“I think it would be wise if you all stayed together,” Mr. Forkle told Sophie and her friends. “That way it’s easier to reach you with updates and questions.”

Alden and Della offered up Everglen, and that became the plan.

“Oh, and Miss Foster?” Councillor Terik said as the Councillors prepared to leap away. “Thank you for bringing the alicorns for a visit. It’s good to see they’re both healthy and thriving. Let’s hope it remains that way.”

The last words reminded her that Silveny and Greyfell probably shouldn’t linger.

She made her way over and stroked Silveny’s velvety nose.

SOPHIE OKAY?

Thanks to you, Sophie told her.

Silveny’s deep brown eyes seemed to peer right through her, and the motherly alicorn searched Sophie’s emotions until she landed on the one subject Sophie had been hoping to avoid.

KEEFE?

He . . . isn’t here.

Silveny nuzzled Sophie’s side. GOOD, she said. KEEFE! FRIEND! GOOD!

I hope so, Sophie told her, breaking eye contact before she ended up a sobbing mess.

She’d cry for Keefe later. Right now, she had to focus.

You and Greyfell should get somewhere safe—and get some snacks. Remember, you’re eating for two.

Silveny nudged Sophie’s hand. She trotted closer to Greyfell and both alicorns dipped their heads, almost in a bow as Sophie told them she’d check on them soon.

SOON! Silveny agreed as she and Greyfell floated into the sky.

Right before they teleported away, Silveny sent one final transmission.

KEEFE GOOD SOON!

“WYLIE HAS BEEN MOVED. AS has Prentice—to be safe,” Mr. Forkle told them after he’d arrived at Everglen that night. Despite the late hour, everyone was still wide awake, gathered in Everglen’s glittering dining room—a room Sophie hadn’t been in since the day Oralie, Bronte, and Kenric had tested her for Foxfire. The thronelike chairs, sweeping chandelier, and silk-draped windows looked far too grand for such an exhausted group, and no one had touched the platters of food Della had set out—even the mallowmelt. “They’ve been set up in a secure cabin high in the mountains, where they’ll be able to recover together,” he added. “Neither seemed strained at all by the sudden move. If anything, they seemed more relaxed than ever.”

“What about Tam and Linh?” Biana asked. “Where will they live now?”

“We’re setting up a secure residence for them here in the Lost Cities. That way they’ll no longer feel so isolated. Blur has offered to serve as their guardian, and the Council will be assigning them goblin bodyguards. And they’ve been granted permission to attend Foxfire, once the term resumes again.”

Sophie tried to focus on the good news, and the hopeful hints in his tone. But . . . “You’ll never be able to use Alluveterre as a hideout again, will you?”

Fitz had spent the last few hours sharing the heartbreaking details about Keefe stealing Tam’s crystal and helping Alvar escape. No one except Grady—who’d had quite a few choice comments about That Boy—had known what to say. Especially Alden and Della.

“Never is a long time,” Mr. Forkle told Sophie. “Most things tend to be much more temporary. And while it’s a regrettable setback, it’s nothing compared to what the Neverseen have lost this evening. That’s another thing I’m happy to report. With the help of Mr. Tam—and a loyal contingent of goblins and dwarves—the Council has now raided all sixteen of the hideouts connected by the Lodestar symbol. Some had long been abandoned, but the others had very recently been sacked.”

“So they were empty?” Fitz asked.

“Stripped and scorched, yes,” Mr. Forkle admitted. “I’ll give them credit for speed and efficiency—it must’ve been a mad, destructive scramble. And please try not to look so distressed by this news. Gathering more prisoners and evidence would’ve been nice—but either way, this is a significant victory in our favor. We’ve now shut down the majority of their network.”

“But you don’t think we got it all?” Biana asked.

“I think that Fintan’s too clever to not have a few emergency evacuation areas. Plus, none of the hideouts had a silver door marked ‘The star only rises at Nightfall.’ ”

Sophie rubbed the new knot forming under her ribs.

So Keefe’s legacy was still out there, waiting for him.

She wondered what his mom would say if she’d seen what her son had done that day. Would she have been proud he’d chosen the Neverseen over his friends? Or furious he’d remained with the people who’d imprisoned her?

“I think that’s all we can do for tonight,” Mr. Forkle said, standing and reaching into his cloak for a pathfinder. “Blur will be bringing Tam and Linh here soon—and then I hope you’ll all go to bed and try to sleep.”

“Wait!” Dex said. “I almost forgot—do you still have Keefe’s old Imparter?”

“I returned it to Miss Foster, to do with as she wished,” Mr. Forkle told him. “Why?”

“I can’t stop thinking about it, ever since Sophie did that enhancing thing to me. I think there’s something we missed. Do you have it, Sophie?”

“It should still be at Havenfield,” she said.

“I’ll retrieve it for you tomorrow,” Sandor promised as he stood to bring Grady and Edaline back to the safety of Gildingham. Before he left, he gave Sophie a long lecture on how she was not to leave Grizel’s sight even for a second—or trigger any more abilities.

And true to his word, Sandor returned to Everglen the next day, holding the black case he’d collected from her room.

“Is it okay for us to talk around the Imparter?” Biana asked as Dex popped open the case and slid his finger across the silver screen.

“Yeah it’s a different kind of signal than I realized.” He tapped the screen in each of the corners. “Hmm, it’s being fussy again.” He glanced at Sophie. “Would it be weird if I asked to hold your hand?”

Tam smirked. “Smoooooooth.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “I know what he meant.”

She pulled off her glove, and the second their fingers touched . . .

“Whoa,” Dex breathed. “That is such a rush!”