Secela followed the directions that the tavern worker had given her. Soon she saw it: the governor’s mansion. It was a structure that towered over all the other buildings in Jadiro. It was made of brick, with a tiled roof and a clock tower on the top. Secela gazed at it in wonder. She had never seen a building so magnificent.

                How am I going to get in? she asked herself. I can’t go in the front door. I’d be caught for sure. Maybe there’s a back door somewhere.

                Secela started to circle the mansion. In most books she’d read, there had been some servants’ entrance into huge houses like these. It was on her second time around that she saw it—the golden gleam of a doorknob. It appeared that some of the gray paint on it had rubbed off to reveal the metal underneath. Secela glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then tested the handle and opened the door as quietly as she could. The small round door creaked as Secela pushed it open. Thankfully, it hadn’t been locked.

                Secela surveyed her new surroundings after closing the door behind herself. She appeared to be in a dimly lit pantry. Rows of shelves filled with canned and dried food stood on Secela’s left and right, but in front of her was a door, rectangular and white. Secela crept towards it and silently pushed it open. The next room was a kitchen, with ovens and counters to prepare delectable dishes on. However, Secela was not alone in this room. At least ten other chefs—to her surprise they were all around the ages of 7 to 16—were chopping, mixing, or carrying various ingredients. As Secela closed the door behind her, all of the children looked up. Every eye and head turned silently to Secela. Each one of the children regarded Secela with silent surprise. The awkwardness was almost suffocating. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the oldest girl in the room, who seemed to be about 16, with ponytailed brown hair and green eyes, asked,

                “Who are you?”

                Secela struggled for and answer.

                “I—Well—Uh… Um…” she stuttered. Just then a door to Secela’s left opened. Secela looked at the girl who was framed by the light shining in through the door. She and the girl both regarded each other for a moment then said in unison,

                “Ina?”

                “Secela?”