Sebastian gasps. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

Rachel puts an arm around each of our shoulders. “Don’t worry. Let’s just check Maeve’s room and see if she’s there.”

When we reach the door to Maeve’s quarters, my heart is in my throat, all sorts of terrible scenarios racing through my head. But out of respect for Maeve’s wishes, I keep my magic pulled back. For now. Rachel finds the master key on her key ring and unlocks the door, my heart skipping as the tumblers turn. She opens it gently, and I push past her into the room. Light streams in through the windows, illuminating Maeve’s folded clothes on a shelf and rumpled sheets on the bed.

Maeve herself is nowhere to be found.

It’s as if she vanished into thin air. Her bag is missing too.

My hands begin to shake, and I shove them into my pockets, but Sebastian stops me. He takes one and grips it tightly in his own.

We’re both thinking the same thing: the body walker has come for Maeve.

Chapter Sixteen

Maeve is gone. I can hardly breathe. We need her. She swore she’d protect us, but the body walker stole her away. I just know it. The body walker may have taken Ida, too, for all we know. As much as I appreciate my own talent, there are times when I despise magic, especially those who would use it selfishly and with no regard for the consequences for others. What could the body walker possibly want with Maeve?

What if they’re trying to get to us through her? For our talents? Sebastian thinks. Why else would they keep appearing so close to us?

My spine goes rigid. He’s right; our protectors keep disappearing. That’s more possible than I’d like.

“Simone?” Rachel says, looking back and forth between us as if she’s been speaking and we’ve been ignoring her. Which is probably exactly what happened.

“Sorry,” I manage to sputter out.

Rachel puts a hand on each of our shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. We’ll keep looking for both Maeve and Ida. I’ll let Euna know, and I’m sure she’ll send out a search party.”

“Maeve isn’t lost in the woods,” Sebastian says.

Rachel frowns. “What do you mean? She went for a walk. It was late and dark, and if she was tired, it would be easy for her to get disoriented…”

“It was the body walker.” I spit out the words like some foul-tasting thing. “They must have gotten Ida too.”

Rachel looks like she’s been slapped, but then her face changes to consideration. “I hope you’re wrong, but you’re right that we can’t rule out that possibility. Not yet anyway. It is certainly very odd that they’ve both disappeared at the same time. Let’s find Euna. She’ll know what to do.”

She leads us to Euna’s chambers, but Sebastian and I never let go of each other’s hands. That thin connection is our lifeline, the only thing keeping us both from flying off into endless panic. We find Euna in her sitting room, poring over an ancient tome. She looks up when we enter and puts her spectacles down.