The fading twilight glow seeped through Havenfield’s glass walls, painting the elegant white décor of the main room in shades of purple, gray, and blue. Even with the soft shimmer from the twinkling chandeliers, Sophie felt like the whole world had been bruised.

“Truly, Miss Foster,” Magnate Leto said as he plopped next to her on the plush sofa. “I’ve been meaning to redecorate my office since I took over as principal. I’ve never been a fan of my reflection—especially in this form.”

Sophie shook her head. “You know this is about more than broken mirrors.”

“She’s right,” Grady agreed, stalking down the curved staircase in the center of the room with Brielle—his svelte goblin bodyguard with tight curly hair—in tow. “This is about That Boy! I know he used to be your friend—”

“He is my friend,” Sophie corrected.

And he was working with her enemies.

Grady crouched in front of her. “Whatever he is or isn’t to you doesn’t change the things he’s doing.” He plucked an especially jagged shard of glass off of her sleeve.

The razor-sharp edges would’ve shredded her skin if Keefe hadn’t given her his cloak.

Then again, she wouldn’t have needed it if he hadn’t blown up the place.

She reached for Grady’s hands. “I’m fine. And Keefe did this to warn us.”

“That doesn’t make destroying Foxfire okay!”

No, it didn’t . . .

“Technically, he only destroyed my office,” Magnate Leto argued. “And my own foolishness is partially to blame. I should’ve suspected something the moment I was called to the Level Five atrium to remove a pair of gremlins from the lockers. Causing havoc has always been one of Mr. Sencen’s specialties. As is breaking into the principal’s office.”

“You’re seriously going to equate this with one of his pranks?” Grady asked. “Like it’s just another Great Gulon Incident?”

If the vein in Grady’s forehead hadn’t been so bulgy, Sophie would’ve asked someone to finally share the story of Keefe’s legendary triumph.

“It’s all a rather dark shade of gray,” Magnate Leto admitted. “But that’s a color all of us are familiar with, aren’t we? Wouldn’t you use it to describe your behavior when you confronted Brant about what he did to your daughter? Or Miss Foster, when you drugged your human family so you could be erased from their lives? And surely the Council would apply it to most of my actions. After all, I helped form an illegal organization. Experimented with the genetics of an innocent child. Secreted her away in the Forbidden Cities to be raised by humans. Erased two of her memories without her permission—”

“We have a bigger problem,” Sophie interrupted, not needing any more reminders of how weird her life had been. “I’m sure Oralie knew I was lying when I said I didn’t see who triggered the sound wave. I was way too emotional to fool an Empath.”

“Councillor Oralie has always been your loyal supporter,” Magnate Leto assured her.

“Okay, but Councillor Alina looked suspicious too—and she hates me. All it takes is one of them to figure out that it was Keefe, and he’ll never be able to come back.”

“Not necessarily,” Magnate Leto said. “Questionable actions can be forgiven when they’re done with good intentions. Think of the Ancient Councillors’ reasons for not warning the gnomes that the ogres possessed the plague. With time, most have come to understand their complicated motivations.”

The key word in that sentence was “most.”

In Keefe’s case there’d be many who’d see a notorious troublemaker graduating to a new level of mayhem. Or worse: a loyal son stepping into the role his mother designed for him.

Sophie sank back into the sofa’s cushions, trying to disappear into the fluff—anything to avoid having to figure out what to do or think or—

“I know this is all very overwhelming,” Magnate Leto said. “But that’s only because you’re trying to interpret Mr. Sencen’s actions with your head. You have a very good head, Miss Foster. Very logical and clever and strong. But do you know what’s even more powerful?”

He pointed to her heart.

“Which means what?” Grady asked. “We’re relying on teenage feelings?”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss them. Miss Foster understands Mr. Sencen in ways the rest of us simply cannot. I watched them most carefully during their time in Alluveterre. He opened up to her. Leaned on her. Trusted her. So”—his eyes met Sophie’s—“what does your heart tell you?”

Sophie crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she could reach in and pluck out the answer. Instead, her head kept taking over, flooding her consciousness with memories:

Keefe crying on her shoulder the day she’d had to tell him that his mom might be dead.

The window slumber parties they’d held so they wouldn’t have to face the tougher nights alone.

His room covered in notes and crumpled bits of paper as he desperately tried to piece together the truth hidden in his past.

A much younger Keefe, sitting and waiting in Atlantis for a family that didn’t care enough to remember him.

Over and over the scenes replayed, until another image slowly replaced them.

Keefe, in the Healing Tent in Exillium, his humor and confidence stripped away, revealing the scared, angry boy he kept hidden underneath.

The memory didn’t tell her anything. But it made her heart ache—made her wish she could wrap her arms around him and make everything okay.

Magnate Leto nodded, as if he’d been eavesdropping on her thoughts. Which made her wonder . . .

“When we were in Alluveterre, did you ever read his mind?”

Telepaths weren’t supposed to invade anyone’s privacy without permission—but Magnate Leto had never been one to follow rules.

“You’re asking if I knew he was going to join the Neverseen?” he asked. “I knew he was considering it. But the idea was incredibly tentative. It didn’t truly take shape until you were heading for Ravagog—and even then, he still seemed undecided. But I can tell you that he saw it as a necessary evil to right the wrongs his mother caused.”

“ ‘Evil’ is right,” Grady muttered. “And if That Boy comes anywhere near you again, I want you to drop him with the full weight of your inflicting.”