had of a castle with a beautifully strange throne room. And she’d called a woman Mother. Oh, good goddesses, that couldn’t be here, could it?
“We were told we’re the only Embraced on Aerthlan,” the young woman said, interrupting Maeve’s thoughts. “They said all the others were killed. How is it that you survived?”
Maeve took a deep breath to chase away all thoughts of her last dream. “It was always safe for our kind on the Isle of Moon. I grew up there with my four adopted sisters. We’re all Embraced.”
The young woman’s face grew pale. “How . . . how can that be?”
“My eldest sister, Luciana, is now the queen of Eberon,” Maeve explained quickly. “Her husband, King Leo, is Embraced, too, so it’s completely safe there now. You could go back and find your family, if you like.”
The young woman stumbled back a step. “What? I . . .”
“How many Embraced are here?” Maeve asked. “How big is the army?”
“I-I don’t think I should say . . .” When the young woman smoothed back some strands of hair that had escaped her braid, her hand trembled. “Either you’re lying, or they . . .” Her eyes glimmered with tears. “This cannot be.”
Maeve winced. She’d been in such a hurry to gather information she hadn’t realized how confusing and upsetting this meeting had to be for the young woman. “I’m sorry. I-I’ll go now.” She stepped toward the water, then turned back. “Will you be all right?”
The young woman blinked away her tears. “I don’t know. Have I been lied to my entire life?”
Maeve didn’t have the heart to confirm it. “My name is Maeve. And you are?”
“Bettina.”
“Oh! I’ve always loved that name.” Maeve smiled at the young woman, recalling how she’d almost named Brody that when she’d first met him as a dog. “I’m going to be twenty at the next Autumn Embrace.”
“Me, too.” Bettina gave her a wobbly smile that quickly vanished. “You’d better go. Your presence alone is proof that we’ve been lied to. You won’t be safe here.”
Maeve hesitated, not sure she could make the trip back on an empty stomach. The seals were happy with raw fish, but the only time she’d tried to swallow a fish whole, she’d felt like she was choking. “You don’t happen to have any food with you?” She glanced at the fallen basket, but there was only wet seaweed inside.
“I could bring you some food, but for now, you had better hide.” Bettina motioned to the east. “If you follow the coast, you’ll find a cave—”
“There she is!” Quentin yelled from the top of the sand dune as he pointed at Maeve.
“Go!” Bettina shoved Maeve toward the water.
Maeve ran, but a sudden blast of air knocked her off her feet. Umph. She slammed hard onto the beach. Wincing, she looked back. Bettina had also fallen over, and her basket was rolling along the shore, seaweed tumbling out. Where had such a fierce wind come?
“Don’t move!” a male voice shouted at her.
She glanced toward the western edge of the cove. Two young men were now standing at the top of the sand dune. Their linen shorts and shirts were dyed green and not ragged like the ones worn by Quentin, who was now sliding down the dune with a big grin.
The men were soldiers, Maeve thought, even though they didn’t look any older than she. Their arms and legs were tanned and muscular, their hair cut short. Over their chests, they wore leather breastplates. Their forearms were banded with leather, their feet encased in leather sandals, and their calves covered with leather shin guards. They had to be members of the Embraced army, but neither of them had any weapons that she could see.
With a start, she realized they didn’t need swords or spears. One of them had shot a gust of wind at her that was strong enough to knock her down. The same Embraced power that Rupert had! Good goddesses, she needed to get back to warn her sisters and their husbands.
She scrambled to her feet and made another dash for the ocean.
A bolt of lightning blasted into the ground a few feet away, kicking up sand and knocking her back onto her rear. She sat, stunned for a moment, while the air around her crackled with energy.
“Alfred, no!” Bettina cried. “Don’t hurt her!”
Maeve glanced at the two soldiers. One of them still had his hand extended toward her. Alfred. He had the same power as Leo!
Hurry! Her