Page 36 of A Blade of Blood and Shadow
“No.”
He flashed a lopsided grin, though it was tainted with a darkness that made my insides tighten.
“Okay, fine.” He set his fork down in a puddle of syrup and pushed his plate away. I could tell from his pause that he was choosing his words carefully — always a bad sign with the fae.
“Silas is . . . very old for his kind. He has terrorized the Quarter for many years and doneunspeakablethings to my people.”
I didn’t contradict him. I couldn’t. Not when I’d seen the cruelty Silas was capable of.
Still, Kaden’s answer didn’t quite fit. Whoever he was, he was powerful — powerful enough to send those demons fleeing in terror. If Kaden truly cared about ending Silas, I couldn’t imagine he’d need my help to do it.
“You don’t need me to get to Silas,” I said finally.
Kaden waggled his eyebrows and snatched the cherry from my half-empty shake, pulling the fruit off the stem with his teeth. “That’s where you’re wrong, little huntress.”
I was so taken aback by his answer that I didn’t remember to glare at him for the nickname. My confusion must have shown on my face because he said, “When is the last time Silas actually left that house?”
Kaden watched my face carefully as I thought about it. Then understanding washed over me. Silas rarely, if ever, left that house. I’d always thought it was because he had his hunters to do his dirty work for him, but perhaps it was because he genuinely feared what would happen to him if he set foot in the Quarter.
“He is safe behind those wards,” said Kaden. “Even from someone like me.”
“And why do you thinkI’dbe able to help with that?” I hadn’t been able to get near that house, and it wasn’t as though Silas would leave if I asked him.
Kaden cocked his head to one side. “You are not like Silas. At least, not entirely.”
My insides clenched at his insinuation, and Kaden nodded. “You are not a pureblooded hunter.”
My cheeks heated, and I looked down at my empty plate. Even though it was obvious to any hunter that I wasn’t quite like them, my human half still felt like a shameful secret.
“How did you know?” I asked hoarsely.
“I can taste it in your magic.”
I flicked my gaze up to meet Kaden’s eyes and saw that a light flush had burnished his cheeks. “Plus, your scent is not quite right for a full-blooded huntress,” he added quickly.
But my mind had latched onto the first thing he’d said. “You cantastethat I’m half mortal?”
“Mortal?” Kaden looked confused, then understanding lit his eyes, and he let out a bitter laugh. “Gods. Silas really did a number on you if he let you believe you’re half mortal.”
I clenched my jaw so hard that it hurt. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not half mortal!” Kaden laughed again, but it was an unhinged, bitter sound.
Irritation flared in my gut. I was sotiredof feeling inferior. Powerless. “If I’m not half mortal, then what am I?” I snapped.
“You’re half hunter, half witch.” He said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “A witch of the Coranthe line, to be exact.”
My heart pounded in my chest. A witch? I was halfwitch?
But that couldn’t be. My mother had always told me my father was a hunter, which meant any non-hunter genes had to have come from her. I’d never seen my mother do magic. I’d always assumed she was mortal.
My head spun, and Kaden’s gaze turned thoughtful, a mixture of pity and tenderness in his eyes. “You really didn’t know?”
I shook my head, feeling embarrassed. I’d been so young when my mother was killed. I remembered little things about her — her scent, her clothes, her voice when she sang to me. I remembered how she’d loved to pick wildflowers and how she’d hung bundles of herbs upside down in our kitchen to dry.
It made me sad that I hadn’t known this most basic thing about her.
Then my mind went to the fight with Gorm and his cronies outside of Imogen’s apartment building — that burst of power that had come from my body.
