of the guards. Val’s the exception, you understand? The others make promises to the girls sometimes.…” Cliff shook her head. “It never ends well.”

Serina didn’t understand, but she nodded mutely.

“Come on,” the older woman said. “Time for breakfast.”

Inside, everyone had gathered around the fire. Serina noticed Jacana sitting by herself, outside the ring of women. She dropped to the ground next to the girl.

“Did you get some sleep?” she asked quietly.

Jacana nodded but didn’t look up.

Someone handed them a couple small lumps of gritty bread, leathery strips of dried meat, and several sections of an orange. Serina hunched over her portion, gulping everything down. The food tasted delicious after going for so long without. Jacana took tiny bites, like a bird, but her food disappeared just as fast.

Neither Cliff nor Oracle introduced the four new girls to the group, and no one made any attempt to talk to them. When Serina had finished her meal and could begin to think beyond the gnawing hollowness of her stomach, she lifted her head and surveyed her fellow inmates. There were about thirty women here, the youngest around fifteen or sixteen, the oldest woman a wizened crone who reclined on a pallet near the fire and chewed her bread with toothless gums. The majority of the women had the same look: young with narrow, hungry faces, hair cut short or pulled severely back, uniforms patched and stained, dark circles under their eyes.

All around Serina, the women told one another stories and jokes as they shared their meager meal. The cavern was filled, shockingly, with laughter. And not the quiet titters of the women at the Superior’s ball. These women laughed with abandon.

Serina wondered who the mad ones were, and who the scared.

“I dreamt last night that Oracle threw me off a cliff,” Jacana mumbled.

“Did you wake up happy or disappointed that it wasn’t true?” Serina asked with a wry smile.

Jacana looked at her in surprise. And for the first time, she laughed. “I’m not sure. The hell doesn’t really end either way, does it?”

Serina noted Jacana’s small nose, dirty hair, and haunted green eyes. The girl was pretty, but she carried the toll of a hard life in the tiny premature wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and the permanent furrow between her brows.

“How did you end up here?” Serina asked, curious.

Jacana looked down at her empty hands. They were coated with fine volcanic dust, her nails ragged. “I was a thief. I got caught.”

Serina could see it, almost. Jacana was small and fast. But she was so timid. “What did you steal?”

“Anything I could.” Jacana shrugged. “My parents died when I was seven, so I was on my own. I stayed away from the orphanage. Didn’t want to be contracted as someone’s wife. They wouldn’t have asked my permission.”

“Where are you from?” Serina asked. “I’m from Lanos City.”

Jacana shot her a surprised look, the fear falling from her face momentarily. “You don’t look like you’re from Lanos,” she said. “I would have guessed Golden Isle.”

Serina smiled at the compliment, despite herself. It wasn’t as if her looks did her any good here.

“I was born in Bellaqua,” Jacana said. “But I’ve lived all over. Cities mostly—I spent a lot of time in Ressida and Diamond City.” She leaned forward, her frail arms hugging her knees. “I was good at hiding my tracks. But a friend betrayed me.” She seemed to shrink into herself. “And now I’m going to die here.”

Serina stared at her empty hands, her stomach still growling. The truth weighed as heavily as the rocks above them, inescapable.

We are all going to die here.





TWELVE



NOMI


OVER THE NEXT few days, Nomi watched for Asa whenever she left the Graces’ chambers, which happened only twice. She imagined and discarded several terrible schemes for seeking him out. She fought against the sinking sense that she’d pinned her hopes on a circumstance that would never arise. She couldn’t ask Asa about Serina’s whereabouts if she never saw him again.

Now Nomi dragged her feet on the way to the seamstress, studying each Grace and handmaiden who passed her, wondering if any of them knew of her sister’s fate. She’d asked Rosario, but she had only heard what Cassia had repeated—that Serina had been removed from the palace under mysterious circumstances.