Page 9 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

I follow him to their spare room. While this house is like a second home to me, I’ve never spent a night anywhere other than the farmhouse.

Everything in my life is going to be a series of firsts from here on out. Some of those firsts will put my life in danger.

I hope I’m up to the task. Whether or not I am, everything is about to change.

Chapter

Four

It’sdark by the time I wake from a fitful sleep of dreams about my mother. It takes me a few moments to remember everything that happened. I’m not in my own bed. Mother is gone. I’m never returning to the farmhouse. I won’t get to see my siblings grow up.

My true father is fae.

I stare at my hands from the light coming through from the hallway. Some fae have powers that exit their bodies through their palms. I’ve seen it with my own eyes many years ago. It was one of the few times I actually saw fae. When I was a little girl, some of them came to the edge of the town and put on a show for us just outside the gates. They lit up the night darkness while displaying different powers—fire, water, light, dancing rainbows.

Gunnar scoffed and stormed away, muttering how stupid everyone was for enjoying the show. However, Mother told us kids how fun and magical it was to watch. She did tell us to always be careful around the fae, but she didn’t act like they were dangerous monsters and that we were dumb for being curious about or amazed at what we saw.

Now I know why. I only wish I knew sooner. She could’ve answered so many questions. Maybe she always meant to tell me everything when I got older, but then illness stole that from us. If only she’d had time to tell me what kind of fae I am. That would’ve been a helpful starting point.

But here I am. At least I know as much as I do. If Gunnar had kept her from talking to me at all, I might never know about my latent powers.

I stare at my palms and will them to do something.

They don’t.

Maybe that isn’t the kind of fae I am. Or I don’t know how to activate my powers. I really should be careful—the last thing I want to do is burn down Harek’s family home. I’d never forgive myself.

Voices sound from another room. Harek is telling someone about my mother.

A lump forms in my throat and hot tears fill my eyes. How can she be gone? It isn’t fair at all. Why couldn’t fate have allowed her to stay longer? She was a good person. One of the best. Not mean and harsh like her husband. Why don’t people like Gunnar ever get sick and die too soon? My mother could’ve done so much good in the world. My stepfather is only going to serve himself. Nothing more.

While tears stream down my face and I try to choke back sobs so nobody hears me, I rub my palms together. Pull them apart. Wave them around, imagine something happening.

From what little lore I know about halflings, they all have powers. They aren’t hindered by their humanity. Whatever my father can do, I should be able to do as well. But without him here to teach me, it’s anyone’s guess if I’ll ever be able to tap into my magic.

That’s exactly why I need to head out into the woods and find the nearest fae metropolis. It could be where my parents met. Ifit is, my father may still be there. Not that I have a clue how I’ll find him, aside from searching for someone who resembles me. I don’t look particularly like Mother, so I must have many of his features.

A little spark of hope warms in my chest. Out of all this mess, all this heartache, maybe some good can grow. Even if my father doesn’t want anything to do with me, I might get answers. Might be able to learn about my kind of fae. I can start over somewhere and hope it’ll be as easy to hide my humanity as it has been to hide my fae side all these years.

Footsteps sound. Someone is heading my way.

I desperately wipe my tears and my nose.

Harek appears in the doorway holding a candle. “How’d you sleep?”

“Great, if you like nightmares.”

He frowns. “I can’t imagine losing my mother. Can I do anything for you?”

“No.”

“I hope you’re hungry. My father’s making a stew from some of the buffalo parts.”

“That sounds great. You’re sure there’s enough for me?”

“There’s plenty.” Yet his voice hitches.

His family isn’t well off, and here I am eating their food.

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