But Euna won’t hear it. She waves away our objections. “This is not up for debate. Absent your real guardian, Jemma—and now Maeve—you are my responsibility. Come, I will keep you safe.”

* * *

As we discover, Euna’s idea of keeping us safe is to lock us in one of the private suites and post a servant outside the door at all hours of the day. At least she imprisoned us together and ensured we had dinner brought to us. But I can hear the worried wonderings of the servant just outside. Our suspicions about the body walker are spreading through the fortress and making people nervous.

No one knows what body walkers really look like. This one could already be here, and we’d never know until it’s too late.

But I’ve felt the shape of their mind. I know the tenor of their thoughts. I’m the only one who can find them.

Staying still is impossible. I pace the room, making a figure eight around the chairs set out by the fire.

What’s wrong? Sebastian thinks. When we first arrived in our current prison, we both agreed it was best to keep our conversations in our heads since the guard could overhear.

I need to be a part of that search party, I think.

He burrows deeper into his chair. Why? They already have lots of people looking.

But not me. I can find Maeve by her mind, or if she’s still the body walker’s prisoner, I can find her by the shape of their mind. No one else can do that.

Sebastian frowns. Simone, it’s too dangerous. Euna’s right about that.

I whirl on him, my hair flaring out like an angry ghost. You’d rather be a prisoner here? We’ve just traded one prison for another. I can’t be cooped up like this. Tears begin to burn in my eyes. I have to be free to go where I please.

My feet begin to twitch, and I have to move again.

Simone, please. Sebastian begs. Don’t do anything rash. Don’t leave me.

Come with me.

He shakes his head, eyes wide. I can’t face the body walker. I can’t do it.

The pit of my stomach grows cold. I don’t know if I can go without Sebastian. We’ve become two peas in a pod. I depend on him to help me stay focused on things I ought to think about. And he depends on me to keep him calm. But I can’t abandon Maeve either.

What if we find a way to protect ourselves against the body walker first? Or how to stop them?

Sebastian shrugs. Maybe…

I immediately spin around and begin to pound on the door. “We need to speak to Euna or Rachel. We have to continue researching in the library. It’s very important.”

At first, the guard doesn’t respond. But I keep pounding and shouting. I don’t relent until I hear the servant’s thoughts shift from annoyance to frustration to assent just to get me to stop banging on the door.