Page 74 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“But why can’t they live together? Work together?”

“The natural order of things. It’s why everyone is talking about your father weakening. He was going strong until recently. You must’ve just come into your strength?”

I nod, unable to find my voice.

“You’re pretty old for just coming into your powers. How is that possible?”

“I thought I was human. It wasn’t until I found out about being a halfling that my palm started glowing.”

Vivvi’s brows draw together. “No, that isn’t possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“Knowledge isn’t what activates magic for any fae.”

“It did in my case.”

She shakes her head. “That had to have been a coincidence. Have you only been around humans since becoming an adult?”

“Yeah! That must be it.”

“It makes sense because?—”

“Wait, no,” I interrupt. “I’ve been around Harek and his family my entire life. Plus my siblings are all halflings. My mom was a full werewolf.”

“None of them are evil?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

She takes my hand. “A hunter’s palm only glows to alert him to evil fae. Those are the ones he’s to kill. It’s his job to keep all of fae kind safe.”

My mind spins. “So the only reason my powers activated was because I was around bad fae?”

“Correct.”

I think back to when it first lit up at Harek’s house. That was when I found him and his father talking to that one fae. It explains why he looked terrified of me. Once he fled, my hand returned to normal.

That means Vivvi’s right. Me finding out about being fae had nothing to do with it. It just so happened that I learned about my true nature and then came near my first evil fae right afterward.

It was coming near the dangerous creature that activated my magic.Thatwas why my father started weakening. If Motherhadn’t died, I’d still be working on the farm never to come near a bad fae.

“But wait.” The words fly out of my mouth before I can think them through.

“Yes, darling?”

“But if I’m a hunter, then why didn’t anyone within the walls react fearfully when they saw me? You didn’t. Shouldn’t you be afraid of me? Shouldn’t all fae?”

“Just the evil ones. There’s no reason for an average fae to react to you. Neither of us pose a threat to the other.”

“So only good fae live here in the city?”

Vivvi sips her tea. “I wouldn’t go that far, but there’s definitely a continuum. Some are better than others, but the evil ones do tend to stay away from here.”

“What makes it so that a fae can tell who I am? Just my glow?”

“I would imagine. I’m hardly a hunter expert.”

“You know a lot more than I do.”

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