“Come,” she said.

“But...”

She waved the light around herself, to show me the space was larger than it first appeared, and her gaze grew impatient.

“Alina, the darkness still frightens you? Death at the hands of Nazis for helping your outlaw boyfriend barely makes you blink, but climbing down a ladder makes you tremble? What nonsense, child.”

So I followed her down the ladder, descending into the darkness. The air down there seemed thick, even with the latch open, even with the lantern on. I wasn’t sure I could survive two minutes in that place, but as soon as my feet touched the floor, I saw the food. There were dozens of jars of preserves, and a stockpile of potatoes, plus several sacks of flour and sugar. A basket of eggs rested on the floor.

It was more food than the three of us would eat in months at the rate we’d been dipping into it. Dozens and dozens of morsels hidden for our use—every single one of which would guarantee death to my parents if the Nazis found this space.

“How did you hide this from us?” I asked her breathlessly.

“We started stockpiling long before the war, at the first hint of trouble in the papers. We moved everything we had into this space the day the invaders killed the mayor and Aleksy, and ever since we’ve been adding to it when we could—just in case things got worse. We only ever come down here in the middle of the night when we’re sure you’re asleep,” she said, then she laughed a little. “This is how we caught you ‘praying’ through your window all of those months ago. Father was waiting to put some eggs down and to bring up a little more jam. That’s when he heard you talking.” She tilted her head at me. “You were talking to Tomasz that night, yes?”

I nodded, sighing.

“He had only just returned then.” I digested this, then looked around again. I glanced at Mama again uncertainly. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”

“It is the responsibility of parents to provide for their children, and we happened to have a way to do that,” she said simply. “You didn’t need to know. It wasn’t as though we hid the cellar on purpose—in the early years, we didn’t tell you this space was here because we knew you children would make mischief if you knew of it. And we never intended it to be used this way. It was luck, not strategy—simply a hangover from back before your grandfather built the bigger cellar with the new barn.” Mama rested her hand on my shoulder very gently. “Perhaps this can be of use to Tomasz. There is no heat, but it never gets as cold down here. We can furnish him with this lantern—we can’t spare much oil, mind, but perhaps enough for when it’s necessary. And I have been saving the food strictly until it must be used, but with the boys gone and it being so hard to get supplies over to Truda and Emilia now, I just don’t think we can use it all in time. To see food waste in such hard times is the real crime.” She paused, then she said with a shrug, “It will please Father and I greatly if Tomasz can distribute this food to his Jewish friends. We have been looking for a way to help.”

“Mama,” I whispered. “They would kill you if they found this.”

“Well, Alina,” she said matter-of-factly, “there is a good chance that if they find Tomasz and learn that you have supported him, they will kill you too. We all take the risks we can handle in war.”

“What does Father know?” I asked, glancing nervously toward the hatch.

“He knows the same as I do.”

“Tomasz served with the Wehrmacht,” I blurted. “In Warsaw. Does that make any difference to you?”

Mama blinked at me, then she sighed.

“A fine young Polish man like Tomasz Slaski would never work with those bastards unless he had no choice. Am I correct?”

“You are,” I whispered.

“Then, no, it will make no difference.”

“And Father will let Tomasz hide in here?”

“He lets you visit with him alone in the woods each day, so this isn’t too much different,” Mama said wryly. I felt the flush creep up my cheeks, and she laughed softly. “Why do you think I follow you? It is not just the soldiers you could get yourself in trouble with, child.”

“When can Tomasz come?”

“Wait another hour or two, then go find him and tell him to come tonight when darkness falls.”

CHAPTER 17

Alina

I waited almost two hours, then I walked toward the woods as calmly as I could. My thoughts were racing—I was still trying to wrap my mind around the reality that my parents knew and that Tomasz could soon be living under our roof. When I reached the top of the hill, I saw him slip down from a treetop to rush toward me.

“I saw them coming, and I saw you coming, but they were right below me and I couldn’t do anything,” he choked, pulling me close. “My God, Alina, I’m so sorry—I—We can’t do this anymore. It’s too risky, it was so stupid of me to—”

“My parents know,” I blurted, and he braced himself as if he was about to sprint away. “Wait—they know, but they want to help you.”

“Help me?” he repeated. He seemed incredulous at this, as if I’d suggested something completely absurd, and that broke my heart just a little more.

“I told you they had food somewhere? There is another cellar. The hatch is under the rug beneath the table in our house. They said you can hide there.”

Tomasz blinked, then he caught my shoulders in his palms.

“Alina,” he said flatly. “This is very kind of your parents and very kind of you, but I can’t accept that offer.”

“But why not?” I asked desperately. “It’s not safe out here, Tomasz. I’m so scared for you.”

By the time I’d finished speaking I was sobbing, and he pulled me hard against his torso again.

“They would kill you if they found me there and I can’t...” He choked against my hair. “It’s selfish enough for me to see you like this, but I thought they’d only link us if they caught us together. But if you hide me in your house...”

“That is not your concern,” I said.

“You are my concern.”

“If that is true then you will grant me one small mercy and let us help you in this way. My parents have been trying to figure out how to get the food to those who need it, so perhaps you are the answer to their prayers.” When he remained stiff within my arms, I added softly, “Tomasz...can you imagine how much help that food will be to this young family you are caring for?”

“I...”