their Cognate training?
Truth.
Trust.
Open communication.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s try it.”
He turned back, flashing another beautiful smile—though it was back to being a bit more reserved.
But that felt real, too.
So did the fact that neither of them reached for the other’s hand.
They still had a long way to go—a lot of healing and figuring things out.
But it felt like a good beginning.
“So… how do you want to do this?” Sophie asked, trying to get back to the more urgent problems they were facing. “We’d cover more ground if we split up and searched by ourselves, but—”
“Okay, don’t get mad at me for saying this,” Fitz interrupted. “But… I think this is a waste of time.”
“I know,” Sophie admitted. “I’m sure it’s going to be too. But… it’s still better than doing nothing, right?”
“See, but I think we have another option.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “You want to talk to someone from the Neverseen, right? What about Glimmer? I’m sure she’d know way more than my brother.”
“I actually suggested that,” Sophie told him. “But Oralie seemed pretty convinced that Glimmer doesn’t know anything—just like Keefe didn’t know anything when he left the Neverseen. And neither did Tam.”
“Yeah, but Keefe and Tam weren’t trusted members of the order,” Fitz reminded her. “The Neverseen knew Keefe was trying to play them, just like they knew Tam was basically a prisoner. But Lady Gisela thought Glimmer was super loyal, didn’t she? Do you really think she didn’t tell Glimmer anything? And isn’t talking to her better than spending hours searching this depressing, dusty house for something we both know we’re not going to find?”
Sophie sighed. “Yeah, I guess. Do you think we should go now? I don’t have a crystal to go to Tiergan’s house—and I’ve never been there, so I can’t picture it well enough to teleport.”
“Candleshade has a Leapmaster we could use. But honestly? I think we should wait until tomorrow. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look super exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night?”
“Not really.”
“That’s what I figured. So why don’t you go home, get some sleep, and we’ll go to Tiergan’s house in the morning? Actually, it’d probably also be good to let Tam know we’re coming, since I hear he’s been a little… protective.”
“But—”
“It’s not wasting time,” Fitz interrupted. “I know it feels like it is, but seriously, Sophie. You’ve barely slept at all in days. And I know you’re probably thinking that you’re just going to toss and turn or have nightmares, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to try to rest. Plus…”
“What?” Sophie asked when he didn’t continue.
He dragged a hand through his hair. “Well… I think I know something that might help you sleep—and no, I don’t mean taking a sedative. I mean… Keefe.”
Sophie straightened up, crossing her arms. “What about him?”
“Come on, Sophie. I saw the look on your face when he agreed to Councillor Alina’s demand, and then you leaped out of the Healing Center as fast as you could. And I get it—it was pretty harsh of him to do that. Especially after you spent all that time sitting by his side in the Healing Center, waiting for him to wake up.” He cleared his throat. “But… that’s why I think you might feel better if you guys talked it out.”
“Yeah… well… he doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Not with his voice,” Fitz agreed. “But you could use your telepathy.”
Sophie crossed her arms tighter, basically hugging herself.
She’d actually thought about doing that the night before. But she wasn’t sure if Keefe would respond. And the thought of him ignoring her…
“He told me to stay away,” she mumbled, focusing on her feet.
Fitz sighed. “I know. But he was afraid he might lose control of his new ability. It’ll be way different if you use your telepathy. Trust me—I’m his best friend. I know these things. Plus, I saw the look on his face after you left, so I’m sure he’d feel better if you talked everything through. He’s probably been waiting for you to reach out, since you guys talk that way a lot.”
“No we don’t,” Sophie argued, not sure why her voice had gotten so high-pitched. “Seriously, we don’t.”
“Well, even if that’s true, you guys are… close.”
“We’re friends,” Sophie clarified, cringing when her voice turned squeaky again.
The conversation was just so… awkward.
“I know you are,” Fitz told her. “That’s not what I’m saying. I just… I know you’re super worried about him. And I know