Page 76 of Unbound

Her eyes widen. “How do you know that?”

“Because the same thing happened to me.” I hold out my hand and summon a thin strand of energy between my fingers. Claire stares. “I didn’t know what I was either,” I tell her. “Not really. My adoptive family at least knew magic existed, but I didn’t know who my real family was until recently.”

“You were adopted too?”

“I was.” I extinguish the little strand of magic. “And it was only recently that I learned who my biological family was. While I was trying to figure all of that out, I came across you.” It isn’t exactly the truth. But it isn’t exactly a lie either. “I know this is a lot,” I continue. “But I need you to come with me because we’re not safe here. That woman who pretended to be your teacher? She’s after you.” I swallow. “And she’s after me too.”

Claire slowly shakes her head. “Why?”

“It’s complicated.” Thank God I became a demon hunter instead of a social worker, because I am absolutely not killing this conversation. “But I can help you get home to your family,” I say. “The Bellamys and the Blackwoods are from the same town in Connecticut.”

“Why would you help me?”

“Because I know what it feels like to be in your position.” I take one careful step closer. For half a second, I consider casting a sleep spell on her and dealing with the consequences later. But I’ve never cast one on another witch. If it doesn’t work—or only half works—that definitely isn’t going to build trust. “And ten years ago, when I was your age, I would’ve given anything for someone to come help me.” I wait a beat. “And now someone is helping me, and I’m still having a hard time trusting her.” The words come out before I can stop them. Apparently I’m rambling now. “But the woman who came to see you—Vivian is her real name—she wants both of us because of our powers.”

“I knew there was something wrong with her,” Claire says. The relief in her voice makes it clear she needed someone to validate that. “She was lying.”

“Yeah.”

Claire takes another small step toward me. “I could feel it.”

“Because you’re a witch,” I say.

Her expression tightens again.

“And I mean that in a good way,” I quickly add. “You were born with powers. They come from your mother’s side of the family.”

“You’ll really take me to them?”

“Yes.” I nod. “In New Haven.” That gets her attention. Knowing the exact city seems to earn me another tiny piece of trust. But a bad feeling starts growing deep in my chest. A desperate need to get out of here. The hunters in the parking lot won’t stay asleep forever. And we need to be long gone before they wake up. Not because we couldn’t take them again. But because next time they could bring backup.

Or involve more police.

Xavier probably has enough connections to get me out of jail almost anywhere, but Claire is a minor. That complicates everything.

“My brothers are with me,” I tell her. “And I have a plane waiting.”

“To Connecticut?” she asks.

I hesitate. There’s a flaw in my plan.

“Or North Carolina?”

“It would be better if we went to North Carolina first,” I admit. “Just long enough to make sure we’re clear of Vivian.”

Claire immediately looks less certain. “And Vivian is the woman who pretended to be my teacher?”

“Yes.” I soften my voice. “And trust me, Claire, I know how this sounds. I know how hard it is to trust people when your whole life has been full of people who abandon you.” She looks at me curiously. Right. She still has no idea how much I know about her life. And maybe that isn’t fair.

“It isn’t safe for you to stay out here,” I continue. “You don’t have to get on a plane with me right this second. We can go somewhere public. A restaurant. A bookstore. Anywhere you feel comfortable. We can sit down and talk about it.”

“My mom told me I could trust you,” Claire says. Then she takes a more confident step forward. “Tell me my mother’s name. So I know you really are who you say you are.”

“Eudora.”

Her face changes.

“And technically, it’s your first name too. It’s a family name. I think you’re the fourth or fifth.”