“Elaina,” Lyric said, taking a step closer. “What’s that?”

Confused, Claire glanced back at the girl. Lyric’s eyebrows had risen into twin arcs above very round eyes that were staring at the pink marble that sat forgotten … and glowing. Claire slapped her hand over it, but it was too late.

“Elaina,” Lyric whispered, “are you a Gemmer?”

Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER

12

“What?” Claire asked a little too quickly. “Why would you say that?” The marble pressing into her hand hurt, but Claire ignored the pain as she tried to roll the stone without Lyric realizing what she was doing. She could feel the marble protest slightly against her skin, but a quiet hum shot through her, extinguishing the light just as Lyric reached her.

“Let me see that,” Lyric demanded. Claire let her fingers fall open to reveal nothing but an ordinary marble; the only extraordinary thing about it was its pretty pink color. “Oh,” Lyric said. “What happened to the light?”

Claire licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. Sophie would never have let herself get caught! And even if she had, she would have had a quick story at the tip of her tongue. But all Claire could manage was to repeat whatever word Lyric said last. “Light?”

“Do you think this is a hint of who your family is?” Lyric asked, excitement threading through her voice. “I wonder if it holds a clue to what happened to you! Do you think you could be a Gemmer and not a Spinner? Elaina, I bet you’re someone really important to the queen! You need to meet with her to figure out who you are! Maybe you could even be—”

“Lyric.” Claire hurried to cut off whatever story was running through Lyric’s extravagant imagination. “It’s just a marble, see? It’s not glowing.” And then she bit her lip but silently added, Not anymore.

“But I saw it!” Lyric said. “I know I did.” She prodded the marble with her littlest finger, and Claire hastily wrapped her hand around it again.

“It’s my good luck marble!” Claire said brightly. “I use it as a paperweight …” But her voice trailed off as Lyric’s eyes fixed on hers. Claire flinched. They weren’t accusing, exactly, more … more wounded.

“Elaina,” Lyric said slowly, “if you forgot your memories, how can you be sure your name is Elaina? Or that you are a Spinner?”

Claire flinched again. With all her heart, she wanted to tell Lyric the truth of who she was: Claire Martinson, rising sixth grader, a Gemmer princess, Sophie’s little sister.

But.