Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,226

not letting them change the subject. “ ‘Okay’ what, Keefe?”

Keefe huffed out a breath. “I was saying okay, I think Foster’s right. If I’m there, then my mom’s pulled off at least half of her plan already, and I’m not really a fan of making it that easy for her. If she wants to force me to face my legacy, she should at least have to come and get me, right? Plus… I promised Foster I’d stay away from the Neverseen. And I don’t think this note gets to change that.”

“Seriously?” Fitz’s eyes narrowed when Keefe nodded. “Wow, you really hate Tam that much? Because he’s the one who’ll pay the price if you’re not there—you get that, right?”

“He’s also the one who told Keefe to stay away,” Sophie argued. “Twice.”

“Yeah, well… just because he’s willing to sacrifice himself, it doesn’t mean we should let him,” Fitz countered. “Plus, who knows? Maybe the way they’ll punish Tam is to hurt Linh. Did anyone think about that?”

All eyes turned to the silent Hydrokinetic, and Linh let go of Maruca’s and Marella’s hands and drew the moisture in the air toward herself, bending it into a small floating sphere. “Water’s felt different the last few days,” she murmured, closing her eyes. “Darker, somehow. And… I think that’s my brother. I think he wants me to see how powerful he is, so that I’ll be willing to trust him. And if that’s what he wants…”

No one seemed to know what to say to that.

Or maybe Sophie did. “He might also be warning you to stay away—and even if he’s not… that might be a really smart idea.”

“She’s right,” Marella told Linh. “If you’re there, the Neverseen can use you to control Tam.”

Linh stared at the swirling orb of water. “But if there’s a fight, you’re going to need me. You’re going to need me,” she emphasized to Marella.

“Actually, I don’t think an underground city is the best place to unleash a Pyrokinetic,” Bronte admitted. “Particularly after the fire we already started the last time.”

“Welcome to Team Too-Cool-for-Loamnore!” Keefe told Marella and Linh. “Are we all agreed that they need to bring us back souvenirs?”

“I’d rather they get back my brother,” Linh said, her voice barely louder than a whisper—which definitely brought home the full reality of what they were about to be facing.

“If there’s any way,” Sophie promised.

Linh nodded.

Mr. Forkle cleared his throat. “So this is our plan, then? Mr. Sencen, Miss Redek, and Miss Linh will remain behind while the rest of us head to the Grand Hall?”

“For the record,” Councillor Emery said before anyone could answer, “we”—he gestured to the other Councillors—“feel it’s unwise to completely ignore the dwarves’ main marketplace. And given that there are so many of us, surely it would be wiser to divide up and send some to each location?”

No one could think of a reason to argue with that.

“Additionally,” Councillor Emery added, “we’d like to make two things very clear. First: We want King Enki to see that the Council stands with his people. So six of us will be going with you—three to each location—while the other six will remain in Eternalia. And second: We’d prefer that any members of the Collective sit this one out, to add greater import to the presence of the Councillors.”

Tiergan raised his eyebrows. “If one of you gets hurt or killed—”

“Then we’re not as powerful as we should be,” Bronte cut in.

Grady started to insist on coming, but Sophie begged him and Edaline to stay at Havenfield to protect Silveny, Greyfell, Wynn, and Luna. She didn’t care that the alicorns could teleport. She wanted someone keeping an eye on them—and if it kept her parents safe, all the better.

Which left them with the question of who would go where—and Sophie told everyone, “I’ll be in the Grand Hall—and let’s not waste too much time arguing about this.”

Fitz immediately volunteered to be in the main marketplace.

He tried to cover it—tried to claim it would give the two teams a way to communicate telepathically through him and Sophie. And everyone seemed to buy that.

Except Edaline.

And Keefe.

“Anything I should know, Foster?” Keefe whispered as he leaned in, his eyebrows scrunching together.

Sophie nodded. “You should know that I’m very grateful you agreed to stay out of this so I didn’t need Ro to tie you up somewhere.”

“Though I’m game for that, if you change your mind!” Ro jumped in.

A tiny smirk curled Keefe’s lips. “Fine. Avoid my question. But know I’m onto you, Foster.