Darkness came, but did not bring with it courage. In fact, the more Ruth thought about storming the jail, the more terrified she became. Did she really want to participate in something like this? Did she really want to share her mother and Mir's fates? The answer could only be yes, mostly because she wasn't brave enough to tell her aunts and Rachel that she wanted to back out.

The three women seemed unfazed by the approaching evening. None of them seemed at all worried. They just kept making their bow and arrows, chatting quietly as though they didn't notice the darkness. After a dinner of mushy soup and stale bread, Bella made the announcement. "Okay, gang. It's time to go."

Hearing the news, Ruth thought perhaps her heart might stop. But it kept on thumping, somehow propelling her off of the blanket. Moments later, she was tagging after her aunts and Rachel, worrying that her terrified breaths might give them away.

No one stopped them. No one even glanced their way.

That is, no one glanced their way until they'd reached the jail.

Trillagla's prison stood on the outskirts of town, a huge hulking building. Soldiers stood guard along a spiked, iron fence. Bars blocked the windows, dogs blocked the doors. Clearly, no one was supposed to leave that building until the Lord was good and ready to let him go. Ruth didn't think the Lord wanted visitors there, either. She swallowed her pride and opened her mouth, ready to ask if she could please run away quickly.

"Halt!" a soldier's angry voice silenced Ruth. "Who goes there?"

Bella did the talking. "My name is Clara and I'm here to see my husband."

The guard gave a harsh, unsympathetic laugh. "Nobody goes to see their husbands in the middle of the night."

"We have children at home." Bella returned, unafraid. "I had to wait for them to sleep."

"And then you brought along the neighborhood?" the soldier asked, indicating Rachel, Valina, and Ruth.

"These are my sisters and my eldest daughter." Bella lied.

"Next time, leave them home to watch your children." ordered the soldier. "Now go home. I'm done with you."

"But sir!" Pain rocked Bella's voice and she stared at him with utter desperation. "Please sir! I haven't seen my husband in so long!"

"I said scram!"

"Oh, let them inside." another soldier approached, waving his hand casually. "She might as well see her husband. He'll probably be executed in a few days anyway. Most of them are."

"I'm not taking responsibility for any trouble they cause!" the first guard insisted.

"How much trouble can a bunch of women cause?" the second soldier sneered. To the women, he added, "Go ahead. Find your husband, father, whatever. Just remember, there are guards watching your every move. So no funny business."

"Oh, thank you sir!" Bella was the picture of gratefulness. The other women echoed her thanks and then they walked through the door.

Ruth stepped carefully over the threshold and took a deep breath.

She was inside the Trillagla jail.