Chapter 19: The Warden

We met her in the yard.

I did not want to hide in the bay and let her come to us.

Rafe walked on my right, grey-faced, with his stitches under his collar.

Kit and Bastian flanked us, and Stellan came last, barefoot, with his hair still wet.

The Warden stood at the foot of the shuttle ramp with twelve troopers fanned out behind her.

More had come off the second shuttle.

They stood in two grey lines along the walls, with their rods held low, and they watched us come.

"Selene, dear," the Warden said. "You look so much better with your band off."

"It's on the floor of the airlock," I said. "You can have it back."

"I'd rather have my beads."

"I know."

I held up a steel plate.

On it lay four small black beads, each the size of a grain of rice.

Three had come from Stellan.

Kit had produced them from inside his boot an hour ago, with a flourish.

He had looked so pleased that I had nearly hit him.

The fourth was still dark with Rafe's blood.

"These are yours," I said. "The Cinderhold intake series, seven-four-one."

I turned to face the lines of troopers.

"Does anyone here know what they are?"

Nobody answered.

"They are set in a man's spine the day he arrives. Three each. One at the nape, one in the middle of the back, one at the base."

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