Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #3)

by Shannon Messenger

Alden smiled sadly. “You never cease to amaze me, Sophie. And I promise, there will be a day when your life goes back to normal.” Sophie wasn’t sure she even knew what a “normal life” meant for an elf. But she hoped she’d get to find out someday.

Things are happening, and I need your help. When and where can we meet?

The only thing she could think to sing was a cheesy song her sister used to torment her with: a single verse repeated over and over, about how the song never actually ended. She was on the tenth repetition by the time Sandor was back at her side. “That’s going to be stuck in my head for the rest of my life,” he grumbled. “You’re the one who told me to sing.” He didn’t return her smile.

You remind me so much of her.” Sophie never knew what to do with that compliment. She had no doubt that Grady and Edaline loved her. She just hoped they were really seeing her for who she was, not for who they wanted her to be.

“I… wish you would’ve come to me about all of this tracker business, Sophie. Please don’t feel like you have to wait for Alden or Grady.” “I don’t feel like that,” Sophie told her. Though she did. A little. Edaline had always been the fragile one, barely holding herself together as she battled through her grief. Sophie never wanted to be the one to make her lose her grip. “I’m stronger now,” Edaline whispered. “Next time, I hope you’ll trust me.” Next time. The words hung in the air as Edaline left her alone for the night. As long as the rebels were free, there would always be a next time.

The first chest was filled with old toys and dolls and dried flowers and all kinds of other things that probably had sentimental stories behind them, but were still really just a bunch of junk.

“How do I know you won’t hide their reply if you don’t like it?” “Because secrets hinder my ability to protect you—whether I’m keeping them, or you are. We need to work together. I know you’re not used to trusting people, Sophie. But I’m on your side. I wish you would believe that.” Sophie touched the edge of her bruise. Her skin really was stinging. And she didn’t exactly love going to that creepy cave. “Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.”

THIS IS JUST A NORMAL day for you, isn’t it?” Keefe asked as they shivered outside the Sanctuary gates, waiting for Councillor Terik to meet them. “Go to school, find out you’re covered in a dangerous substance, melt off a few layers of skin, and then hail your besty the Councillor, tell him you’re ditching study hall to save the world, and he says, ‘Cool, I’ll come with you!’ ”

“Well, I know it does not change any of the things you’re facing. But I hope you know that you’re not alone.” Right. She had friends she could put in danger. Just what she always wanted.

She gripped the armrests of the throne, focusing on the one memory that felt the purest: the day Fitz had first shown her she was an elf. It was before she’d known about the Black Swan or the kidnappers, before she’d realized she’d have to leave her family. He’d swept her away from her world of headaches and blaring thoughts and the inescapable sense that she was too strange, too different—and shown her where she truly belonged. And for that one brief moment everything felt right, like a missing piece of her life had finally clicked into place. She drew on the feeling, wrapping her mind around the spark and letting it grow into an inferno in her mind. Then she met Bronte’s cold, piercing eyes, wondering if he could see flames in hers as she shoved every ounce of energy toward him, slamming his mind with the hottest mass of happy she could muster.

She didn’t deserve to have her guilt fade—not until she made the rebels pay. “Hey,” Edaline said, wiping a tear off Sophie’s cheek. “If you cry it all out, it can’t help you sleep.” “Good,” Sophie mumbled, rolling away. Edaline placed a gentle hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “You’re missing the point of the somnalene. It reminds us just how small we really are, and how big the rest of the world is by comparison. One person is not the source of anything—it’s millions of pieces all working together. And it shows us that there’s always hope—always light. No matter how much darkness we might be facing.”

“I never should have come here,” Sophie whispered. “If I’d just stayed with the humans, none of this would have happened.” “Our world has been teetering on the edge of a blade for a very long time, Sophie. In fact… I think that’s why you’re here—why you grew up where you did. So you could see our world through different eyes. Help us find our way. Just like you did for Grady and me. You’ve made us whole again. Given us back our lives. Now it’s our turn to help you.”

“And I’m the only one with a plan,” Fitz reminded them. “Hey—I’ve got plans,” Keefe argued. “Plans that don’t involve tormenting Dame Alina,” Fitz clarified. “But those are always the best plans!” Fitz and Biana laughed, and Sophie couldn’t decide if she wanted to join them or scold them. Kenric was dead—and they were sitting outside his funeral, making jokes and… Actually, that was probably exactly what Kenric would’ve wanted. If he were still there, he would’ve laughed right along with them.

I stayed up all night, watching my panic switch in case you called me. I even kept my shoes on so I wouldn’t have anything to slow me down. But you never called.” “I’m not going to drag you into danger, Dex.” “But I want you to. That’s why I made you that ring.

I know you’re under a lot of stress. But you still need to eat. And sleep. And do things with your friends that don’t involve conspiracies or rebels or testing your abilities. Childhood is a precious gift, Sophie. Don’t let anything steal it away.” Sophie nibbled on one of the pastries—which tasted like crepes soaked in butter and sugar. “It’s not really my choice, is it?” “Yes, it is. I wish I could give you a world where everything was perfect and shining and safe. I used to think that’s what we had, but…” He shook his head. “I’ve realized now that our world doesn’t define us. We define our world. And I hope you’ll fill yours with as much light and happiness as you can.” “You realize how silly that sounds, right?” “I do. But after everything that’s happened, I think we could all use a bit more silly in our lives.”

Keefe scooted closer, so close she could see his reflection in the mirrors. “Well, we both know I’m not good at the serious, supportive thing, so I may be a jerk for saying this but… when are you going to realize that they can’t tell you who you are? Maybe they can tell you a bunch of weird junk about your past and your family—and I get that some of that might be freaky. But if they tell you that your mom is the most open, go-with-the-flow person they’ve ever known, is that suddenly going to make you stop being so stubborn or keeping so many secrets?” “I doubt it,” Sophie admitted. “And what if they told you your dad was an even bigger rule breaker than me—not that that’s possible. Are you suddenly going to start ditching class and pranking Dame Alina—or, Magnate Leto, or whoever our principal is?” “No.” “Right. Because our family doesn’t decide who we are. We decide who we are. Believe me, it drives my parents crazy. And sometimes that’s the only thought that gets me through the day.”

“Could you do what you’re asking of him?” she asked Mr. Forkle as she squatted beside Keefe, holding him steady. “Could you betray your own father?” “I’ve done far worse,” Mr. Forkle whispered. “The right road is rarely the easy road. And no war was ever fought without casualties.” “Is that what this is?” Sophie asked. “A war?” “Unfortunately, yes. A quiet war, to stop a louder one from raging. You may hate me for asking this of him, but it is the cold reality we all face. We cannot control the actions of others, nor stop them from disappointing us. We can only use the anger and pain to fuel us. To rise above.”

Oh, and… Sophie?” “Yeah?” she asked, surprised he was using her first name. “Please don’t hate me, okay?” “Keefe, I will never hate you.” “But—” “No ‘buts.’ In fact, I remember a pretty smart person telling me that our families don’t get to decide who we are. And that goes one step farther. Our parents don’t make us who we are either. Look at how much you’ve rebelled against your dad. Deep down, you’ve always known you didn’t want to be him. Now you finally know why.” “Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes—either from tears or exhaustion, Sophie couldn’t tell which.

They’re scared, Sophie. And when people are scared, they do crazy, heartless things.

Sophie’s face burned, imagining how ridiculous she probably looked, sulking under her covers. “Sorry. I… guess I’m not handling this as well as I should be.” “Uh, there is no ‘should be,’ ” Keefe told her. “I’d be freaking out just as much if it happened to me. Probably more.” “Me too,” Biana agreed.

I just… I thought no one would want anything to do with me now.” “Why?” they all asked in unison. She waved her hands around her head, like that explained everything. Keefe laughed. “You worry about the craziest things, Foster.” “But I’m basically the Council’s number one enemy!” she argued. “So?” Biana asked.

Doubt was such a curious thing. Like lenses over her eyes, it blurred the lines between shadow and light, making everything murky and gray. Anything could mean anything. Or it could simply mean nothing at all.

“I just liked that I mattered, you know? All my life I’ve been treated like a waste of a birth fund. And then suddenly I had Councillors visiting my house to talk to me, telling me how amazingly talented I was. And I wanted to impress them. I know that’s no excuse. But I was just trying to make the Dizznee name something people respected. So the triplets wouldn’t have to go through what I went through.”

“Please don’t ask how I’m doing. That’s all anyone’s said to me since I got here, and they keep tilting their heads and puckering their brows and it makes me want to punch them—and I really don’t want to punch you. Especially since I’m pretty sure you could knock me across the room.”

“So where were we?” he asked. “I’m pretty sure this is the part where Sophie goes on and on and on about all the reasons why she’s not going to let us go and we have to wear her down bit by bit,” Fitz told him. “You’re not wearing me down!” Sophie insisted. “She’s cute when she’s in denial, isn’t she?” Keefe

“But… will you guys be okay?” Sophie whispered, turning back to Grady and Edaline. “After… you know… you won’t need me?” “We’ll always need you,” Edaline said quietly. “But that’s the point. What we need more than anything is for you to be safe.