Page 7 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“My stomach and mind don’t agree with each other.”

“I’ll find something.” He rummages around then puts some smoked meat on a plate along with some cheese. “Try it. Last time Father and I went out, we struck gold.”

“A deer?”

“Better.” He beams.

It’s rare any of the local archers catch anything larger than a deer out in the woods, though Harek and his father tend to catch large animals none of the others do. “I give up. What’d you get?”

“Taste and see if you can figure it out.” He nudges the plate closer to me.

I’m hardly a meat connoisseur, unless it’s something from the farm. We eat and sell a lot of chicken, eggs, and pork. Not much else. Gunnar never cooks anything bigger. He sells cows for top dollar, never “wasting” any of the beef on the likes of his family.

Harek picks up a piece of dark meat and hands it to me.

The rich flavor explodes in my mouth, making me forget my problems momentarily. I recognize it—probably from another time I ate it here—but I can’t place it. “You’re going to have to tell me.”

“Buffalo.” He grins widely. “We’re going to be able to buy everything we need around here. The meat has been selling like crazy at the market.”

“Don’t waste your family’s food by feeding me this expensive meat.”

“Because it’s too good not to share with my best friend. Especially after the day you’ve had.”

I glance at the plate. “You’re sure?”

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have offered it to you. Try it with the cheese.”

After a moment of hesitation, I do. It’s even tastier than the other piece.

“See?” He takes some and eats it. “I can’t believe we were so lucky. One animal, and we’re set to buy everything we need for a full month.”

“I’m really happy for you. Speaking of your parents, where are they?”

“Mother’s selling meat at the market while Father prepares the less desirable parts. There’s a buyer for every cut. It’s just a matter of waiting for the right person to come along.”

“And what about you? Are you just lazing around today?”

He chuckles. “Hardly. Everything around here falls on me for now. Not that I mind—this is going to be a great month.”

“No one deserves it more than your family.” I glance at the last piece of meat on the plate.

“Take it,” he says.

I feel bad eating so much of his buffalo, but I need the nourishment if I’m going to travel through the woods and try to find answers about my heritage. I still can’t believe I’m part fae. I don’t know how Mother managed to keep that a secret all these years. She must’ve known whatever my powers are, they wouldn’t present a problem if I accidentally discovered them. What are they? What magical thing can I do?

“Do tell.” Harek’s voice breaks through my thoughts.

Even though I’ve always told him everything, I’m not ready to voicethis.

“What’s your plan?” he asks. “Now that you’re finally free of Gunnar.”

“I’m not free until I’ve left the village gates, and now I have Vog to worry about, too.” I sigh, thinking of traveling through the woods on my own. There are all kinds of vile creatures out there—fae so terrible they aren’t allowed in the kingdoms and territories of their own kind. They’re the main reason our settlement has walls. It’s to keep out all fae, sure, but especially the bloodsuckers, the shifters, and the like. Those are the fae thatparents tell scary stories about to their children to keep them in line.

The cold-blooded killers who give no thought to taking innocent lives.

“Eira? What’s your plan?”

I turn my attention back to Harek. “I’m leaving.”

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