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asleep that night. I decided to get some air and went up on the deck. Bry was examining the single large sail, but he didn’t seem to notice me.
    I saw Samantha at the back of the boat, and went to join her. “Hey.” I wished I didn’t always have to feel so awkward with her. I actually started to feel guilty about how much I’d nagged Charlotte about being antisocial. I had developed a new understanding of feeling uncomfortable.
    “ Hello, Kevin.” Samantha turned toward me momentarily before returning her attention to the water.
    “ You ready to face the Pact leaders tomorrow?”
    “ Ready may not be the correct word, but I am determined. The Pact might not want to help, but I think in the end, they will realize that our cause helps everyone.”
    “ Blake’s been pretty ruthless, huh?” I asked, struggling to see anything in the dim light.
    Samantha turned toward me again. “Percy had his suspicions about what Blake had become, but Blake killed him before he could tell me. I think Blake is pure evil.”
    “ Pure evil? That’s an intense accusation.”
    “ As I told you, Percy never explained it to me, but I think he is tied with some higher power. As children, we were told stories about a man who was able to stand against the Essence. It seemed he had been imbued with a power much like the Source, but rooted in evil, not good. Everything has its opposite.”
    I was too stunned to answer for a moment. Defeating Blake if he were merely a powerful man was scary enough; finding out he might be even stronger threw me. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I remembered how skillfully and almost super-humanly Blake had fought at Bellgard. I had assumed it was just from years of experience.
    “ So if Blake is that powerful, how are we going to defeat him? I mean, even if all the nations join us, is it going to work?”
    “ We are not ready to defeat him yet. Right now, all we can hope to do is hold him off. Our only chance is to get the support of the Pact and to find your mother. Charlotte has enormous potential, but if she is not properly trained, her abilities are limited. Only another Essence can teach her.” For the first time, Samantha looked vulnerable. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but I was afraid of her reaction.
    “ So what you are telling me is that if either Charlotte or I fail, Blake wins?” It was scary even to say it.
    “ Yes. So failure is not an option. You must convince the Pact nations to join us.”
    “ But what if I can’t? Everyone keeps telling me how hated I am. How do I get supporters?”
    “ You can do it. As Bry said, you need to go with your blood. It should come naturally.”
    “ Whatever that means.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
    “ Figure it out, and fast. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.” I watched Samantha walk across the deck. She disappeared into the darkness as she headed to the lower level of the boat.
    Go with my blood ? Maybe if I could figure out what that meant, we’d have a fighting chance.

Chapter Eight
    Charlotte
     
    The river appeared out of nowhere. One minute we were moving through a dense forest, and the next, we stopped in front of rushing water. The wind moving through the trees must have masked the sound. I loved water, but the thought of getting wet, especially wearing a long dress, didn’t appeal to me. After a few hours of hiking, I wished that the traditional women’s clothing in Energo included pants. Horses would have been a faster travel option, but we were afraid of attracting any unnecessary attention. Even if Blake discerned I was back, we didn’t need to give him any additional advantage. Although I didn’t voice it, I worried that Blake knew we were heading for Icentris. He must have known that James would lead us to my mother. I tried to shake my fears aside. Thankfully, the morning had been quiet, with no sign of Blake or his men, but we all realized that could change at any