moonlark was the only hope for healing her husband’s shattered mind. So Cyrah did her best to cooperate. But Fintan decided she should be terminated when the project was completed, because she knew too much. It then appears that Fintan enlisted Gethen (another known member of the Neverseen) to use his ability as a Telepath to break Cyrah’s concentration before she leaped home, causing her to fade away. But much of that story was provided by Lady Gisela, who could easily be fabricating certain details to cover her own involvement. Without proof, it’s hard to say for certain. What is known is that one of the starstones Cyrah made is still missing, and given the drastic measures they took to interrogate Wylie, the Neverseen seem desperate to find it.
PROTECTING WHAT LITTLE FAMILY HE HAS LEFT:
Wylie’s second cousin (Maruca) recently manifested as a Psionipath—an ability that could prove to be invaluable to Sophie and her friends. The Neverseen’s strategies tend to rely heavily on their Psionipath (Ruy Ignis), so having a Psionipath helping the Black Swan would be a game changer (particularly since Ruy’s power seems to have been affected by one of Tam Song’s shadowflux attacks). But Wylie begged Sophie not to let Maruca swear fealty to the order. Sophie definitely understood why he might not want Maruca to put her life in danger after losing so many members of his family—but she also knew the decision was up to Maruca. And Maruca is every bit as strong-willed as Wylie. She refused to sit by when she could be helping save lives—and Wylie has begrudgingly respected her decision.
A VALIANT FIGHTER:
Since his abduction, Wylie has begun working much more closely with the Black Swan. It’s unclear whether or not he’s sworn fealty, but he’s definitely been involved in many of their recent activities, including coming to Sophie and Fitz’s aid during a brutal ambush arranged by the Neverseen. Those who witnessed the battle testified to the incredible power Wylie displayed, both as a Flasher and a fighter, which is one of the reasons the Council offered to appoint him as a Regent to serve as a member of Team Valiant. Wylie accepted the appointment readily, and didn’t even protest when he wasn’t selected as leader, despite the fact that he’s the eldest member of the team and the only one to complete his elite Foxfire training.
FINAL NOTE:
The greatest measure of Wylie’s character may be his relationship with Sophie Foster—the girl who was inadvertently the cause of so many of the tragedies in his life. There have clearly been times when he’s blamed her—even resented her. But over time, he’s come to accept that she’s not responsible for what happened. More than that, it appears he’s even come to understand why his father sacrificed so much to protect Sophie, and seems to be determined to stand by her side. Whether he’ll ever consider her accomplishments to be “worth it” will likely depend on what she achieves. But he seems ready and willing to follow her lead.
REGISTRY FILE FOR Stina Destry Heks
KNOWN ABILITIES: Empath
RESIDENCE: Sterling Gables
IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Timkin Heks (father), Vika Heks (mother)
MATCH STATUS: Unregistered
EDUCATION: Current Foxfire prodigy
NEXUS: No longer required
PATHFINDER: Not assigned. Restricted to Leapmasters and home crystals.
SPYBALL APPROVAL: Granted
MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: Yes
TITLE: Lady
NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: Regent; member of Team Valiant
SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Works with the Black Swan (but hasn’t sworn fealty); trained caretaker at the Heks unicorn preserve
ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): None
A CHALLENGING FAMILY:
The Hekses are known for many things in the Lost Cities—but one that’s rarely discussed (and yet seems to be incredibly defining) is this: They can be difficult. It’s unclear whether there’s something fundamentally unlikable about their personalities, or whether they’re simply misunderstood. Either way, they’re a family with few friends, and many who—while not willing to classify themselves as enemies—would prefer to have as little to do with the Hekses as possible. And yet, the Hekses remain part of our world—a valuable part, even. Just oftentimes a less enjoyable part. And Stina seems to be a particularly strong example of her family’s take-me-or-leave-me attitude, regularly causing drama with other prodigies at Foxfire—especially Dex Dizznee and Sophie Foster.
A GIFT WITH EQUINES:
Before the Heks women got involved, unicorns were dangerously close to becoming extinct as a result of their isolating behavior and sporadic breeding (and of course the threat humans posed to the species). The caretakers at the Sanctuary tried everything they could think of to repopulate the species, but the numbers continued declining—until Pelipa Heks (Stina’s great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother) paid a visit