Secela started by catching Ina up on all that had happened since she had been “adopted” by Alorra. How she had taken the train from the orphanage to Veavelle, then met Harda and Mr. Griem, and started working at the Hungry Chicken, then bought Shisalina and rode to Jadiro.

                “And I suppose you know the rest,” Secela finished after she told Ina about how she found the door in the wall of the governor’s mansion. Ina nodded.

                “So you’re really here to help me escape?” Ina asked eagerly. Secela nodded

                “That’s right,” she said. “I wish I could help the rest of you guys,” she continued, looking around at all the sleeping children whom Alorra had been so cruel to, “But I don’t know how I could ever do that. I suppose all I can do right now is save you and come back for them later.”

                Ina nodded sadly.

                “I wish we could help them too,” she said. “But I think you’re right. There’s no way we could get them all out of this mansion at once without being spotted.”

                They were silent for a moment, then Ina asked,

                “So what’s the plan?”

                “Same as when we tried to escape the orphanage,” Secela answered. “We just need to creep quietly out.” As Secela said this, she pulled herself out from underneath the blanket she had been laying under, took off her boots, and offered her hand to Ina, who was doing the same. Together they crept over the sleeping orphans, out the door of the kitchen, into the pantry, and out the door of the mansion into the town of Jadiro.

                But they had barely turned around the corner of the mansion when they spotted two people whom they had been dreading to meet in person.

                It was Alorra and her husband, the governor.

                Of course, Alorra had to recognize the two of them immediately.

                “What are you two girls doing out of bed?” Alorra asked, sharply.

                Secela laughed.

                “Well, we couldn’t very well be out of bed, when there are no beds for your servants, or should I say slaves?”

                “They can live without the beds” Alorra said, simply.

                “What about food? Can they live without that? Because the only food I got to eat tonight were scraps from your table!” Secela retorted.

                Alorra’s husband leaned in and whispered in her ear, Do you know this girl?

                Alorra didn’t answer the question. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and asked,

                “You are that girl who did not want me to adopt Ina, aren’t you?”

                Secela nodded defiantly.

                “That’s right.”