Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 3)

by Shannon Messenger

  “What’s the situation?” Sophie pressed when he didn’t continue.

  Grady stared at the red stain on his cape. “A large group of dwarves seems to have disappeared.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  DISAPPEARING DWARVES?” SOPHIE ASKED, FEELING foolish just saying it.

  She was tempted to ask if they were journeying with a hobbit to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. But the blood on Grady’s cheek kind of killed all her jokes.

  “How do dwarves disappear?” she asked.

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out—though I can’t say I’m making much progress. Evidently they’ve gone missing one by one over the last year, and the dwarves didn’t think to mention it to us until they realized that thirty have vanished.”

  “Thirty?” Edaline whispered.

  “Is that a bad number?” Sophie asked.

  “Not the number specifically. But last time we took a census, there were only three hundred and twenty-nine dwarves in the whole world. They’re solitary creatures, very scattered. So for thirty to go missing is . . . well, we’d definitely like to know what’s going on. Which is why I’ve been stuck crawling around their cramped tunnels for days, getting scraped and scratched and finding nothing. It’s like they vanished into the ground and never came back out for air.”

  “What about the Black Swan?” Sophie asked. “They have dwarves secretly working with them. Maybe they have thirty?”

  “I thought of that already. But I asked King Enki about them and he said the dwarves working with the Black Swan are all accounted for and checking in regularly.”

  “So wait, does that mean they could take us to the Black Swan?” Sophie asked.

  “More than likely—but don’t get your hopes up. The king wouldn’t tell me who they are, and we can’t force him. The guidelines of our treaty state only that the dwarves must work peacefully with the elves. And the Black Swan are elves, so the dwarves are well within their rights of privacy.”

  “What does that mean, then?” Edaline asked before Sophie could. “Someone is stealing dwarves?”

  “They might be running away. Or perhaps they’re all on a very extended vacation. Or . . . they could be getting abducted. We don’t know. And before you assume the worst,” he added, turning to Sophie, “keep in mind that mysteries like this happen way more often than we all realize. I’d forgotten just how much the Council deals with on a daily basis. This world is filled with complicated creatures and complicated problems. There’s always someone, somewhere, having some sort of crisis. This is just business as usual.”

  “Not if you consider what’s been going on with the ogres,” Sandor interrupted. “Sophie uncovered some rather disturbing evidence yesterday, and I fear it might be related to your mystery.”

  “She did?” Edaline asked—her expression a mix of hurt and disappointment as she turned to Sophie. “Why haven’t I heard about this?”

  “Well, for one thing,” Sophie said, glaring at Sandor, “we don’t know for sure that ogres are involved. No one knows what any of it means.”

  “You still could’ve told me,” Edaline said gently.

  “I know.” Sophie stared at the dust motes swirling in the air while she explained about the aromark and the homing device and Lady Cadence’s effluxers at Foxfire. She even told them about the leak in the Black Swan. The only thing she kept secret were her theories about Jolie.

  Grady’s sigh sounded more like a groan as he ran his hands down his face, smearing the blood from his cut. “I don’t think I have the energy to deal with any of this right now.”

  Sophie didn’t either, honestly.

  Ogres and goblins and missing dwarves?

  Her life had officially turned into a fairy tale gone wrong.

  “Hey,” Grady said, strangling her with a hug. “Everything always looks worse after a long day. Let’s all get some sleep and regroup tomorrow, okay?”

  Sophie nodded, trying not to think about angry ogres and missing dwarves as she stumbled up to her messy bedroom. But as Iggy flitted to her pillow and curled up in a tangle of orange fluff, she couldn’t help feeling just as small as him.

  Her world—and its problems—was so much bigger than she’d ever imagined. And she couldn’t shake the horrible feeling that this time no one could solve them.

  “Hey,” Sophie said as she caught up with Marella in the Level Three atrium.

  The locker-lined quad was humongous, decorated with glittering crystal trees and a giant mastodon statue in the center. But it felt strangely small when Marella didn’t smile back at her.

  “You okay?” Sophie asked. “I couldn’t find you at orientation.”

  Marella said nothing as she licked the sensor to open her locker, waiting until she’d grabbed all her books before she mumbled, “I’m surprised you noticed I was gone.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “No reason.”

  Marella tossed the tiny braids she’d woven into her hair as she turned to face Sophie. She looked more like her old self again—except for the scowl on her lips.

  “Is this about Biana?” Sophie asked.

  “Why would I care about her?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve been a little different since she manifested.”

  “Oh, so you think I’m jealous?”

  “I never said that.” Sophie kept her voice low, wishing they could have this conversation somewhere without so many staring prodigies.

  Marella slammed her locker much harder than she needed to. “Good. And I don’t care that she’s suddenly in on all your secret stuff, either—in case that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “I wasn’t,” Sophie promised.

  “Good,” Marella repeated. “Because I wouldn’t get sucked into your drama even if you wanted me too. It’s way too dangerous.”

  She stalked away before Sophie could respond—not that she knew what to say.

  Stina applauded.

  “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m starting to like that Redek girl,” she told her minions as she followed Sophie over to her locker. “At least she’s smart enough not to let you drag her down with you.”

  “No one’s getting dragged anywhere,” Sophie muttered.

  “No—the Vacker losers are going voluntarily. And don’t even get me started on Dizznee.” She pointed to Sophie’s ring and mimed gagging. “So tell me, who’s going to be the next casualty? I mean, Dex already had one planting. And from what I hear, Keefe came pretty close to needing one himself. So who gets it this time? My money’s on Fitz. The healing’s on Friday, right? Anyone else think we might not see him after that?”

  No one raised their hands. But Sophie could tell some of them wanted to.

  Most of them, actually.

  “Is there a problem, Miss Foster?” Dame Alina asked, striding toward them with a dramatic sweep of her cape. “It looked like Miss Heks was bothering you.”

  Sophie had never seen Dame Alina in the atrium, and she glanced over her shoulder, wondering if there was some sort of surveillance camera she was missing. And the snotty smirk on Stina’s lips made it so tempting to get her in trouble. But that would only cause more drama, especially since everything Stina had said was technically true.

  Being friends with Sophie was dangerous—and Sophie was just as worried about Fitz as everyone else seemed to be.

  “We were just talking,” she mumbled toward her feet.

  Dame Alina sighed, clearly not convinced. But when Sophie didn’t say anything else, she clapped her hands and ordered everyone to their sessions.

  “Come on, girls,” Stina told her minions. She grinned at Sophie as she tossed her giant hair. “Let’s go find Redek and see if she wants to sit with us at lunch today.”

  “Actually, you still have detention,” Dame Alina called after her. “And I think it mig
ht be best if you spend it with me today.”

  “What?” Stina asked, whipping back around.

  Dame Alina smiled. “I’ll be waiting for you in my office.”

  “But I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “I never said you did.”

  Stina’s eyes narrowed to slits, but she kept her mouth shut as she turned and stomped away.

  Sophie leaned against her locker, letting the cold of the metal sink into her flushed skin. “You didn’t have to do that,” she told Dame Alina. “I’m fine.”

  “I’m sure you are. But I still think it’s high time Miss Heks and I have a nice little chat. And you’d better get going, Miss Foster. You still have quite a long walk to your session, and . . .”

  The bells chimed, right on schedule.

  Sophie groaned, throwing her satchel over her shoulder as she raced down the hall. Her morning session was in the Silver Tower, and she’d picked the worst Mentor to be tardy for.

  She was soaked with sweat by the time she pounded on the gleaming door, shouting for Master Leto to let her in.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as she rushed past him.

  She scrambled to put on her silver cape, feeling her eyes burn when she accidentally stabbed her finger with the pin. She squeezed them tight, ordering herself not to cry. But she felt a tear leak down her cheek.

  “Here,” Master Leto said, taking her hand and cleaning the blood off her finger with a silky handkerchief.

  She waited for him to let go, but he leaned closer, squinting at Dex’s ring before tracing his finger over her star-shaped scar.

  “Looks like you’ve had an interesting few weeks.”

  He didn’t say it like a question, but Sophie nodded anyway.

  “Well, I know it does not change any of the things you’re facing. But I hope you know that you’re not alone.”

  Right. She had friends she could put in danger. Just what she always wanted.

  “I mean it, Miss Foster. I’m sure you’re hearing the same whispers that I am. But that does not speak for everyone. And the rest will understand with time.”

  “I hope so,” she said, trying to hand back his handkerchief.

  “Keep it. And let me solve one other problem as well.” He placed a plain blue square of glass in her palm. “Show this to Councillor Bronte and you’ll be off the hook for your tardiness. It should also make him go easy on you today—and if he doesn’t, call for me.”

  The glass was cool to the touch, but it turned warm as she tucked it safely into her pocket. She meant to ask him what it was, but “Why are you helping me?” slipped out instead.

  Master Leto smiled. “It’s part of my job, Sophie—to give light when it’s needed, and brighten up a bad day. Why else do you think they call me the Beacon?”

  She’d honestly had no idea—and always thought it was a stupid title. But maybe it fit better than she thought. Even if she still hated calling him “Master.”

  “Well, thank you,” she mumbled.

  He opened the door to the empty common room and she made her way to the stairs, wishing her session wasn’t on the very top floor.

  “There’s a faster way,” Master Leto told her as she climbed the first step. “But you’re going to have to hold on tight.”

  He stomped his foot, making a rumbly thump, and Sophie barely managed to grab the gleaming banister before the silver stairway spun to life, whirling, faster than Keefe’s vortinator. She spun sideways and slantways and upside down through all the twists and turns of the stairway, and by the time she reached the top she was fairly certain she’d never be able to eat again. Assuming she survived the next two hours.

  She needed several deep breaths to stop her head from spinning spinning spinning. But her nausea came crashing back as she stumbled into the small dim room.

  Councillor Bronte sat waiting for her in the room’s only chair—a fancy silver throne that matched his fancy cape and crown.

  He definitely looked ready to inflict some serious pain.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  YOU’RE LATE,” BRONTE INFORMED HER, and his gleeful smile made it clear he’d used the extra time to imagine all kinds of miserable punishments.

  Before he could deliver any of them, a familiar red-haired figure stepped out of the shadows. “I’m sure she has a good excuse,” Councillor Kenric told him. “And I’m sorry if I startled you, Sophie. Councillor Bronte apparently does not believe in providing his prodigies with light.”

  “Inflicting feeds on darkness,” Bronte snapped back. “The fact that I have to explain that shows you have no place in this session.”

  “My place,” Kenric corrected, “is to ensure Sophie’s safety—since you have proven that you will not always act with her best interests at heart.”

  That was putting it mildly. When Bronte wanted to prove that Sophie’s abilities were broken, he’d basically used the session to torture her.

  Still, she’d thought things between her and Bronte were getting better. He’d seemed genuinely interested in working with her after he’d discovered she could inflict positive emotions as well as negative—something he’d thought was impossible before then. But if Kenric felt he needed to chaperone . . .

  “Regardless of what my weak-hearted assistant may claim,” Bronte said, jolting her back to attention, “this tower has strict rules about tardiness—as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

  “I am,” Sophie agreed, pulling out the blue square Master Leto had given her. “That’s why I was told to show you this.”

  Bronte’s jaw fell so fast, she was surprised it didn’t hit the floor.

  “What could you have possibly done to deserve an amnesty?” he asked, lunging from his chair and snatching it from her hand. “When I attended here, these were reserved for extreme emergencies.”

  “Well, maybe things have changed since the dark ages,” Sophie mumbled, earning a snicker from Kenric.

  “The elves never had a dark ages,” Bronte snapped. “And I graduated long before the time period you’re referring to.”

  “Really?” She knew Bronte was one of the Ancients—and he did have the pointiest ears she’d ever seen. But with his cropped brown hair and wrinkle-free skin it was so hard to imagine him being thousands of years old.

  “Yes,” he said, shoving the amnesty into the pocket of his jewel-encrusted cape before he pointed to his throne. “Now take a seat. We have wasted enough time.”

  “But . . . that’s your chair.”

  “Thank you for that waste of words. Now sit.”

  Sophie glanced at Kenric and he nodded, so she reluctantly made her way to the chair, half expecting to spot a bucket of boiling acid dangling above it. The sharp edge cut into her legs, and the cold, rigid back pressed into her shoulders like ice. It felt like Bronte had custom ordered The Most Uncomfortable Chair Ever Invented—and the designer had exceeded his expectations.

  “As you know, my fellow Councillors have ordered you to conduct a healing in two days,” Bronte said to her, glancing sidelong at Kenric. “And they have asked me to ensure you’re prepared. Now personally, I don’t believe a twelve-year-old will ever be ready to handle such a task—”

  “I’m thirteen,” Sophie corrected.

  “Oh, that’s much better, then. Everyone knows teenagers are so full of wisdom and experience.”

  “Hey, you guys are the ones ordering me to do this,” she reminded him.

  “Actually, you can thank the other Councillors for that. I was—once again—outvoted.”

  Kenric cleared his throat.

  “Oh, quit rattling your windpipe,” Bronte snapped. “Now, as I was saying, I don’t believe a thirteen-year-old will ever be ready to handle such a task. But I am open to being proven wrong.” He crossed his arms and turned to face her. “Well, go ahead then.”

  Sophie shifted i
n the miserable chair. “Uh . . . go ahead with what?”

  Bronte rolled his eyes. “Did you or did you not tell me that positive inflicting is an essential part of the healing process?”

  “Right.”

  “Well then, show me how it’s done.”

  “You . . . want me to inflict on you.”

  “Positively, yes. Is that a problem?”

  Oh, it was a problem. She’d only inflicted positive emotions once, during Alden’s healing, and she’d been so fueled by her desperation to bring him back that she’d acted almost entirely on instinct.

  The only thing she was desperate to do now was pelt Bronte with sparkly alicorn poop.

  “I believe the first step is to identify the emotion you want to unleash,” Kenric offered quietly. “At least, that’s what I remember studying. And with regular inflicting the primary choices are sorrow, envy, guilt, fear, and rage. So for positive inflicting they would be . . .”

  “Happiness?” Sophie guessed. “And peace. And love. And, um . . .”

  She tried to think of more, but they all seemed like versions of the emotions she’d already listed.

  Were there really more negative emotions than positive ones?

  “That’s enough to start,” Bronte told her. “So which is your objective?”

  The thought of trying to make Bronte feel love made Sophie want to vomit. And she was feeling anything but peaceful at the moment. Which left her with: happy.

  She squeezed her eyes tight and tried to remember happy things, hoping her instincts would kick in after that. Her childhood memories were mixed with too much sadness, now that she’d left her family, so she focused on her new life, remembering her friends, and Grady and Edaline, and Silveny. But even those memories were swirled with so much doubt and worry and uncertainty.

  “I’m waiting, Miss Foster,” Bronte interrupted.

  “Oh please, it’s only been a few seconds,” Kenric told him. “You’re doing great, Sophie.”

  The glimmer of praise helped her relax, and she shifted her mind to smaller memories: the day she rescued Iggy, her first flight with Silveny, every time she stared into a pair of beautiful teal eyes . . .