The room Julian occupied was small and cramped, smelling of old wood and the cheap lavender soap provided by the inn. He moved toward a small wooden table where a bottle of wine and a single glass sat. He didn’t offer her a drink; he simply sat down and watched her as she stood by the door, dripping rainwater onto the floor.
"You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Elena," Julian said.
"I think I have," Elena replied, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart. She didn't move from the door. "You told me you knew my mother. You told me you were family. If that’s true, why am I finding out about you in a roadside inn while I'm hiding from the Council?"
Julian sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Because the Silverbloods are very good at keeping secrets. They didn’t want you to know the
