I don’t want her to be hurt. And I especially don’t want her to leave us.

I just hope she doesn’t feel the same distaste for the talented that too many others do. Sebastian knows my plan but remains undecided if he will share his role just yet. I can tell my secret just fine without revealing his.

The morning sun spills over the mountains in the distance, alighting on our small camp on the grassy plains. Maeve yawns from her bedroll and stretches. My heart lurches into my stomach.

I must do this now before I lose my nerve.

My feet carry me to her side before I can think better of it. When I kneel next to her, Maeve tilts her head.

“Good morning, little one. You look so serious today.”

My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Maeve sits up straighter, concern clear on her face.

“What’s the matter, Simone?”

I shake my head and try to speak again, this time with more success. “Nothing’s wrong. I need to tell you something.” My throat has grown rougher than burlap, but I clear it the best I can.

Maeve sits all the way up and faces me. “Go on.”

My hands twist together, and I stare at them while words pour from my mouth. “I haven’t been completely honest with you about why I’m going to the library.”

“All right,” she says, her face unreadable. My talent remains under a tight grip. I don’t think I should let myself read her mind yet.

“Have you heard of Lady Aisling and her Garden of Souls?”

Surprise flits over Maeve’s face. “I have.”

I turn my eyes back to my twisting hands. “I was one of her captives. Which means I have a talent. Mind reading. The people who rescued us tried to find my family, but it was no use. There was a memory stealer under her control, too, so I don’t even know what they looked like. All I have is a location to help me find out what happened to them, but no one has ever heard of the village. We thought a record of it might be somewhere in the library.”

My mouth snaps shut, and my limbs feel strange and loose all of a sudden. I can’t bring myself to face Maeve.

But I don’t have to.

“You poor thing,” Maeve says, then wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me. I hope the Parillan Archives can help us both.”

My heart begins to settle into a normal pace again as I lean into her embrace. “You’re not angry?”

She laughs. “Not at all. You were right not to tell me at first. That’s a fearsome talent, and one that some might want to take advantage of. You have to be careful and protect yourself.” She squeezes me a little tighter. “But now that you know me a little better, I’m glad you decided to confide in me.”