Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,129

even if I am, you realize I don’t exactly love how many people I’ve dragged into this, right? If I’d never made friends with Tam and Linh at Exillium, he wouldn’t be trapped with the Neverseen right now.”

“And if you hadn’t, Atlantis would be destroyed, and you guys would’ve been captured in Ravagog, and who knows what other stories I haven’t heard?” Maruca countered.

“I know,” Sophie said quietly. “I’m not saying I necessarily regret it. But… if something happens to any of you, I can’t help blaming myself. And it’d be extra hard with you, because Wylie made me promise to keep you out of this. So… lots of guilt—and you know how dangerous guilt is.”

“I do.” Maruca’s shoulders drooped and she stared at her hands. “Why do you think I’m here? I don’t want to risk my life, or worry my mama, or Wylie, or anyone else. But you guys need me. I can keep you safe.”

“How?” Sophie and Sandor asked in unison.

Maruca’s eyebrows rose. “I take it that means Wylie didn’t tell you?”

“About your ability?” Sophie clarified. “He told me you manifested, and he made it sound like you can do something pretty powerful. But he wouldn’t tell me what it was.”

“That’s because he knows it changes everything,” Maruca said, tossing back more of her dreadlocks. “Trust me. Once you know what I can do, you’ll want me with you everywhere you go.”

Sophie had a feeling she was going to regret this, but now she definitely had to know. “Okay, show me,” she said, leaning back against Calla’s trunk and crossing her arms.

Maruca nodded, looking both proud and nervous as she raised one hand, her fingers poised to snap.

Sophie assumed that meant she was about to reveal herself as a Flasher.

But the light that flared around Maruca was a glaring white curve that bent into a dome.

A force field.

“You’re a Psionipath,” Sophie breathed, stumbling to her feet.

“I am.” Maruca snapped her fingers again, forming another perfect force field, this time around Sophie—which Sandor looked less than thrilled about, given that it separated him from his charge. “I saw how crucial the Neverseen’s Psionipath was during the fight at Everglen. He kept his people safe and controlled all of you. And I can do exactly the same thing.”

She snapped her fingers a third time, making both force fields disappear—then snapped again to form a single glowing dome around Calla’s entire Panakes tree, caging her, Sophie, and Sandor in a wall of energy that grew thicker and thicker, until it was almost humming.

“I’m a Psionipath,” Maruca emphasized. “I’m the piece you’ve been missing. And if you let me fight on your side, I can turn this game in our favor.”

TWENTY-ONE

THE THING IS…” SOPHIE KNEW she was about to sound like one of the boring, lecture-y adults she’d rolled her eyes at lots of times over the last few years. But she needed to be very clear, and not get too wowed by the shiny force field glowing around them, even if her brain was screaming, MARUCA’S A PSIONIPATH—THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

She’d made a promise to Wylie to keep his cousin safe and out of the Black Swan—she had to at least try to hold up her end of that bargain.

“This isn’t a game,” she warned Maruca. “I’ve called it that before too, because it’s easier to think of it that way. But it’s not. It’s war. Not the global, multispeciesial battle that Mr. Forkle thinks we’re building toward—yet. But still. War.”

Maruca didn’t flinch at the word.

But she did blink.

And so did her force field.

The white light fizzled away for a couple of seconds before flickering back into place, like an old fluorescent light bulb.

“See?” Sophie asked, making sure to keep any triumph out of her voice. This wasn’t about being right—it was about making Maruca understand the stakes. “That’s all it takes. One moment of distraction. One second when you lose focus or let your guard down. I’ve seen it over and over—and I’ve done it myself, so I’m definitely not judging you for it, I promise. It happens sometimes. But when it does, people get hurt. Or die.”

Maruca swallowed hard. “I know. But I only manifested a few weeks ago. I’m still learning how to control my ability. I haven’t even told Magnate Leto yet, or been assigned to a Mentor. Once I start taking lessons, I’ll be able to do a lot more.”

“I’m sure you will,” Sophie agreed. “But… maybe you should wait to get involved with the Black