The Woman with the Blue Star, Pam Jenoff [highly recommended books txt] 📗

sicker than anyone realized from having the baby. She had developed a fever and an infection after childbirth. So they admitted her to try to heal her. The Germans found out she was there and came for her.”

“Was she arrested?” I wanted to lie and say yes. Telling Sadie that her mother had been taken by the Germans would be awful, but at least it would give her hope.

It would also be another lie. “The hospital didn’t let the Germans take her. They knew that would be a far worse fate, so they gave her a medicine that let her pass painlessly in her sleep.” I walked over and put my arms around her. “Sadie, I’m sorry.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “Your mother is dead.”

“No...that can’t be true.” Her face went rigid with disbelief. Although she had suspected her mother was gone the day I had gone to the hospital, some part of her had held on to hope until now. “You’re saying that just so I will leave.”

“It’s true.” There was nothing that I could say to blunt her grief now. Her eyes widened with horror and she opened her mouth. I braced for the scream I would have made if it were me, so loud that it would bring people to the sewer and ensure her detection. She seemed to wail silently, though, her entire body shaking. No tears fell from her eyes. I stood helplessly, trying to find the words that might offer some comfort.

Finally, she stilled. “And my sister?”

“The nuns said your mother arrived at the hospital alone, without a child. I wasn’t able to find out what happened. There was no sign of her.”

“She is probably gone, too,” Sadie said, her voice wrought with sorrow. I wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know how. She straightened, pulling away from me. “You went to the hospital weeks ago. You knew this whole time about my mother. And you never told me.”

“Yes.” I wanted to tell her that I had only just found out, but I could not hide the truth any longer. “I wanted to spare you. I’m sorry.”

“I thought you were my friend.” Sadie’s eyes were cold and stony. Saul stepped forward and put a protective arm around her shoulders, steering her away from me. But Sadie spun back toward me. “If you lied to me, why should I trust you enough to leave?” she demanded.

I hesitated, wrestling with her logic. “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you wouldn’t survive down here if you knew the truth.” I had underestimated her, I realized, and that was perhaps my biggest mistake. “I was trying to save you then. And I’m trying to save you now.” I walked to her and took her hand, looking straight into her eyes. “Sadie, I’m sorry. You can hate me all you want once we are out, but don’t let my mistake kill you and these good people whom you love.” I was certain that she would say no. I didn’t know what I would do then. They were going to get arrested or die down here, and if I stayed, I would surely die with them. I thought of Krys, wondered where he was and if we would ever know what became of one another.

Sadie did not respond. I tried again. “Please, I know that you are angry, and when we get out of here, if you never want to speak to me again, I understand. But there is no time. You must come with me now if you want to make it.”

Something seemed to break in her then. “All right,” she said slowly. “For Saul and his father, I’ll come.” Her voice was cold and I knew she would never forgive me for what I had done. Yet she was willing to leave to save the others.

But Saul, who still held on to Sadie, stood motionless, unconvinced. I tried again to reason with him. “I know that the sewer has been your sanctuary, the place that kept you safe. But it isn’t anymore. Escaping, that is the only salvation now.”

“Why should we trust you?” he asked bitterly, his words an echo of Sadie’s.

“Because you have no other choice,” I said bluntly. “I’m your only hope.” Saul looked as though he wanted to argue but could not. “If you don’t come with me, you are all going to die.”

Sadie turned to him. “Saul, Ella is here to help us.” Despite everything, some part of her still believed in me.

“We can’t trust her. We can’t trust any of them.”

“But you trust me, don’t you?” she asked, cupping his cheek with her hand. He did not answer at first. Then he nodded slightly. “Good. I’m telling you we need to go now. Please, Saul. I won’t leave without you.”

“But we were supposed to be married,” Saul said.

“Married?” I was surprised.

Sadie nodded. “Saul asked me just last night. I was going to tell you today.” She took Saul’s hands and looked deep into his eyes. “We will find our wedding canopy somewhere else.” She brought her hand to her chest. “In here, I am already married to you.”

“By tomorrow, you can marry in freedom,” I offered. Thinking of the long, difficult plan Kara had outlined for their escape, I doubted that would be true.

Saul nodded, seeming to soften toward me, as if finally seeing that I wanted the best for Sadie and for all of them. “But...” Saul looked from Sadie to his father, who was stubbornly sitting in the same spot, refusing to acknowledge the truth or to move. If he couldn’t convince his father, then none of them would leave, consigning them all to certain death.

Saul dropped Sadie’s hand and walked to his father. “Please, Papa. I know you brought us here because you thought it was safest. And it has been. But things are changing. You couldn’t save Micah, but you can save me if you come with us now. Please give us this chance.”

His father