Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,131

revelations—and neither did Marella—as she told Linh, “Not necessarily. It hasn’t been that long since Tam was taken.”

It really hadn’t been—even if it also felt like forever.

“The Council also didn’t seem worried that the Neverseen had all of that information and hadn’t made a move yet,” Sophie added, still trying to convince herself she was right not to worry—even though she could hear Sandor mumbling about needing to talk to Bo, Flori, and Nubiti about security improvements.

“The Council doesn’t exactly have the best track record for knowing what to focus on,” Marella pointed out.

Which was definitely a valid point.

But Sophie didn’t want to admit that, because she had a feeling this conversation was spiraling somewhere very dangerous, and she had to keep control. “I just know the Neverseen are strategic. They make big moves, not small ones. And they spread them out and take their time. So the fact that they haven’t struck again isn’t as telling as you think.”

“Maybe,” Linh conceded, nuzzling her nose into Luna’s shimmery fur. “But you have to admit that it could also mean that they don’t have their handy Psionipath to hide behind right now. Particularly when you think about how much the shadowflux affected you and Fitz. You can still feel it sometimes, can’t you?”

Sophie flexed the fingers on her right hand, wishing they weren’t weaker than they should be. “Only a little. I’m mostly better now.”

“Mostly,” Marella emphasized. “And that’s after how long? You and Fitz were in the Healing Center for weeks—and it’s been even longer since you got out. So even if it’s not permanent, there’s a solid chance that Ruy’s down for the count at the moment and the Neverseen are lying low because they know they’re too vulnerable without him—which means if we make a move now, we’ll catch them at their weakest.”

“We might even be able to get my brother away from them.”

Linh said the words so softly that Sophie almost wondered if she’d imagined them—until she saw the hope shining in Linh’s eyes.

“Okaaaaaaaay,” Sophie stalled, trying to figure out the right thing to say. “It sounds like… this has been on your mind for a while, if you already talked to Lady Zillah about it. So why have you waited until now to suggest it?”

“Because I knew it was still too dangerous,” Linh said, calling Wynn over to her other side, so she was sandwiched between both baby alicorns. “Even without Ruy, the Neverseen are vicious, and I refuse to put anyone in a situation where they could get hurt—or worse. But… then Maruca stopped by and showed us what she can do, and… a plan started to come together. I just needed to think it through a little longer.”

“I told them a couple of days ago,” Maruca explained, “after Wylie said that he’d talked to you and that you were on his side. I thought it might help if I had some backup in my corner too. And then Linh told me about all of this, and… it does seem like perfect timing. So I promised her she can count on me for whatever she needs.”

“Nothing with the Neverseen will ever be perfect,” Sophie warned.

“Maybe not,” Marella allowed, “but Maruca’s ability is a game changer—”

“Or a war changer,” Maruca cut in and corrected, “if that’s what you want us to call it.”

Marella shrugged. “Sure. Whatever. My point is, you know how important her ability is, Sophie. Especially right now, when the Neverseen don’t even know she’s a Psionipath or that she’s working with us—”

“She’s not working with us,” Sophie felt the need to point out. “And technically, neither are you. You help out sometimes, but you haven’t sworn fealty.”

“I haven’t?” Marella asked, fishing a very familiar necklace out from underneath her tunic—a black metal swan curving around a smooth glass monocle.

Sophie and her friends had each been given the same pendant after they’d officially joined the Black Swan.

“When did that happen?” Sophie asked, feeling even more out of the loop.

Marella tucked the pendant away. “Forkle suggested it after I agreed to take regular lessons with Fintan. He claimed that since pyrokinesis can be so all-consuming, it would be helpful for me to feel like I’m officially part of something bigger than my ability—but I’m pretty sure he mostly just wanted to lock me in on your side in case Fintan tried to recruit me.”

“And you were okay with that?” Sophie needed to ask, despite the fact that the answer was already hanging around Marella’s neck.