Page 52 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“Move out of our way.” I hold my arm back like I’m going to throw the ball at her.

The other men flee. She doesn’t budge.

Harek clears his throat. “You should follow your friends.”

“I’m not backing down.” Kinta keeps her focus on me. “You don't belong here. Leave another way.”

“Are you threatening me?” Anger surges through me and my palm heats even more, though I wouldn’t have thought it possible.

“I’m saying you need to find another way to your destination.”

We stare each other down, my palm growing warmer by the moment.

She pulls out a sword. It’s rusty but looks like it could cause some damage.

Harek pulls an arrow to the string of his bow.

Kinta’s eyes flash black. “Don’t test me.”

I ready myself. “You really don’t want to fight us.”

She swings her weapon toward me.

Without thinking, I throw my mist ball. It hits her square in the chest and appears to spread out in all directions. She gasps, drops her sword. Falls to the ground. Calls me several names, her voice garbled.

Harek stares at me wide-eyed.

Kinta grasps at her throat before closing her eyes and going limp. A black mist rises from her body.

Exactly what I was worried would happen.

Harek stares at her, his mouth gaping. He doesn’t move, even as the mist passes right by him.

Toward me.

I can’t deal with more magic inside me. So I run.

“Eira!” Harek calls.

I don’t stop. If I can outrun the swirling mist, I’ll do everything in my power.

It makes a swooshing sound as it comes after me. I don’t look back. Need to find a way to get out of its path.

“Where are you going?” Harek calls.

How does he not know what I’m doing? I can’t deal with more misty magic turning my insides apart, or whatever it’s doing.

Something cold brushes under my nose.

No. Not again. This cannot be happening. But it is.

Unable to keep going, I stop myself unwillingly. The dark mist momentarily blocks my view of anything else, as it swirls around and slides down through my nose to mingle with the other magic. All of the mists slosh and swirl in me.

The nausea returns with a vengeance. I fight against it, not wanting to lose all the food Harek just fed me.

He catches up with me, gasping. “Why did you run off?”

I double over, doing everything I can not to lose my lunch.

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