Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,128

the anecdote remind her that she should be focusing a lot harder on getting Tam back—it also made it painfully clear how much she’d been neglecting her friendship with Linh.

Marella sighed. “I know I’m good at giving you a hard time for not hanging out with everybody equally. But… I do get how much you’re dealing with, and how hard it has to be to keep up with all of it and occasionally sleep and eat and see your boyfriend.”

It was a miracle Sophie didn’t cringe at the last word.

Despite Fitz saying they’d “talk later,” she… hadn’t heard from him.

And she’d been too big of a wimp to reach out.

She was pretty sure that made her the worst girlfriend in the world—if she even was his girlfriend anymore.

Every day that was feeling less and less clear.

“Linh’s doing okay,” Marella promised, probably assuming that the sigh that slipped out of Sophie’s lips was for something less selfish. “We’ve been training together every day—and it’s super handy to have someone who controls water around when I meet with Fintan.”

Sophie stood taller. “Linh goes to your Fintan lessons?”

Marella nodded. “Mr. Forkle thought it would be safer, since she can drown any flames. She’s only gone once, so far, but the lesson went way better with her there. I think Fintan’s impressed with her.”

Absolutely none of that sounded like good news.

Sandor must’ve agreed, because he muttered a string of goblin swear words under his breath.

“Well… wow,” Sophie mumbled, feeling miles behind the curve. “Anything I need to know about your lessons—or about what you and Linh are working on?”

“Probably. But that’s not what we came here to talk about.” Marella shot a meaningful look at Maruca, who’d been standing so quietly, Sophie had almost forgotten that she was there. “And I should go make sure Linh hasn’t renamed the alicorns Prince Shimmernose and Princess Sparklefeathers or something. I swear, if she and Keefe ever get together, I’d feel super sorry for their kid.”

“Does she like Keefe?” Sophie blurted out—her face heating about a million degrees when she realized how nosy she was being. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“Probably not,” Marella agreed. “But maybe not for the reason you’re thinking? And on that bombshell—I’m out! Have a good chat, you two! Miss me!”

Marella gave a teasing salute before she wandered off in the same direction that Linh had gone, leaving Sophie with a little whiplash as she tried to figure out what that last comment was supposed to imply.

“Gotta love how unapologetically honest she is, huh?” Maruca asked, breaking the silence. “I’m trying to get better about doing the same thing—tell it like it is a little more.”

Sophie cleared her throat. “Yeah… and I think I know what you’re here to tell me.”

“I know you do,” Maruca said, tossing back a couple of her dreads. “Just like I know Wylie talked to you.”

“You do?”

“Of course. He means well and I love him. But he’s also a paranoid pain who makes me want to punch him.”

“He’s not paranoid,” Sophie corrected gently. “Really bad things can happen to anyone who gets involved in this. Look at where Tam is right now.”

“I know.” Maruca stepped closer, clearly not backing down. “But I’m good with taking those kinds of risks. I know Wylie doesn’t want me to—and that’s sweet of him. I appreciate it. But that doesn’t mean he gets to dictate my life for me. And since I’m sure you’ve had your share of people trying to make decisions for you because they think they know better than you do, I’m hoping you’ll at least hear me out.”

Sophie sighed and motioned for Maruca to follow her over to the shade of Calla’s Panakes tree.

“Full disclosure,” Sophie said while she sank down onto the grass, “it took me years to finally get on good terms with your cousin, and I really don’t want to do anything to make him mad at me again.”

“I get that,” Maruca agreed, noticeably not sitting. “Just like I’m sure the next thing you’re going to tell me is that you aren’t in charge of who gets to join the Black Swan and who doesn’t.”

“Well… I’m not,” Sophie had to point out.

“Maybe not. But come on—pretty much all the new members have been your friends,” Maruca argued. “Don’t even try to say there’s not a connection.”

“Yeah, well, for one thing, Mr. Forkle and I aren’t really on great terms right now, so I’m not sure if I’m the best ally,” Sophie admitted. “But