Something pelted her in the neck.
Sylvie slapped a bean down, her eyes locked on the woad just out of reach.
Pop!
More legumes exploded.
Quickly, Sylvie scrambled up a ladder, her eyes focused on the crystal jar.
One handful.That would be more than enough for her recipe. Sylvie yanked the bag out of her pocket and stole a final glance at the scene below.
More agents cast their aprons out, as Bass snatched beans from the air. No one had even noticed Sylvie scaling up. She shoved her fist into the jar. Woad, soft as baby powder, dark as midnight, clumped and caked in the palm of her hand. Sylvie jammed it into the empty bag and crammed it back into her pocket.
She caught sight of her hand, laced with a fine residue of what looked like black talcum powder. Frantically, Sylvie wiped it onto her dark T-shirt and silently scolded herself.I should’ve worn gloves.Of course, there hadn’t been time.
The chaos below was starting to die down.
Move. Before someone sees you.
Sylvie slid down the rungs, as agents thrust aprons full of bursting beans into toolboxes.
Deep breath.Panicking now wasn’t going to help.
Sylvie’s foot had just hit solid ground, when someone reached out and grabbed her by the collar. She looked up.
Standing over her, eyes glinting like a crocodile’s, was the female agent, her hair pulled into a tight ponytail. She stared suspiciously at Sylvie. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Sylvie suddenly felt her heart pounding its way out of her chest.
“Uh … b-bean bounced over here.” Sylvie lifted her hair, revealing the welt on her neck. “I was chasing after it but couldn’t find it.”
“She’s lying,” said a voice.
Sylvie turned. A sneer spread across Belinda’s face. “Look at her fingernails. They’re black.”
The agent’s gaze narrowed as she examined Sylvie’s hands.
Sylvie had never fainted. She’d come close once, when those muffins sliced through her hand. But in this moment, she felt as if she might pass out. The room started to spin. The edges of her brain grew fuzzy. More people closed in around her.
Georgia. Maggie. Flora. Jack Bass.
“It’s soil.” Georgia lifted her hands. “Yesterday we helped Instructor Gideon harvest mugworts and chocolate vines. My nails were black too … but I cleaned them up and gave them a fresh coat of polish.”
“It’s true,” said Sylvie. This wasn’t really a lie. Sylvie was just choosing to leave out a few pertinent details.
“I think you’re up to something.” The agent squeezed Sylvie’s arm tightly.
Jack Bass stepped in front of them. “This is exactly why there should be harsher punishments for liars and cheaters.”
Flora’s eyes grew wide. She glanced from Bass to Sylvie, then headed for the door.
Guilt and fury bubbled up in equal measure as Sylvie stared at Bass. Maybe he was right. Sylvie certainly had bent a lot of rules lately. But she’d had good reason. In fact, that reason was standing smugly in front of her now.
Bass took off his hat and scratched his head. “Fairness. Justice. That’s the backbone of everything we stand for at the CCS.”
Really?Sylvie wanted to say, but Bass continued.
“Now some people may not want to fall in line, but they get culled from the herd. Some might say that’s harsh. But I disagree. Just like nature, we must weed out those who don’t belong.” His eyes drifted over to Sylvie.
