Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #4)(132)

“So, just to recap,” Dex said, setting down the gadget he’d been tweaking. “We might have a guide. And we might have one Markchain. And we might have a way to make disguises. And I might be able to make enough weapons in the next, like, five hours. Anyone else see the problem?”

“Yeah, this is why I should go by myself,” Keefe said.

The suggestion was met with a resounding, “No!” But Sophie knew Keefe wasn’t going to listen. If she didn’t figure something out, he would go alone.

“No, the problem,” Dex said, “is that we still haven’t figured how we’re getting into the city. I’m guessing teleporting is out?”

“I remember Alvar saying the city is surrounded by force fields,” Fitz said. “Who knows what they’d do to us as we tried to pass through.”

“Maybe Alvar knows a secret entrance,” Biana suggested.

“Maybe,” Sophie agreed. But she doubted it.

“I know the way,” Calla said from the staircase, making Sophie drop her pen midnote. She hadn’t seen Calla since Calla had left to tell the other gnomes the truth about the drakostomes.

Calla gave her a reassuring smile as she moved to Sophie’s side. Her gray eyes were rimmed with red, and Sophie couldn’t tell if that was from exhaustion or crying. But Calla’s voice was confident when she told them, “I know how to get into the city.”

“How?” Sophie asked.

Calla was about to answer, when she noticed the pathetic pile of fruit they’d gathered. She picked up one of the pieces, tracing her fingers sadly over the peel before setting it down and shaking her head. “One problem at a time,” she whispered.

“What do you mean, you know the way?” Dex asked, getting back to the subject.

“I mean there’s a secret path into Ravagog,” Calla said. “I finally solved the riddle. All the songs said to ‘embrace the heartache,’ and now that I know the truth about our past, I know what the words mean. Our leaders would’ve known we’d never give up on our homeland, and made the way back for us to return. If I sing the song of the Four Season’s Tree and embrace their heartache, their roots will open a tunnel to the ogre city.”

“Does that mean you have to come with us?” Biana asked.

“I don’t have to. I want to.”

“But it’s dangerous—especially for you,” Sophie warned.

“I know the risks. But I will see my homeland, however lost it is. And I will take back freedom for my people.”

Sophie could tell there would be no arguing the point, and made a note that they’d need to make another Neverseen robe for Calla.

“Okay, so that’s progress,” she said. “But I feel like we still need a better plan for how to stay hidden.”

“I might be able to help with that,” Mr. Forkle said. “No need to hide that paper, Miss Foster,” he added as he made his way to the table to join them. “I know what you’re planning.”

“You’re not going to try to stop us?” Fitz asked.

“I doubt I could even if I tried. Plus, I learned from the mistakes in Exile”—his eyes strayed to Fitz—“that it’s far better if we coordinate our efforts.” He took her list and scanned it. “I assume your mother is working on reaching out to Mr. Vacker?”

Fitz nodded.

“Good. I’ll have Granite talk to Lady Cadence about the Markchain. Perhaps she knows how to amp up its aroma to better cover a group of nine.”

“Nine?” Sophie asked, doing a quick mental head count. With Alvar and Calla she only had them at seven. “Who are the other two?”

“Two elves with incredibly powerful abilities, who should solve many of these problems you’re tackling. The trick will be convincing them to help.”

“Who?” Fitz asked, but Sophie had already guessed.

It looked like she’d be dragging Tam and Linh into danger after all.





SIXTY-FIVE


THAT’S A LOT of information to get in five minutes,” Tam said, staring at the curved ceiling of the small den.

Their dwarven house looked like a clump of bubbles inside the earth, with tiny round rooms that somehow felt cozy, not claustrophobic. Maybe it was the subtle glow from the flecks of lumenite peppered through the walls. Or the way the stone furniture had been hand painted with intricate patterns of lines and dots. But even with Mr. Forkle filling a large portion of the space, Sophie didn’t want to leave.

Or maybe that was because she knew her friends were back in Alluveterre working with Calla to arrange the supplies they’d need. Once Tam and Linh were on board—if Tam and Linh were on board—they would be departing for Ravagog that evening.

Part of her wanted to lock everyone up to keep them safe. But then the gnomes would die—or end up King Dimitar’s slaves. And knowing Keefe, he’d find a way to sneak off on his own.

Teamwork was the best option—but she’d made Mr. Forkle promise he’d be upfront with Tam and Linh about all the risks.

“So . . . if I’m understanding this correctly,” Tam said, “you want us to take a secret tunnel into Ravagog to steal the cure from the King?”

“It might not be directly in King Dimitar’s possession,” Mr. Forkle said. “We’re actually not sure where he’s keeping it, or what kind of vessel it will be contained in.”