“Because they died,” Maeve spits out. “Not long after Lady Aisling stole me away. My two girls and a little boy. I’ve discovered that much about what happened to them. I won’t rest until we’re reunited.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. And I am. I know what it feels like to lose your entire family. “But what about our friends’ families? They just got them back. Our friends aren’t yours to take.” My hands ball into fists at my side.

Maeve’s face twists. “Everything has been taken from me. Why shouldn’t I take a little something back?”

“Why does it have to be from the comet-blessed? Why not someone else? You took Jemma and Ida too. Why not someone like them?” I’m getting desperate, and while it’s not the best argument, it’s the only one I can think of at the moment.

“I used Jemma because she was convenient, and I was looking for Lady Aisling’s shells. Ida was just too nosy and got in the way. Now they’re both off doing my bidding and taking supplies from the nearest village.” Maeve shakes her head. “The comet-blessed, specifically those with mind-based talents, are the best vessels. I’ve done my research. If there were a better way to bring my children back, I’d do it.”

Shock resonates through me for the millionth time tonight. That is what she was researching. The soul summoner. Their powers and how to use them. She must’ve stolen that journal from Connor. And, like it or not, we helped her.

Simone, I want to leave before she gets any ideas about using us. Sebastian’s thoughts echo my own fears. We should tell Rachel and the other librarians that Maeve has Ida and Jemma. Maybe they can help us get them free. This is too much for us to handle on our own.

As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. We came here expecting to rescue Maeve and have an ally in her as we escaped. We had no idea the body walker had so many people stowed here under her command. Move slowly, then run.

We begin to back away while Maeve continues babbling about soul summoners. Then we break into a run. But before we can reach the exit to the cavern, figures appear from all sides.

The other shells, Lady Aisling’s hollow dolls, just like us. My heart sinks at their vacant eyes. They’re under Maeve’s control right now. One brush against their thoughts, and the sickly feeling of the body walker—of Maeve—using them digs into me. Their minds beg for help, rising as they see me, then growing fainter as Maeve tightens her grip.

Be careful, I warn Sebastian. He knows the dangers of our friends’ powers as well as I do.

We duck and dodge through the stalagmites, avoiding the all-too-realistic illusions that Natasha throws at us. Elias uses his ability to throw thoughts to confuse us by imitating my voice in Sebastian’s head and his in mine. But I know Sebastian well enough to be able to differentiate between things he’d really say and those he would not. Still, it’s harder than I expected. I’ve never been on the receiving end of Elias’s talent before. We were friends, but we kept out of each other’s heads when we had our bodies to ourselves. It only seemed right. But now…