Lodestar Page 46

“Physic was part of the Collective?” Fitz asked. “Why did she step down?”

Juline glanced at Sophie.

“It was because of my allergy, wasn’t it?” Sophie guessed.

One of the memories the Black Swan had stolen from her—the one they hadn’t yet given back—was from when she was nine and woke up in the hospital after a severe allergic reaction. Her human doctors couldn’t figure out what had triggered it, but once she moved to the Lost Cities, she discovered she was allergic to limbium—an elvin substance. So an elf must’ve given her something that made her sick. But the who and the how and the why were all a big blank.

“I’m guessing you’re not going to tell me what happened?” Sophie asked.

“I think we’ve unearthed enough secrets today,” Juline said. “And honestly, Forkle and Physic never told us the whole story. But it did make her decide to focus on medicine again. So she nominated me to take her place in the Collective, and by that time the triplets were in their daily tutoring sessions, and Dex was helping at the store, so I had a few extra hours to devote to the cause.”

“And you couldn’t have told me then?” Kesler asked.

“I thought about it. But I was terrified. I couldn’t bear the thought of you hating me.”

“I could never hate you,” Kesler promised.

“But you’re still mad at me.”

“Well, I think I’m allowed to be a little upset that my wife lied to me for ten years.”

“I didn’t lie,” Juline insisted. “I was very careful about it. If I said I was going somewhere, I really did go. I just . . . took a detour along the way. It’s not ideal, I know. But I don’t want you thinking you can’t trust me. Everything about the life we’ve shared is real.”

“Is it?” Dex asked. “What about when Sophie first showed up at Slurps and Burps and I told you about meeting her? You acted surprised.”

“I was surprised! I’d had no idea she’d be living with Grady and Edaline. The last I’d heard, she was supposed to live with Alden and Della. But things were changing minute by minute. We’d planned for a much longer timeline before we brought Sophie into our world. But the Neverseen sparked the white fires and we had to get her somewhere safe.” Juline turned to Sophie. “I can’t imagine how confusing those days must’ve been for you. And I’m so sorry we had to uproot you that way. But I’ll always be grateful that you ended up with my sister.”

“Me too.” Sophie’s eyes burned with the words, and she had to check her Imparter again.

Still no hails from anyone.

“Are you going to tell your parents about me?” Juline asked.

“Do you not want me to?”

“I think . . . it would be better if I tell them. I’m sure they’ll have lots of questions.”

“So do I,” Dex jumped in. “’Cause I see a lot of things that don’t add up. Like, what happened when I was kidnapped? Why would you do a planting in the Wanderling Woods if you knew the Black Swan were still searching for me? And why was Forkle the one who came to rescue us?”

“The days after you were taken were the worst days of my life,” Juline whispered. “None of us could piece together what happened, and there were too many conflicting reports for me to feel any hope. I also had a family that needed closure—and a world that expected me to grieve a certain way. So I went along with the planting. I didn’t know what else to do. And Forkle went to save you because his mental blocking is stronger than mine, and we weren’t sure if he’d have to confront your kidnappers. But if I’d known he was going to leave you both alone in Paris, I never would’ve let him go without me. When he came back empty-handed, I slapped him so hard he had my handprint on his cheek for three days.”

It wasn’t the right moment to smile—but Sophie felt her lips twitch anyway.

“This . . . is a lot to take in,” Kesler said quietly.

“I know,” Juline told him. “This is why Councillors aren’t allowed to have families. And the Black Swan used to follow the same policy. They amended their rule for Tiergan—but he was already a member of the Collective when he adopted Wylie. The real reason they agreed to appoint me was because they believed our family could handle it. And we can. I just need you to trust me.”

“I need to know something first,” Dex said, not quite meeting her eyes. “Did you bring me to Havenfield that first day because you wanted me to spy on Sophie? Like Keefe’s mom did with him and Fitz?”

Juline took him by his shoulders. “I promise, Dex. I brought you there because you asked. That’s it. And honestly, I was reluctant to do it. I could feel my worlds colliding. But you were so excited to meet Sophie, and I wanted so badly for you to have a friend. I didn’t want you spending another year eating lunch in your alchemy session.”

“You ate in your alchemy session?” Biana asked.

Shame burned Dex’s cheeks as he nodded.

Biana’s blush looked even brighter as she whispered, “Sorry. I was really stupid back then.”

“Me too,” Fitz said.

Juline smiled sadly. “We all make mistakes. The only thing we can do is try to move past them. Can we do that?”

She seemed to hold her breath as Kesler and Dex looked at each other.

“I think we can,” Kesler decided.

Dex nodded.

Juline pulled them close, kissing Dex’s cheek before she kissed Kesler a whole lot longer.

“EW,” the triplets shouted as they raced out of the tree line. “YOU GUYS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT WHERE WE CAN SEE YOU.”

“Deal with it,” Kesler said, kissing Juline again before scooping up an armful of snow and flinging it at his kids.

“Well,” Juline said as the triplets retaliated, sending slushy balls of ice whizzing past everyone’s heads. “I think that’s our cue to get out of the battle zone.”

She took Iggy’s cage from Sophie and grabbed one of Biana’s bags before she marched toward Rimeshire.

Fitz and Biana followed, but Sophie noticed Dex lagging behind.

“You okay?” she asked him.

He kicked more snow. “Would you be?”

“I don’t know. It’s a lot to get used to. But . . . I keep thinking about the oath we made when we swore fealty. Do you remember it?”

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