Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,71

away. Because this is exactly the kind of thing that Tam was warning us about. And I think it’s more important for you to be focusing on your memories, anyway. But, if it makes you feel any better, your name did come up. Dex actually pushed for you to be swapped in, instead of Stina—and even Grady agreed that you would’ve been the better choice for the ‘team’s Empath.’ ”

“He did?” Keefe asked, perking up a little as he glanced at her over his shoulder. But his smile faded just as fast. “The Council shot them down because of my mom, huh?”

There was no point denying it.

“Would you have honestly wanted to swear an oath to the Council?” she asked instead. “Doesn’t seem like your kind of thing.”

“It’s not,” Keefe agreed. “I just didn’t realize it was your kind of thing either.”

“Honestly? Neither did I.” She made her way closer, watching the ocean shimmer with glints of pink and orange from the sunset. “But… it sounds like we’re going to need the Council’s help to deal with King Enki as we try to figure out what the Neverseen are planning in Loamnore. And if Mr. Forkle’s right that the Neverseen are also trying to turn the public against the Councillors, then it’s probably pretty important for us to be allies. So… I’m giving it a try. But it’s also good that they left some of our group out. That way you, Fitz, and Linh will have a clearer perspective and can let us know if it seems like we’re getting sucked into anything weird. And you can look into anything we don’t want the Council knowing about. Well… Fitz and Linh can do that last part. You can focus on your memories—and staying safe.”

“Great,” Keefe muttered.

“Hang on!” Ro said, stomping over to join them by the windows. “Did you just say that Pretty Boy’s not a part of this?” Her mouth fell open when Sophie nodded. “But… aren’t you two, like, a package deal? Team Obnoxious-Telepaths?”

“We usually are,” Sophie agreed, ignoring the “obnoxious” part of that nickname. “But the Council wants to separate us. They think I rely too much on my telepathy and am not taking full advantage of my other abilities. So they want me to work on stuff without Fitz and see if it helps me widen my focus.”

Ro blinked. “Wow! Okay—I officially take back every bad thing I’ve ever said about your Councillors! They’re my heroes! All hail the sparkle-fied twelve for breaking up the Great Fitzphie!”

“They didn’t break us up,” Sophie argued, her face burning when she realized how that sounded. “They just thought it was worth seeing what happens if we don’t work as closely as often—and they promised they’d let Fitz join the team if it turns out I need him.”

“You won’t,” Ro assured her. “Right, Hunkyhair?”

She elbowed Keefe, who’d gone back to staring at the ocean.

“Come on, Captain Sulky,” Ro said, elbowing him harder. “There’s really nothing you want to say?”

“Nope.” He scooted away before Ro could elbow him again, earning himself an epic ogre eye roll.

And he looked so miserable—so un-Keefe—that Sophie decided she was willing to sacrifice herself on the altar of humiliation if it got him out of his funk.

“You know what Dex has everyone calling me now?” she asked. “I’m sure you’d be proud of him.”

“The Mysterious Lady F?” Ro guessed.

“Ugh, I wish. Nope, it’s… Lady Fos-Boss.”

The confession was almost worth it when Keefe couldn’t help giving her a quick smirk.

“I knew I liked that boy,” Ro announced. “In fact, I even tried out one of his little tricks—see?”

She pointed to Sophie’s desk, and it took Sophie a second to figure out what she meant.

“You changed Iggy’s color?” she asked, heading over to his cage, where, sure enough, the tiny imp had yet another new look. His neatly trimmed, gold, sparkly fur was now a much poofier ice blue with tiny crimps.

“Huh, I figured he’d be pink and purple,” Sophie admitted, pointing to Ro’s colorful pigtails.

Ro tossed her head, swishing her hair in the process. “Uh, no, I’m not sharing my fabulous style with anyone—much less a creature who spent the last hour eating his own toenails. But I thought it was only right to save your imp from being sparkle-fied—and I was going to be nice and turn him your favorite color. But apparently your favorite color is teal—and yeah, yeah, we all know why. But, um, do you realize how many of the nastiest little microbes are