“We searched everywhere and didn’t find a trace of her until we reached the roof,” I say.
Olga frowns. “Did she tell you what she was doing all the way up there?”
I shake my head. “She couldn’t. A body walker had taken her over. I don’t know why they would have brought her all the way up there, but—”
Olga stops and faces me. “Hold on. A body walker? That’s a rare talent and quite an accusation. What makes you so certain?”
I wrap my arms around my middle, and Sebastian instinctively places a hand on my back. “I’m Simone, a mind reader. Both of us”—I gesture to Sebastian—“were in Lady Aisling’s garden. She used the body walker’s talent on us. I’d recognize it anywhere. But mostly because I could see Euna’s body, but not hear her thoughts. Not until the body walker let her go.”
“That’s when she collapsed,” Sebastian says.
Olga briskly picks up the pace again. “Then I suppose you would know,” she muses. “I have never treated someone who has had their mind used in such a manner. It’s a good thing we have a team of researchers here who might be able to help if she doesn’t recover quickly.”
Hope nearly lifts me off my feet. If the researchers here decide to investigate body walkers, perhaps we can help too. Or at least be privy to the fruits of their research so we can protect ourselves and those we love, like Jemma, in the future. Sebastian’s thoughts have been straying to his sister every few minutes since I told him the body walker had been controlling Euna. I wonder where Jemma ended up when the body walker left her. I know Lady Aisling was able to control more than one of us at a time, but that was by using her special potion made from the body walker’s flowers. I expect a real body walker can do the same thing. I truly hope Jemma is free of the body walker’s grasp by now and somewhere safe.
When we reach the roof, we find the first librarian we woke up hovering over a very confused Euna. Her eyes can’t quite seem to focus on anything. Instead, they flit like a hummingbird from one object to the next. Olga kneels next to her and begins to do a cursory examination.
“Well, she doesn’t seem to have a head wound, and there’s no physical damage I can see.” She leans back on her heels. “But whatever happened clearly affected her mind. It may indeed be a body walker, just as you say.”
“A body walker?” Maeve’s voice yanks my attention away from Euna. She stands in the doorway to the roof. She must have heard the commotion and followed us up here.
“Yes, it’s a plausible explanation for Euna’s sudden strange condition. Come,” Olga says to the other librarian. “Let’s get her down to her quarters where she’ll be more comfortable.” Using a portable stretcher contraption from Olga’s bag, the pair of them manage to get Euna down the stairs and take her away. Maeve, however, remains behind with us.
“What happened here?” she asks. “When I woke and you were gone, Simone, I was worried. Then I heard people shouting about something happening on the roof. You two scared me half to death.” She brushes her hair back and places a hand on her chest. Real concern leaks from her thoughts, enveloping me.
But all I can do is stare at my shoes. We’ve kept this from her. The fact that we were fleeing a body walker. It’s strange—and frightening!—that they would show up here too. Unless, of course, we somehow managed to lead them here. The very thought steals my breath.
Sebastian stares at me wild-eyed as the full brunt of that fear falls over us both.
But why would they follow us? That is the part that defies explanation. The Lady is powerless now, so we know it can’t be her, but perhaps it is happening again. Maybe someone is hunting talented folks. We’ve had too many encounters with the body walker for it to be a coincidence.
“There was a body walker here. They took Euna over, then left when we found her,” I say.
Maeve’s face pales. “Are you sure?”
I nod vigorously. “Lady Aisling used that talent on us all the time. We know how it works intimately. Her mind was shoved down. Someone else was in there controlling her.”
But Maeve seems unconvinced. “That’s certainly a terrible thought. But maybe there’s another explanation. How could a body walker just sneak in here? This place is a fortress.”
Her words strike a terrible chord. What if they were already here? We know many librarians travel for research, like Ida and Rachel did. It could be any of them who just took a less winding path to get here. Except Rachel, of course, since we already know she’s a book binder, and Euna since she’s the latest victim. It could even be one of the researchers. I wouldn’t put it past someone like Connor, or even Devynne.
Without knowing for sure, there’s only a handful of people here we can really trust.
“Besides, with Lady Aisling’s powers gone, there’s nothing to fear,” Maeve continues.
We exchange a glance.
Sebastian finds his voice first. “We haven’t been entirely honest with you about that.” He glares at his feet. “My sister was taken by a body walker too. That’s how we became separated.”
I can’t look at Maeve. My cheeks flame, and rocks churn in my belly. “When I finally caught a glimpse of her mind, she told us to run and that she’d meet us here.”
Maeve’s gentle touch cools the heat of my embarrassment.
“I understand,” she says. “That must have been terrible for you. All alone with no idea who you could trust.” She puts her arms around us both and draws us in. We melt into her. “I hope you can trust me now.”
“Yes,” Sebastian and I both murmur. And we mean it with all our hearts.
“Then trust this: I will keep you safe. The body walker will not harm you. Not while you’re with me. I promise you that.”
My shock at her certainty lets my talent slip for a moment and peek at her thoughts. Her mind is as orderly as always, and her certainty about this is unshakable. I remember Jemma’s promise to protect us and how it was undercut by her own fears over who would protect her. There’s nothing like that in Maeve’s mind.
“How can you be sure?” Sebastian asks. “I thought we were safe with my sister, and I was wrong about that.”
Maeve holds us at arm’s length, a serious look on her face. “Because I will fight for you with everything I have. I’m sure your sister loves you, Sebastian, but is she a fighter?”
He shakes his head. Jemma was kind and thoughtful, but definitely not a fighter, that’s for sure. But Maeve is. I can tell. From the way she holds herself to her ordered mind, I can tell she doesn’t give up, and she’s stronger than anyone I’ve met who isn’t talented.
“Well, there’s your answer. I’m a fighter. And I’ll protect you at any cost. Now, let’s get you both inside.”
We let Maeve lead us back to our quarters, feeling a strange mix of fear, hope, and gratitude.
Chapter Fifteen
The day after the body walker attacked Euna, the library was in disarray. Researchers gossiped, and librarians were tasked with searching the stacks for more information about warding off body walkers. But by nightfall, Euna had regained her wits, though not her memories of that time, and the fearful urgency occupying the residents of the library lost its edge. Within a week, the attack seemed all but forgotten by everyone but me and Sebastian.
But we continue to search for ways to deal with body walkers while we wait for Jemma and Maeve does her own research for her family. Seeing our concern, Rachel continues to help as well. And she still keeps an eye out for any other references to Wren for me. It’s likely any town records were lost when it flooded long ago, but we’re still hoping to find out more about how long ago the valley flooded and what happened to the families that once lived there. If they moved somewhere else, perhaps I can still find them. But mostly, I explore, wandering through the stacks like a wayward leaf caught on the wind.
I keep my distance from most of the librarians
and researchers. The realization that any of them might be the body walker has me skittish around them. Especially Connor, who is still as grumpy as ever, and Devynne and Ida too. Ida’s attention leaves me cold. Somehow, she seems to be around nearly every corner I turn. Devynne’s a bit too keen on learning about our talents. She’s been hounding us for an interview, but Maeve rebuffs her every time. A thing we’re grateful for. We don’t wish to relive our time with the Lady any more than we need to. Our lives in the Garden feel further away with every tick of the clock.
Our days pass in a simple rhythm. One we begin to grow accustomed to. Every day, the fear of the body walker returning lessens. Maybe they ran into Euna and established their connection to her when she wasn’t even in the Archives and just overtook her on a whim. Or perhaps they were looking for something and left. However strange it is that we had several near-misses with them, they don’t seem to have been following us after all. Wherever they went, we’re safe now. Though I still steer clear of Ida, Devynne, and Connor just to be safe.
Sebastian still worries about his sister, but Maeve has grown to be such a fixture in our lives that the sting has finally begun to fade. Some days he hardly thinks of Jemma at all. And when he does, he feels guilty for not missing her more. I’ve tried telling him not to feel guilty, that she’ll no doubt join us soon, but it doesn’t seem to help.
One morning, two weeks after Euna was attacked, I skip down the stairs ahead of Sebastian, eager for breakfast. Maeve isn’t seated at our usual table when we arrive. She must’ve headed off to the stacks already. We eat a bowl of oatmeal and hurry to the third floor of the library. That’s where we left off the day before, and I recall Maeve had found something that interested her there. I hadn’t meant to peek into her mind, but I could feel her eagerness to investigate more.
But when we reach her favorite spot—a desk on the north side that looks out over the mountain range and a lush waterfall on the other side of the mountain—she isn’t there. The books she was using the night before sit silently as if waiting for her to return and open them again. I run a hand over the words written on the spine of one: A History of Rare Talents. I frown. It sounds more like something Devynne would have on her desk than Maeve.
“Why do you think she was looking at talents?” I say aloud. Sebastian shrugs.
“Maybe she was researching body walkers too. Just in case.” He shivers involuntarily.
I brush the same chill off my shoulders. “Well, we can ask her when we find her. I guess she must still be sleeping.”
Sebastian’s frown is mirrored by my own. Maeve isn’t normally one to sleep late. Usually, she rises before both of us. But maybe she’s meeting with a librarian or even Euna herself about whatever she found yesterday.
I brighten at the thought. “She must be meeting someone first.”
Sebastian looks a little relieved. “Yes, that does make sense.”
The weight off our shoulders, we return to our little table nearby and the books we’d been examining the night before.
Today is particularly difficult because all I can think about is when Maeve will appear. The hours tick by, and still no sign of her. By lunchtime, I’ve begun to worry. No one we’ve asked has seen Maeve today either. Knocks on her door don’t draw her from her room, and the lock doesn’t want to budge. Maeve has made it clear that she doesn’t want me to use my talent to eavesdrop on her thoughts, so I resist checking, even though an unpleasant feeling gnaws on the tips of my toes. Where could she be?
I know—I know—she wouldn’t abandon us. I’ve been inside her head accidentally before. I’ve seen how much she cares for us.
Finally, I can’t stand it any longer. My nails have been gnawed to the quick. I push myself off my chair, startling Sebastian.
“We have to do something. I can’t just sit here.”
“Maybe we can ask Rachel for help.” Sebastian points to the book binder who just walked through our level of the library.
I practically leap in her direction. “Rachel!” I yell, and she turns around to see me barreling toward her. Her first response is to laugh, but her face falters when she sees my expression.
“Simone, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Maeve. I’m worried. We haven’t seen her all day, and she isn’t answering when we knock at her door. No one else has seen her either.”
Rachel considers for a moment. “You know, I don’t think I’ve seen her since last night. Quite late too. She said she was going out for a walk.”
I frown. “A walk? But when?” When I saw her last, she was headed to bed.
“Oh, well after midnight. She was doing some late research and needed to clear her head.”
I grab Rachel’s arm, fear racing through every limb. “Something’s happened. Can you help us find her?”
“Of course. But don’t worry, I’m sure she’s fine.” She brushes my hair back from my face and ushers Sebastian and me into the hall. “She’s probably still sleeping, but it wouldn’t hurt to check.” Despite Rachel’s words, there’s an undercurrent of something in her thoughts that makes me uneasy.
How odd… No one’s seen Maeve, just like Ida… There must be a reasonable explanation…
I stop short and stare at Rachel. “What do you mean, just like Ida?”
“Simone! You shouldn’t do that,” she admonishes me, and I lower my eyes to the floor. She’s right. I should have been paying better attention. Rachel sighs. “But now that you know, yes, no one has seen Ida today either. Which isn’t like her at all. I was actually looking for her in the library when you found me.”
Sebastian gasps. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
Rachel puts an arm around each of our shoulders. “Don’t worry. Let’s just check Maeve’s room and see if she’s there.”
When we reach the door to Maeve’s quarters, my heart is in my throat, all sorts of terrible scenarios racing through my head. But out of respect for Maeve’s wishes, I keep my magic pulled back. For now. Rachel finds the master key on her key ring and unlocks the door, my heart skipping as the tumblers turn. She opens it gently, and I push past her into the room. Light streams in through the windows, illuminating Maeve’s folded clothes on a shelf and rumpled sheets on the bed.
Maeve herself is nowhere to be found.
It’s as if she vanished into thin air. Her bag is missing too.
My hands begin to shake, and I shove them into my pockets, but Sebastian stops me. He takes one and grips it tightly in his own.
We’re both thinking the same thing: the body walker has come for Maeve.
Chapter Sixteen
Maeve is gone. I can hardly breathe. We need her. She swore she’d protect us, but the body walker stole her away. I just know it. The body walker may have taken Ida, too, for all we know. As much as I appreciate my own talent, there are times when I despise magic, especially those who would use it selfishly and with no regard for the consequences for others. What could the body walker possibly want with Maeve?
What if they’re trying to get to us through her? For our talents? Sebastian thinks. Why else would they keep appearing so close to us?
My spine goes rigid. He’s right; our protectors keep disappearing. That’s more possible than I’d like.
“Simone?” Rachel says, looking back and forth between us as if she’s been speaking and we’ve been ignoring her. Which is probably exactly what happened.
“Sorry,” I manage to sputter out.
Rachel puts a hand on each of our shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. We’ll keep looking for both Maeve and Ida. I’ll let Euna know, and I’m sure she’ll send out a search party.”
“Maeve isn’t lost in the woods,” Sebastian says.
Rachel frowns. “What do you mean? She went for a walk. It was late and dark, and if she was tired, it would be easy for her to g
et disoriented…”
“It was the body walker.” I spit out the words like some foul-tasting thing. “They must have gotten Ida too.”
Rachel looks like she’s been slapped, but then her face changes to consideration. “I hope you’re wrong, but you’re right that we can’t rule out that possibility. Not yet anyway. It is certainly very odd that they’ve both disappeared at the same time. Let’s find Euna. She’ll know what to do.”
She leads us to Euna’s chambers, but Sebastian and I never let go of each other’s hands. That thin connection is our lifeline, the only thing keeping us both from flying off into endless panic. We find Euna in her sitting room, poring over an ancient tome. She looks up when we enter and puts her spectacles down.
“What is wrong?” she asks.
“Maeve is missing!” I cry. Rachel places a firm hand on my shoulder.
“No one has seen Ida today either. Her disappearance is a mystery, but we have two theories about Maeve,” Rachel says. “She may have gotten lost in the woods when she went for a walk late last night, or—”
“Or the body walker has returned and taken her!” I can’t contain myself. Panic has become a physical thing crawling out of my throat and over my skin.
Euna swallows hard. “Send out a search party immediately.” Rachel ducks away to do as Euna instructed. We move to follow her, desperate to do something to help find Maeve, but Euna stops us. “Now, please sit, both of you. Tell me why you think it might be the body walker.”
We confess everything to Euna—from our fear of the body walking talent as used by Lady Aisling to my first glimpse of it in use by the real owner of the talent in Sebastian’s village to Jemma’s predicament. When we finish, she folds her hands in her lap. Her face has grown sallow and bears a green tinge now.
“That’s how you knew a body walker had taken control of me.”
“I could feel their mind shoving yours down,” I say. “It was as if you weren’t even there.”
Her hands quiver, though she tries to conceal it from us. “Bits and pieces of that night have begun to come back to me. It was the strangest feeling. Like I was a puppet and someone else was pulling the strings. I thought I was sleepwalking at first, but my body didn’t respond. It wouldn’t stop. And I swear I could hear a soft voice echoing inside my head. But mostly I was just confused. It was as though my eyes could only half allow me to see what I was doing. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
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