All we know right now is that the last recorded soul summoner disappeared long, long ago. In a way, that’s a relief. Maeve’s plan really is just a wild-goose chase if she can’t find a living soul summoner. The afternoon passes in a hazy daze of dust and words. They seem to float off the page and dance before my eyes until they hardly even make sense anymore. But Rachel has no issues with that. She is as studious as ever, and just before dinnertime, she lets out a little cry over what looks like a town record.

“Simone,” Rachel says, her face drawn tight and serious. “Come here.”

I sit next to her on the bench and look over her shoulder. “What is it?”

“This document… It’s very badly labeled. You can barely read it anymore.” She shows me the top of the scroll. Where the town name ought to be is just a smudge of ink that looks like it got wet. “I think it’s from your village. From Wren.”

My skin grows cold all of sudden. “Are you sure?”

She sighs. “Listen to this. It might shed light on both your and Maeve’s predicaments.”

Our town has been particularly blessed by the Comet. At least a dozen of the children here are talented, and several of the previous generation too. But today our numbers have been reduced by a great tragedy. A strange, wealthy woman arrived in town last week with an entourage. We were honored to host her, and she delighted the local shopkeepers by spending liberally on their wares. But she was not what we thought. And now she has stolen more from us than can ever be repaid.

The lady, as we have now discovered, has a rare talent: magic eating. She and her servants kidnapped every talented man, woman, and child in Wren, except a handful who were traveling abroad while she was here (our soul summoner, gift giver, and one of our water wishers are, thankfully, safe). Those who pursued her have either disappeared or have not returned the same. Families have been destroyed, and we will not forget this terrible wrong. The names of those who were stolen are recorded below:

Rati Alberg, spot hopper

Romana M. Casares, body walker

Simone Casares, mind reader

Kenyatta Combs, green grower

Emilian R. Corallo, skin saver

Jerod A. Dada, color changer

Neri Frieden, shape shifter

Zona Futrell, water wisher

Malvin A. Gaccione, book binder

Catarina L. Heilbert, green grower

Doros Hooley, scent sower

Darci Kassin, wind whistler

Glynae Pellerito, frost finder

Bochim Starek, wind whistler

Riley J. Wetherill, earth rattler

My hand freezes over my own name on the list—and that of my mother. She was a body walker.

Shock electrifies the blood in my veins. Impossible. I could never have been related to a monster who uses people.

“This can’t be a coincidence,” Rachel says, the excitement of discovery making her cheeks flush.

I frown, suddenly repulsed by the scroll. “What do you mean?”