Harring

orne leaned against the shadowed doo

for the buckets and rags, each

a tattered but relatively clean cloth in the corner. The cloth was worn thin at the edges, but it had be

y movements weren't fast, but they were steady, methodical, ensuring every in

ck in. Her face was chalk-white, her eyes filled with a venomou

th me during the journey, leaned close to whispe

ot looking up. "You just focus. Don'

began to wear on the other girls, many of whom were clearly not used to such w

me, she let out a sharp cry o

et of filthy wa

king the hem of my tunic and, more importantly, ruining t

de with terror. Matron Thorne's

mbling finger at me and shrieked, "It was her!

ct mask of calm. I slowly straightened up, set d

thing imaginable. Any argument could be seen as defiance

, but I shot her a warning look. Drag

d at me with pity, others with a cruel flicker

muttered to her neighbor, "It's over for her. Ruining the flo

accusations grew more frantic and tearful. "I was just trying

hysteria was stark. I could feel Matron Thorne's gaze

in the silent room. The soft thud, thud of her staff on t

d in front of me, her eyes dropping to my

tunic was dry, but her hands wer

tron Thorne finally spoke, he

!" Tessa ans

er of the spill, using the tip of her s

direction. "The wat

ing there, scrubbing the floor. For her to trip

sharp as a blade. The bloo

a stammered, sta

g water. Delaying everyone's work." With each charge Mat

owed, as if none of it ha

is time, I saw a flicker of something I could

to me. "What i

ce soft but clear. "I have not

if waiting for something more.