Flashback (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #7)

by Shannon Messenger

“What?” Sophie asked, wiping under her lashes when she noticed Keefe staring. “Did I smudge it?” “No, Foster. You look… perfect.”

Clarette, Velia, Alina, Terik, Liora, Emery, Oralie, Ramira, Darek, Noland, Zarina, and Bronte.

Keefe grinned. “You’re so adorable when you worry. I’ve told you that, right?”

Fitz offered Sophie his arm, and she tried to ignore the way her insides fluttered at the gesture. He was probably only doing it because everyone knew that climbing things without tripping wasn’t one of her strengths—particularly when she was wearing heels.

Keefe tried to break the tension, pumping his fist and shouting, “LORD HUNKYHAIR LIVES! Say it now, Ro. Say it!” Ro said it, all right. Along with several ogre words that weren’t very nice.

“Oh joy, it’s going to be a long night of sulky-boy angst,” Ro groaned as she shoved Keefe aside and stomped into the room. “Quick, who wants to trade jobs with me?”

“All the cool kids sleep with stuffed animals,” Elwin told her. “It’s why I gave Biana Betty-the-Yeti while I treated her injuries from Nightfall—though she insisted on renaming her Lady Sassyfur.”

Linh grinned. “I think I need to get Happy Shadow Thoughts embroidered on a tunic for you—with a bunch of smiley faces.” “I definitely think I need to see him wear that,” Sophie agreed. “Especially if it’s pink.” “Hot pink,” Linh decided. “With sparkly letters.” “And it should say Angry echoes—beware! on the back!” Sophie added.

“Embrace the sparkles, Foster,” Keefe told her. “They look good on you.”

Her mouth watered just looking at it all—and not in the “I’m hungry” kind of way. In the “vomiting is probably in my immediate future” way.

“Still being weirdly stubborn,” Sophie corrected. “I’m worried she’s hiding something. But I’m hoping I can wear her down.” Keefe laughed. “Sounds like what I’m always saying about you.” “Oh—that was a good one!” Ro said, raising her hand for a high five.

“Uh… you’ve seen how cute she is, right?” Keefe asked. Sophie flung a pillow at his head. Or, she tried to. Throwing with her left arm was much harder than she’d expected, and… She ended up nailing Magnate Leto in the face.

The light from his fur made his watery green eyes even brighter than normal—and as he stared intently at her, she wondered if he was trying to let her know he’d missed her. It was hard to tell, since he blasted out a bed-shaking fart a few seconds later that made at least two of her bodyguards cough all the way from the hallway. And that fart was followed by another fart. And another. And another. “Ugh—what have they been feeding you?” she asked, gagging as she stumbled out of bed and carried Iggy back to his cage. “Imp bonding time over!” Iggy’s only answer was another fart, and she tossed a blanket over his cage, hoping it would help hold in the stench.