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on a pair of shredded jean shorts and a black tank, I headed out onto the balcony. How freaking convenient was it that my bedroom had its own entrance? As I raced down the stairs, I sent TJ a text, letting him know I had gone out, not to worry, blah, blah, blah.
    Warm sunlight kissed my skin as I tucked my phone into my back pocket and flipped a pair of sunglasses over my eyes. The heat felt good after being inside the air conditioning all day. I lifted my face, letting the balmy breeze whisk over me. Ducking under the security gate, I set forth on foot toward the boardwalk, remembering a glimpse of shops.
    They lined both sides of the wooden walkway—ice cream, souvenirs, seafood grills, and a giant Ferris wheel that overlooked the entire island. You name it, they had it. People strolled up and down, meandering in and out of the local vendors. With nothing but my cell phone and a debit card with less than a hundred bucks in my back pocket, I began my mission.
    There were so many things I didn’t know. Living here for just a few days, I realized there was a part of my mom’s life I knew nothing about. Raven Hallow was her hometown. Where she had grown up. I wanted to experience the island as she had, on my own terms, and if I could unearth any information about Rose or my mom, that would just be a bonus.
    The island wares were tempting. New England at its finest, and so different than the shops in my neighborhood, but I could see little elements I never realized my mom had brought into our home. I was drawn to the glitz of a jewelry vendor, the gold and silver sparkling in the setting sun. Beside me, a guy dribbled mustard down the front of his white polo shirt. Oh man, that sucked. I bit back a smile, eyeing the felt displays of handmade jewelry. With a gentle touch, I ran my hand along the delicate silver chain of a necklace, trailing to a teardrop pendant. It looked much like the one I wore. Where mine had a white stone in the center, this one was light green.
    A spark of electricity shot through my fingers, traveling up my arm. I jerked my hand away, taken by surprise. What the hell?
    The bohemian lady behind the counter watched me intently, her long dishwater hair flowing past her waist in silky strands. Hair like hers took serious dedication. I never would have had the patience.
    “You have her eyes,” the woman spoke. She had a husky quality to her voice, and as she looked at me, it felt as if her gaze pierced my soul.
    She suddenly had my full attention. I placed the tips of my fingers on the edge of her booth, leaning forward. “You knew my mom?”
    A flicker of sympathy crossed her gray eyes. “Aye, I did, but that was not who I meant. It’s the White Raven I speak of.”
    “Uh.” Okay. It was official. The woman was off her rocker. Just move on , I told myself.
    White Raven?
    No clue.
    But it was the first time all day anyone had said more than two words to me. I got the feeling everyone knew who I was and avoided me. “White Raven?” I echoed.
    “The winds whisper about you, a warning you would be wise not to ignore.” The skin around her eyes seemed to darken.
    I squinted, leaning forward and thinking the light must be playing tricks on my eyes. A hundred questions tumbled through my head, and as I tried to sort out which to ask first, a lyrical voice came from behind me.
    “You’re Rose’s granddaughter.” There was a hint of old Irish or something close like welsh. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference. It was very light, but beautiful all the same.
    I spun around, startled that someone recognized me, and was momentarily robbed of speech. Wow. She was gorgeous in an intimidating way. Striking black hair, ocean blue-green eyes, and dark tan legs that went on forever. Not much younger than me, it was her friendly smile that set me at ease. “Yep. The one and only,” I replied with a touch of sarcasm.
    She giggled. “Why do you sound like you’re not thrilled about being related to Her