I do my best to smile as if this pleases me. And to be fair, I can sense that she means what she says. But she still doesn’t see that what she’s doing is wrong, and that’s what worries me the most.

She takes my silence as assent and pats my head as she straightens up.

Discovering that I’m her real daughter has only served to make her even more determined to carry out her plan, as I feared. Despite her regrets, if no other options present themselves, she will follow through with her plan. That much is clear.

Maeve reclaims my hand, and I don’t resist. I keep my talent on guard, reaching out for Rachel and Sebastian’s thoughts. I feel them and a whole contingent of guards a few yards away from the cave entrance. The other shells follow behind us like silent ghosts, still subdued and under Maeve’s control. Jemma and Ida, though, are nowhere to be seen. Is Maeve really leaving them behind? Maybe she has other plans for them. With every step, fear tightens around my chest.

How many people can she control at once? Is there even a limit? I hope Rachel and Sebastian are wearing their obsidian amulets. Maeve won’t hesitate for a second to take over Sebastian if he isn’t. To be honest, a part of me is surprised he’s here, knowing how scared he is of the body walker. The rest of me understands.

He’s here for the same reason I tried to rescue him last night: I couldn’t bear leaving him alone with his greatest fear.

We’re almost there, I think at Rachel.

We’re ready, she says.

When we reach the entrance to the cave, morning light streams inside as far as it will dare. We step into the sunshine, and the trees greet us. Maeve squeezes my hand. “See?” she says. “It’s a perfect day. Soon we’ll be far away from here and won’t have to worry about anyone trying to separate us again.”

Then the forest erupts.

Guards in silver and green uniforms swarm us, taking Maeve by surprise. One grabs her by the arms, and she simply stares him down. He releases her and attacks the other guards.

“Don’t touch her!” I cry. “She uses her talent through touch!” The guards slow their approach as they circle us, cutting off our exit back to the cave. Ropes and netting appear in several hands. Some of them also have obsidian amulets around their necks, but not all. Rachel must have brought every artifact she could find at the library.

Maeve jerks me closer. “You knew?” she says. The hurt in her eyes is unbearable.

“I can’t let you do it,” I whisper. “It isn’t right. In your heart you know this too.”

“Let the children go,” warns one of the guards.

Maeve laughs. “I don’t think so.” Suddenly a huge fire-breathing creature lumbers out of the woods behind the guards. Many duck and yell, temporarily breaking the circle that surrounds us.