ROYCE.
I stare at her, processing her words.
There’s no way, I mean, how can that even be possible? If she is alive, then where is she? Why isn’t she here?
“Lottie… Why do you say that?” I ask her quietly.
She looks down. “Trust me, Royce, I know she is. I heard them speak of it with my own ears.” She mumbles, her heart thumping as if fearing getting into trouble.
“Who?” I ask, my own heart racing. “She was stillborn. There’s got to be a misunderstanding.”
“No Royce, she was meant to be… offed.”
Offed.
I know what she means, and I wait as she struggles to keep calm.
My own emotions are havoc as I try not to let her see it as I wait for her to continue when she’s ready.
“How do you know?” I ask, trying to remain calm.
“I snuck out one day to go to the packhouse, and then when I w
