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I’ve done intakes for newcomers many times. None of this is standard.

“I’d like to spend some time on all of this… Are you alright if I send Mr. Kirov home, and it’s just the two of us?” She nods. I look up at Riah and offer a smile, “Go home and get some rest. Tell Melanie that I will be in here for a while.” Riah nods and exits the room.

There’s a lot to do here…

“I’m glad you’re both here,” I say as I enter Dr. Frolov’s office. It’s been a long day of back-to-back appointments and trying to get ahold of these two. Dr. Frolov and High Secretary Yelena Morozova are sitting at his desk. Dr. Frolov’s short blond hair sticks up in all directions, the circles under his eyes are so dark you’d swear he had slept in mascara, and his white coat is covered with wrinkles. Yelena sits opposite him, wearing a simple, well-tailored cotton dress. Her brown hair falls to her lower back; she’s not a member of the court, but Alistair insists she keep her hair long like the rest of us. She looks at me with her ice blue eyes and smiles.

“Lady Daily, do you have the report on the girl for me?”

“That’s actually what I wanted to discuss with you. I sat with her for a while… How exactly did you come by her?”

“That’s the High Office’s private business,” she says, waving her hand to brush me off.

“Well, a patient’s medical records are not to be given out. It’s a breach of the patient’s rights. And as far as the exam requests on the notes you left, I won’t be performing them.” Dr. Frolov sits up in his chair, Yelena turns in her seat to face me.

“Excuse me?” She says, tilting her head a fraction.

“The purpose of intake evaluations for incoming individuals is to assess any potential health risks entering the colony. So, I won’t be performing any of the exams or testing that she expressed to me that she did not consent to and does not want.”

“It’s the High Steward’s request; we need those results.” Yelena stands up. I cross my arms over my chest.

“She is an adult, and she has the agency to decide what happens to her.” Yelena shakes her head and turns to Dr. Frolov.

“Be sure to get me the full report by the end of the week.”

I set my sights on Dr. Frolov. My brow pinched together until the muscles are so tight they might spasm.

“Yes, High Secretary.” My upper lip tugs at the side in a snarl at his words, and I shake my head.

No.

“Dr. Folov, you can’t.” There’s no wiggle room here. I’m not offering input; I’m not questioning whether I should feel differently about this. This is wrong. “This isn’t how we do things.” Dr. Frolov lets out a sigh; wrinkles form on his forehead when he looks at me. His eyes look so lost.

He’s not the mentor I thought he was.

“It is now.” His words are gentle. He knows I’m right, that this is wrong.

He’s a shell of the man I have known for the past ten years.

“We are on the same side,” Yelena says, offering a smile.

“Since when are there sides when it comes to providing ethical medical care?” I fix my gaze on Dr. Frolov, my jaw tight. “What aren’t you telling us?” Dr. Frolov’s Adam’s apple bobs with a swallow, and I shake my head.

“Violet…” Dr. Frolov sighs, “You will need to comply with the requests from the High Office.”

“Or what?” I bite. Nausea builds in my throat at what he is suggesting.

“I can’t have any members of the staff deviating from the directive…”

Ah, so it’s down to this now.

Cain has always said that with Alistair at the helm, the government balanced on splintering beams, projecting strength while rot crept beneath the paint. He said that my safety was compromised with him, and that’s why we couldn’t be together. I always thought he was being dramatic. Turns out he wasn’t.

I take a deep breath, slip off my coat, and lay it on Dr. Frolov’s desk.

“Then I quit,” I say, a pang of sadness piercing my heart.

“Violet!” Dr. Frolov’s eyes go wide, and he rises to stand. I don’t think that he’s compromising his morals because he’s a bad person. He’s broken, hollowed, not strong enough.