Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #4)(11)

The Arno River definitely wasn’t an inviting color, but it was lined on each side by pastel buildings, many with terraces and window boxes, like a scene from a painting. But the panoramic view also reminded Sophie of another less-than-awesome human fact. The windows they were looking through had been added for Adolf Hitler. He’d probably stood right where they were.

“Let’s go,” Sophie said, needing to get away from the evil in the air.

The elves might have done some terrible things over time—but she doubted they could ever match human monsters like Hitler.

“We must be getting close to the next clue,” she said, trying to stay focused. “Anyone see a tower? I’m guessing it’s part of the corridor somehow.”

“What do you think they mean about it not yielding?” Fitz asked as the corridor made a sharp turn.

Then another.

And another.

Sophie stopped. “I think we’re here. Vasari tore down pretty much anything in his way when he built this corridor. But there was a family named the Mannellis who refused to let their building be knocked down. So Vasari detoured the corridor around it, and I think that’s what we just did.”

Keefe smirked. “Look who knows all the things.”

Sophie looked away. Having to wonder if her memories were hers made her wish she could scrub her brain.

“The clue said this is where we’d find the next steps in our journey,” Fitz said. “Everyone spread out and look for the sign of the swan.”

They combed the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Sophie was starting to worry she’d guessed the clue wrong, when she realized a long scratch under her feet had a very distinctive curve.

“Over here,” she called, tracing her fingers along the mark. The curve deviated from its design to make a full circle—but she could still tell it was the sign of the swan.

“I feel a latch,” Dex said, pressing his palm against the floor. He twisted his hand a few times, miming turning a doorknob, and a quiet click made the floor drop away.

They stared at the rusty ladder leading down into the misty darkness.

“Okay, so who wants to climb down into the scary pit of doom first?” Keefe asked.

“I’ll go,” Sophie said.

“Nope,” Fitz told her. “You’ve almost died enough times. Time to let me take a turn.”

“Or you could just be careful,” Sophie said.

He flashed his perfect smile. “That works too.”

He slipped one leg into the opening, testing his weight on the rung before stepping onto the ladder.

“Once I see what’s at the bottom I’ll let you know if it’s safe.” He stepped down another rung. Then another.

The darkness swallowed him on the next step, and Sophie kept one hand poised on the ladder, ready to rush down at the first sound of danger.

After an agonizingly long time Fitz shouted, “All clear!”

“Yes,” another voice called—one Sophie would’ve recognized even if he hadn’t started the next sentence with his favorite expression. “You kids took your sweet time getting here!”





FIVE


SOPHIE HAD ASSUMED the Black Swan would be done with disguises now that they were letting her and her friends join. But when she reached the bottom of the murky tunnel, she found Mr. Forkle looking as shriveled and swollen as ever. His huge belly barely fit between the curved walls, and the cramped space was filled with the dirty-feet stink of the ruckleberries he ate to alter his appearance.

“Not to complain,” Keefe said as he stepped into the ankle-deep sludge, “but you guys seriously need to pick some better hideouts.”

“This is not our hideout,” Mr. Forkle said, handing them each a pendant.

They breathed on the crystals, and the warmth activated the balefire inside. The pale blue glow seemed especially eerie, but that might’ve been because Sophie despised balefire.

The everlasting flames had been Fintan’s trademark—until he learned to spark Everblaze. But Sophie was still grateful to have light in the claustrophobic tunnel. Especially when she saw the shadowy path ahead.

“Well, that looks fun,” Keefe said, pushing Fitz forward. “Lead the way, buddy!”

“Actually, that path only goes to our demolished hideout,” Mr. Forkle said.

“So it was at the Palazzo Vecchio?” Sophie asked.

“No. That was marked as a decoy. But if the Neverseen found it, we knew it was only a matter of time before they located the real one. So I collapsed our grotto before I came here.”

“Where are we going, then?” Dex asked.

“Through our emergency exit.” Mr. Forkle licked one of the slime-covered bricks, opening a secret door hidden in the wall.

Sophie gagged. “That’s gross.”

“It certainly is, Miss Foster. But let that be a lesson. The best places to hide are the places no one wants to go.”

He was right about that. The air in the tunnel smelled like eggs mixed with skunk spray, and cold slimy muck rained down on their heads as they walked.

“Do you know how the Neverseen found your decoy?” Sophie asked.

“I swear it wasn’t me,” Keefe jumped in. “I threw my Sencen Crest into the ocean, and Elwin melted off a ton of skin, so I am aromark free. Remind me to thank my mom for that one, by the way. So awesome of her to let me lead my friends into ambushes.”