Page 26 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“Eira, I’m not going anywhere.”

“But I’m ahalfling. Don’t you get it? I’m worse than a highly contagious deadly disease.”

“You’re no disease.”

“Right, I’m worse. Half fae, half human, fully nothing. An abomination. My father probably wants nothing to do with me. I’m sure my mother spent my whole life trying to make sure nobody ever found out about my true nature because I’m so horrible. Only a creature a mother could love.”

Harek wraps me in a bear hug. “You’re amazing, and the fact that you’re something almost mythical makes you even more special.”

I step back. “You aren’t disgusted? I heard the horror in your voice when you saw my glow.”

“That’s called shock, my friend. I had no clue—fae can’t hide their magic. It doesn’t just show up in adulthood. Your glowy hand never showed before today?”

“Never, because I didn’t know about it.”

“That isn’t how it works.” He sounds completely baffled.

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t know?”

I draw in a deep breath. “No. Gunnar never allowed talk of fae in his house.”

“Sorry, I forgot. Fae get their powers regardless of knowledge. I spoke with one who was abandoned at birth and raised by another kind of fae. There was no hiding his true nature—by the time he was a toddler, everyone knew what kind he was.”

“I’m not fully fae—that has to be why.”

“Maybe.” He doesn’t sound like he believes my theory.

“Nothing else makes sense. There’s no other explanation for why mine didn’t show until I found out. My mother told me, then a few hours later my hand started glowing.”

“Could it have anything to do with her death?” he asks.

“You’re trying to blame me for that?”

“Of course not. I just mean, maybe her dying is what triggered your powers. It’s possible.”

Now it’s my turn to be doubtful. “If that was the case, wouldn’t I need my father to awaken my fae side? It isn’t like my mother’s death would pass any powers to me.”

He doesn’t respond.

“See? I’m right.”

“Maybe. Nobody really ever talks about halflings, so I don’t know much about them.”

My stomach sinks. “I’m even rarer than I thought. How am I ever going to figure out anything about myself?”

“I’m sure someone knows something. Our best bet is to find your father. I assume now that we’re heading for a fae metropolis?”

I sigh. “Yeah. I’m going to see if he’s in the nearest one. If not, I’ll keep trying until I find him. All I know is my mother fled while pregnant with me, and she settled in the first human town she came to. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the first fae town I reach will be the right one. These woods are vast, and I don’t know what direction she traveled. You should know this could be a wild goose chase.”

Harek doesn’t respond.

I can’t blame him for having second thoughts. He’ll be a lot safer if he turns around and goes home. At least I have my glowing palm in my favor. So far all the fae who have seen it have fled. Maybe no fae wants anything to do with whatever power I have.

I’ll have to make sure none of them ever find out I’m clueless about it.

“There used to be a popular trail through these woods when we were little,” Harek says. “Nobody ever goes that way anymore, but I wonder if that’s the route your mother took. It would’ve been the right timing.”

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