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

It was hard to keep track of age in the Lost Cities. The elves didn’t pay that much attention to it, thanks to their indefinite lifespans. In fact, Sophie had no idea how old any of her friends actually were. No one ever mentioned their birthdays. Maybe that meant Sophie wasn’t supposed to care about age either—but she was very aware that she was only thirteen and a half, and the difference between her and the boys felt huge.

“Hey, I’m the one who knows where we’re going,” Fitz said. “So I’m in charge, and . . . I guess we should probably head out. Though, wait—what about Mom? Shouldn’t we say goodbye?”

Alden glanced at Biana. “Your mother has to take care of something at the moment. But she told me to tell you she’ll see you soon.”

Fitz didn’t look very satisfied by that answer. But he didn’t argue, either.

Alden turned to Sophie, not quite meeting her eyes. “I . . . offered Grady and Edaline a sedative a few minutes ago, and they decided to take it. We feared what would happen when they actually had to watch you leave. So they told me to tell you that they love you and that they left a note for you in your backpack.”

The lump in Sophie’s throat made it hurt for her to nod, but she forced herself to do it. Grady and Edaline were her adoptive family, and she hated leaving without seeing them. But she doubted they were strong enough to handle another tearful goodbye, given everything that had happened.

They’d lived in a deep fog of depression ever since they’d lost their only daughter, Jolie, to a fire seventeen years earlier. And now Sophie had discovered that Brant, Jolie’s former fiancé—who Grady and Edaline had been caring for as if he were part of their family—had been the one to set the fire that killed her. Brant had been hiding that he was a Pyrokinetic—the elves’ only forbidden talent—and joined the Neverseen because he hated living as a Talentless. But when Jolie discovered his betrayal and tried to convince him to change his ways, he lost his temper and sparked the flames that accidentally took her life.

The guilt and grief had left Brant dangerously unstable. He’d even tried to kill Grady and Sophie when they went to confront him. Grady had been so furious, he’d used his ability as a Mesmer to make Brant burn off his own hand. Sophie had barely managed to stop Grady before he went too far and ruined his own sanity. She’d also had to let Brant escape in order to get the information she needed to save her friends.

“All right, we’ve lost enough time,” Alden said, pulling the five of them close for a hug. “Remember, this is not goodbye forever. It is simply goodbye for now.”

Sophie felt tears slip down her cheeks as Fitz asked, “Do you want us to let you know when we get there?”

“No, I cannot know anything about what you’re doing. None of us can.”

“Do you think the Council will order memory breaks?” Sophie whispered.

“No, the Council will not sink to that level. Plus, they know we are too prominent and powerful. It is simply wise to be cautious. I promise there’s no reason to worry.”

Sophie sighed.

No reason to worry were Alden’s favorite words. And she’d learned to never believe them.

“Come on,” Biana said, pulling open Everglen’s shimmering doors.

They tromped down the shadowy path in silence.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Keefe said, “but I really miss having Gigantor tagging along with us.”

Sophie nodded, wishing her seven-foot-tall goblin bodyguard was healthy enough to join them. Sandor had been thrown off an icy cliff during the ambush on Mount Everest and broken pretty much every bone in his body. Elwin had assured her that he’d be okay, but Sandor had a long road to recovery before him.

Not as long as the road we’re about to travel, Sophie thought as she spotted Everglen’s enormous gates through the gloomy night. The glowing yellow bars absorbed all passing light, preventing anyone from leaping inside.

“Time to run,” Alden whispered.

Teleporting only worked when they were free-falling, and the bluffs they needed to jump off were beyond Everglen’s protection.

Fitz wiped his eyes. “Tell Mom we love her, okay?”

“We love you, too, Dad,” Biana added.

“And don’t let the Councillors anywhere near my family,” Dex begged.

“You have my word,” Alden promised. “And I won’t let them near Grady and Edaline, either.”

Sophie nodded, her mind racing with a million things she wanted to say. Only one really mattered. “Don’t let Grady go after Brant.”

Alden took her hands. “I won’t.”

Everyone looked at Keefe.

“Tell my dad . . . that I’ve been hiding his favorite cape in a closet on the twenty-ninth floor. But don’t tell him the door is rigged with gulon gas. Let him find that out on his own.”

“Is that really all you want to say, Keefe?” Alden asked.

Keefe shrugged. “What else is there?”

Alden wrapped Keefe in a hug and whispered something in Keefe’s ear. Whatever it was made Keefe’s eyes water.

Sophie’s eyes did the same as Alden opened the gates.

The five friends stared at the towering forest and locked hands.

Slowly, together, they took the first step into the darkness. They’d just crossed the threshold when a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows—not a black cloak like the Neverseen wore.