Page 11 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“What’s wrong?” Harek asks.

“You didn’t hear that?”

“Hear what?”

I hurry over to the wall and press my ear to it. Even with my hand against my leg, I can see a faint orange glow. Instinctively I pull my hand into my sleeve to hide it.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s out there.” I point to the wall. “Just on the other side.”

“Stay here.” He disappears from the room.

I follow him into the hallway.

He and his father are speaking in hushed tones. The front door creaks. Footsteps. Another creak then a soft click.

They’ve gone outside to face whoever or whatever I heard outside.

My heart races. What if I’ve just put them in danger?

I have to do something.

The orange glow on my palm is brighter now.

What does it mean? I want to yell at it. Will it help me? Or does it have some other purpose? Why couldn’t I have hadmore time with Mother? Surely, she could’ve explained all of this to me. She had to have known something about my father’s mysterious powers.

Thud!

No time for wishful thinking. I grab a knife from the empty kitchen, throw on my coat, and hurry outside, rounding the corner toward the other side of the house.

Scuffles sound. Angry voices carry on the wind.

Could Gunnar and Vog have come to threaten Harek’s family, knowing I’d run here? I shouldn’t have come. I’m only putting them in harm’s way.

My palm becomes so bright it could rival the sun’s ability to light the way—and let everyone in eyesight know I’m a dreaded fae. I shove my dominant hand into a pocket and wield the knife with my left hand.

I turn another corner, avoiding a large stack of chopped wood.

Harek and his father are fighting a man who stands a head taller than them both. They’re tall themselves, but this stranger is a giant. And he seems to have the upper hand on the two of them.

An orange glow shines from inside my coat.

It’s getting brighter the closer I get to them.

I step away from them. Sure enough, the orange glow disappears. I take out my hand. It’s still glowing, but dimmer. I inch closer to them.

The glow brightens.

I’m not imagining it. Why is this suddenly happening? I never glowed before I knew I was fae. Did finding out about my powers awaken them?

Harek cries out in pain.

Without thinking, I run toward them. Harek and his father have their backs to me.

The stranger steps back and stares at me, his eyes wide. His gaze goes right to my glowing hand.

He knows I’m fae.

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