Page 82 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“Apparently.” I draw in another deep breath before opening the book to the first page. Those words also glow, and my palm doesn’t fade.

Harek leans closer. “Do you want me to read it?”

I blink a few times as I look at the faintly glowing words. “No, you don’t need to.”

“But you can’t read this.”

“Actually, I think I can.”

He stares at me like I’ve just grown another head.

“Tell me if I’m right.”

“Okay…”

I bring my palm closer to the writing. “The hunter line has existed as long as the fae to keep the balance. Without these rare fae, evil would overcome good, and the entire world would be in peril.”

Harek’s mouth falls open. “Nobody ever taught you to read fae?”

“Who would have? I barely learned to read the language of our people. Well, those of Skoro, notourpeople.”

“Your mother would have known how to read it.” His tone seems accusatory.

“She never taught me. Are you accusing me of lying?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

“You’re one to talk, anyway,” I snap back. “You didn’t tell meanyof us are werewolves. If I’d have known that killing would trigger a curse, I could’ve at least known what I was walking into.”

He looks like he’s struggling with how to respond. “Didn’t we already have this conversation? Either way, it was your mother who raised you—if anyone should’ve told you everything, it was her.”

“You’re blaming my dead mother? Again?”

“You can’t deny she left you at a disadvantage by keeping everything from you. It was her decision to let you think you were only human. My parents never agreed with her but went along with it because she was your mother. It wasn’t their place to say anything, and therefore it wasn’t mine either.”

A lump forms in my throat. He’s right, but I don’t want to admit it. Not when it means being mad at my recently deceased mother who put up with Gunnar all those years. “Why didn’t she raise me with our pack? Why follow your parents to Skoro?”

“She had to have been terrified for your safety.”

“Terrified?”

“You’re the hunter’s daughter—though I didn’t knowthat. To my knowledge, she didn’t tell anyone. It was a secret she took to the grave. There’s no way she didn’t know the lore surrounding the hunter. Speaking of that, I’d really like to read the book to find out if it’s true.”

“That my father or I have to kill the other one?” I fold my arms.

Harek’s eyes widen. “You know about that?”

“Vivvi told me what you wouldn’t.”

“It isn’t like that.”

“No?” I stare him down. “Then howisit?”

He reaches for the book. “I wanted to find out if the rumors were true before scaring you with what could be just old fairy tales.”

“You need to stop trying to protect me and start telling me the full truth, or you’re going to need protectionfromme.”

Harek jolts slightly. “Understood.”

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