I hurried down the hall behind the Council's exit, in yet another long corridor lined with wooden doors. It still wasn't hard to find the one hiding my mother-her power came through loud and clear.

I paused at the furthest and knocked quickly, heart racing. I hadn't been allowed a moment alone with her since, almost an hour ago, she'd been led out by the Council to prepare for taking on her new role. My attempts to talk to her mentally got me nowhere so storming my way to her ...