“Ah, but I know something you don’t about this family.” Grandmother’s voice dropped to a whisper. “It all comes down to the mystery of you three children … and your mother’s most unforgivable secret.” She gave a low hum of anticipation. “Don’t you want to know why she’s been so desperate to keep the truth about your past hidden, even from you?”

Cordelia’s breath caught in her throat. All those years she’d spent trapped inside without any explanations …

Two images flashed before her eyes:

Mother sinking to her knees as she sent them away. “I love you all so much.”

… And Connall’s face when he’d realized exactly where they were now. She had never understood, until today, why he had spent his life so afraid.

“I’m not doing anything for you, no matter what you promise me.” Shifting shape, Cordelia snapped out hawk wings and pumped hard, clenching strong claws around her burden. Too heavy, too heavy …

She had to get higher.

Grandmother’s voice was already chanting outside. Something slammed against the front of the door with a boom. Wood shavings splintered and flew into the room. The oak table slid an inch across the floor.

Faster! Pain shot through Cordelia’s laboring legs and wings.

Giles and Rosalind snored on peacefully behind her.

Slam!

The oak table skidded across the room.

The door flew wide open. Grandmother stalked inside, arms raised to hurl a spell.

With a desperate screech, Cordelia opened her claws and dropped the refilled golden goblet over her grandmother’s dark head.

Liquid splashed everywhere. It soaked Grandmother’s elegant, beaded hairnet and flooded her face. It filled her mouth, too, as she gurgled with shock, tipping her head back and spinning around to search for the source of the attack.

Cordelia saw realization dawn in those too-familiar dark eyes as their gazes met and clashed. Grandmother’s wet face contorted in fury. Her hands rose like claws, preparing to launch more magic. Cordelia wheeled backward through the air, crying out. She could never fly away in time …

But her grandmother slid to the floor an instant later, arms falling limply to her sides. “Stupid girl!” she moaned. Her shoulders hit the ground with a thud. “Fighting me for those two brats when …” Her eyes slipped closed with her yawn. “You’re not even … their real sister!”

A moment later she was asleep, her hairnet pillowed in the rushes, with a fresh line of drool slipping down her wet cheek …

… Leaving Cordelia hovering numbly in midair with those final words echoing endlessly through her.

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

It was good to be an animal. Good that her triplets—that Giles and Rosalind—were still asleep, not awake and asking unanswerable questions.