EMBER’S POV

“I understand that, and I’m telling you I’m not—”

“You said you had nothing to do with it.”

Hale goes still.

A few of the women behind her do too, and I feel every eye in the corridor turn toward us. I tighten my grip on her hand and look up at her through the tears.

“Yesterday,” I say. “You stood in your room with your things all over the floor and told my boyfriend you’d never harmed anyone in this house. You said you stayed up with those girls because that’s just who you are. You know your herbs, Hale. You keep telling everyone you’re this good...