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yet. Today at work, your mother had a pie for me, and she called the rest of the staff in and they all sang songs, and after I cut into the crust, two pieces of gelt shone out from the filling. My first wages. Then, when everyone was done with their slices, she shooed the rest of them away. We sat together, having seconds, my rebbe and me.
    “I suppose you know now about the Children of Abel,” she said.
    I scraped my plate clean with the side of my fork.
    “I do,” I said.
    “You should know, Alya, why the Council assigned you to me.”
    “It’s not because of my natural inclinations as a baker?” I asked, letting my lips lift up in a haughty smile. Miriam didn’t find it funny.
    “The vocational counselors came to me the day before your Vocation Ceremony. They know that I’m a good, Council-loyal citizen. They want you to be one too. I’m supposed to steer you away from a dark path. And a dangerous one. I only want you and Benny to be safe.”
    My gaze shot up. “Do they know about him? And my parents? Do they know they’re traitors too? Have you told the Council?”
    Miriam’s frown was deep. “No. Never. I would never betray my son. And no matter what happened between Liora and I . . . well, I would never betray her, either.”
    I put my plate down on the knife-cleaved countertop. “Just what happened between you and Momme, then? No one will tell me. Not even Benny. If you care about me so much, then be honest. Please .”
    I didn’t expect my voice to come out as such a whine, but it did, the word lingering in the air long after I’d spoken. Miriam sighed, and put her plate down too.
    “I was never a Daughter of Abel. I just loved Liora, that was all. I thought I could be a good mother and wife and still sleep beside her on lonely afternoons when business was slow and my children were away at school. I was naive. Your mother asked me to do something. Something I couldn’t—couldn’t stomach.”
    “What?”
    Her eyes went to the pie, like the answers could be found there within the remaining slice. And maybe they could.
    “I was to bake a pie for the captain. A meat pie. Filled with ground lamb and peas and carrots. And poison, Alya.”
    I winced at the nickname. I winced at the truth.
    “Momme wouldn’t—”
    “She did. Your father, too. And their fellows. They want to destroy the Council, and our way of life. And I never blamed them for that. I know what it’s like to be trapped in a loveless marriage, to have no hope for freedom or a brighter day tomorrow.”
    She reached out, wrapping her flour-dusted hands around mine. When she lifted them, she drew my gaze upward until we were staring into each other’s eyes.
    “But you’ll live a better life than me. Than Liora, too. You don’t need the Children of Abel, Alyana. You have Benjamin. I see now that I was wrong. It’s not one of your mother’s schemes. It’s love, true love. My son has never been so happy before. You are his bashert , as Liora was mine, but the two of you could have a happy life together. You can lead him away from this murderous life. Please, child. If there was ever any love between our families, let there be hope now.”
    Part of me wanted to snatch my hands away. But I didn’t. Couldn’t. Because she’s right , Benny. We have a chance to make good on everything that ever went wrong between my mother, and yours. A chance at love. At happiness. At a future. We don’t need the Children of Abel for that. All we need is each other—right?
    Yours,
    Alyana

91st Day of Spring, 22 Years Till Landing
    Benny,
    It was so strange to see our families all gathered around one table once again. Tateh, doing his best to make small talk with your father. Momme, slicing the roast with a wary look in her eyes. Miriam, rolling hers at the chatter of the men. You were so quiet, sitting with your hands folded in front of you, that I felt the need to plug up every hole in the conversation. That’s why I couldn’t stop talking,