Lodestar Page 11

She didn’t actually know if she could from so far away—but it didn’t matter. She’d paid the price for violating the rules of telepathy too many times.

Besides—if she was going to trust Keefe, she had to trust him.

I’m keeping my mind focused on what you’re saying, she promised—though his loudest thoughts buzzed in the back of her consciousness like a TV in the background. So she could hear how relieved he was to know that she was safe—and even more so that she was still talking to him. He also sounded very worried that someone would catch them communicating.

Is this a bad time? she asked.

No. But I’m glad Ruy and Alvar are heavy sleepers. There was definite squealing and flailing when I first heard your voice.

The idea of him being so close to one of her kidnappers—and the Psionipath who’d attacked her and Biana—made Sophie shiver. Can you go somewhere we can talk?

I’m not allowed to leave my room without one of them with me. But I should be fine here, as long as I stay still. So . . . what’s up? Did something happen?

Aside from you destroying part of Foxfire?

Hey, it was my turn to blow up the school. You’ve been hogging all the fun.

This isn’t a joke, Keefe.

It can be if we make it one. We just have to commit!

Sophie sighed, letting her frustration ripple through her mind.

Nobody was hurt, right? he asked.

You got lucky this time, she agreed.

Luck had nothing to do with it. I planned it perfectly.

That’s exactly the kind of overconfidence that’s going to get you killed.

Not necessarily. I know you don’t want to hear this—and believe me, I’m not happy about it either—but . . . I’m kind of important to their plans. At least, I think I am. I’m still working it all out. But I can tell they want me here. I just have to convince them they can trust me before they’ll tell me why—and I made some serious progress today. Fintan totally looked ready to join Team Keefe when I met him at the rendezvous point so he could bring me to the hideout.

Every part of that made Sophie sick to her stomach. But she reminded herself that he was doing this for a reason—the same reason she’d reached out to him.

If you’re really going to stay there, you need to let me help. You can’t keep sneaking away—sooner or later they’ll catch you. So I’ll reach out to you like this every night and you can tell me anything you’ve learned.

That’s actually not a bad idea, he admitted. Though it does mean I won’t get to use my brilliant plan for my next escape. It didn’t have any explosions, either. Just a LOT of selkie skin.

Sophie felt her lips smile, even if she probably shouldn’t.

I’m not going to be able to tell you everything, though, his mind added quietly. I can only leak so much without getting caught.

I know. Sophie tried not to wonder how much he was already hiding. Are nights safer to reach you? Or would mornings be better?

Definitely nights. My training starts early—and I’m sure you’re probably imagining all kinds of scary things, so just know the stuff they’ve been having me do isn’t a big deal.

That’ll change once they really trust you.

Yeah. Probably.

It was his cue to tell her he had a brilliant plan for that, too. But his mind had gone achingly silent.

I really hope you know what you’re doing.

I do. I can’t promise I won’t have to be a part of some more shady things. But I know where the hard lines are, and I won’t cross them.

She could feel the threads of his conviction, like roots digging deep. But whether they would hold him steady through the coming storms, she couldn’t tell.

She’d have to keep an eye on him.

Is this the best time to reach out to you each night? she asked.

Yep—it’s a date. Tell your boyfriends not to be jealous.

She wished she had a way to roll her eyes in a mental conversation. I don’t have any boyfriends.

I dunno. I can think of a few dudes who might not be fans of all this Keefoster time.

Keefoster?

Sounds way cooler than Sophitz or Dophie, right? And don’t even get me started on Bangs Boy. By the way—don’t think I didn’t notice those new rings on your thumbs today. The Fitzster has a matching set, doesn’t he? I bet they look so cute when you guys are holding hands and staring deep into each other’s eyes.

We don’t stare into—why are we talking about this?

Would you rather hear about how loud Ruy snores? Or how this room smells like rotting toenails? Or Alvar’s crazy theories for who the Forklenator is?

The last question reminded her that Keefe had already run off before the Magnate Leto–Mr. Forkle reveal happened.

You found out another one of his identities, didn’t you? Keefe guessed.

I did. But I don’t think it’d be good to tell you. You already have enough secrets to protect.

There you go, ruining all the fun with your logic.

I guess that’s my job.

That doesn’t mean you have to be so good at it—though it is kinda nice having someone look out for me.

You don’t make it easy.

Another thing you and I have in common.

His floating thoughts made it clear how determined he was to protect her. It made her heart somehow both light and heavy at the same time.

Have you learned anything else I should know? she asked.

I wish. They haven’t let me meet any of the other members of their order yet. And this run-down shack I’m in is where they bring all new recruits because there’s nothing worth finding. They won’t give me my own crystal or pathfinder—and the ones they let me borrow always leap to neutral meeting places.

They trusted you enough to let you help at the Sanctuary, she reminded him.

Only because that mission was about causing chaos. They knew they wouldn’t get inside the preserve. They just wanted to make the Council look bad and keep people on edge.

Is that what the registry was about too?

No, they were super secretive about that, so I’m betting there was more to it. It’s on my list of things I’m trying to find out.

What else is on that list?

Not gonna lie—it’s a LOT. But I’m trying to focus on details that will tell me how to shut them down.

Well . . . I know one thing that might be worth looking into. Her mind filled with the symbol from the black disk they’d found in his cloak.

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