Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,232

yours brewing, perhaps you should remind yourself that right now, no one’s gotten hurt—and you can keep it that way if you cooperate.”

“Cooperate how?” Sophie spat back, meeting Flori’s eyes and mentally promising to get her out of this.

Lady Gisela clicked her tongue. “That doesn’t sound like the tone of someone ready to play nice. So let’s do a quick show-and-tell to make sure you fully understand the stakes—especially you three in the silver over there!” She waved at the three Councillors before stomping her foot in a very specific pattern.

Five dwarves burst out of the floor near the Grand Hall’s entrance. And when they stomped their feet, cracks snaked every direction until the room was a maze of deadly pits and ledges.

“Is that clear enough for you?” Lady Gisela asked, pointing to the deep gouge in front of Sophie, which had stopped mere inches from her toes. “Are we ready to have a nice, calm conversation about the fact that I gave you one very clear, very simple instruction and you thought it would be fun to disobey me?”

“See, but there isn’t much to say,” Sophie told her, feeling her confidence return—because this was why she hadn’t let Keefe come with them.

This was what always happened when they faced the Neverseen.

They’d make a mistake, or a small miscalculation, and the Neverseen would seize the advantage.

But there was nothing to seize.

Lady Gisela could make all the threats she wanted—cause all the theatrics. And Vespera was welcome to show up too. Or Gethen. They could have a great big Neverseen reunion.

And nothing would change the fact that Keefe wasn’t there.

Sophie mentally repeated the reminder as she tapped her foot, trying to be subtle with the motion.

She had no idea what was happening in the marketplace, or how much danger the group over there was in. But surely if Nubiti was busy, there were other dwarves she could send as backup.

Lady Gisela sighed. “I don’t understand why you insist on being so afraid of my son’s legacy, Sophie. I’m trying to give him the best life—the best world—I can possibly give him. That’s what parents do. We reach for the stars for our children.”

Sophie snorted. “This isn’t about Keefe—this is about you! You’re so desperate to be right about whatever creepy thing you’re planning that you’ll do anything to keep it going. No matter how much it hurts your son—or how clear he makes it that he wants nothing to do with you.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s resisting!” Lady Gisela argued.

“That’s because you keep refusing to tell him!” Sophie snapped back. “It’s almost like you know he’ll still reject it—and reject you.”

“What a strange conclusion for the moonlark to come to,” Lady Gisela murmured. “You’ve never rejected your creators, have you? And they made you their experiment.”

Sophie had to laugh at that. “You love to get all high and mighty about how you’re not like the Black Swan. But at least the Black Swan lets me have a choice in what happens to me! Oh, and by the way—that treatment you did to yourself and Lord Cassius? That totally counts as an ‘experiment.’ And I’m sure whatever you’re planning to do next is even worse. So you can stop deluding yourself. You’ve been experimenting on your son his entire life.”

Lady Gisela shook her head. “Trust me, there’s no delusion. Project Moonlark twisted and tweaked your genetics until you became something other. And the Black Swan may be okay with that—but I would never do that to my child. All stellarlune does is use the natural forces in our world to bring out someone’s full potential!”

“Stellarlune?” Sophie repeated, trying to stay focused—trying not to glance at the blond, ringleted Councillor across the room to see how she was reacting to all of this.

Lady Gisela smiled. “I see what you’re doing, Sophie. Stalling. Keeping me talking. Hoping I’ll say too much, all while waiting for the others in the marketplace to come save you. But I assure you, Vespera is keeping them very busy. Her plans are always so much more convoluted than mine.”

“Right, because this isn’t convoluted,” Wylie muttered, waving his arms around the room. “And I love how you’re totally ignoring the fact that your boy’s not here.”

“He’s not.” Lady Gisela turned to glare at Sophie. “And clearly you’re very proud of the stand you’ve taken.”

“I am,” Sophie agreed.

“And yet, for all your bluster, you failed to consider that I might be stalling as well. And you forgot the most important truth.”