Or worse—they’d use it as an excuse to enact some of those restrictions that Oralie had been worried about.

“Maybe the Black Swan will have some ideas,” Fitz said.

“Because they had so many awesome ideas for what to do about Wylie?” Sophie countered.

“Any chance you’ve manifested some new abilities that could solve all of our problems in one fell swoop?” Keefe asked Sophie.

“No—and I don’t know why you keep thinking I’m going to. Wouldn’t the Black Swan have triggered it when they triggered my other ones?”

“Uh, this is the Black Swan we’re talking about,” Keefe argued. “They take a million years to do anything—and just so you know, I’m rooting for Phaser. Think of how much havoc you could cause if you could walk through walls.”

“Shouldn’t we be trying to come up with an actual plan?” Fitz asked. “Instead of putting all the pressure on Sophie?”

“But Foster’s always the one who figures it out. You just gotta give that fancy brain of hers a second to work.”

“That’s not true. I . . .” Sophie’s words trailed off as an idea started to take shape.

Keefe grinned. “Go ahead, Foster. Amaze us.”

She stared at the black sludge trickling across the sand. “It’s not a full plan yet. But the ogres and the Neverseen already have a precarious relationship, right? So what if we do something to push it over the edge, and make sure they never trust each other again?”

“See?” Keefe said. “Told you she’d solve it. Maybe we’ll get our wish and they’ll destroy each other in the process. So what are you thinking? Convince Dimitar that Fintan told everyone Dimitar’s butt looks dimply in those metal undies? Or maybe we fill Fintan’s bedroom with those nasty ogre plants Lady Cadence used to make us peel in detention—what were they called? Curdleroots?—and he’ll be like, ‘Oh no Dimitar didn’t—it’s on!’ ”

“Do you even know where any of the Neverseen’s other hideouts are?” Sophie asked.

“Wait,” Fitz said. “Are you actually considering those plans?”

“No, they’re totally insane. But if we’re going to come up with something better, we need to know what we have to work with, like who we have access to, and how much time we have. Do you think you can find out when and where King Dimitar and Fintan are going to meet?” she asked Keefe. “Because if we can cause something to go wrong during that meeting, they’ll each think the other set a trap.”

“I . . . don’t know. One thing I’ve learned as New Kid in the Evil Rebellion—it’s not a good idea to ask too many questions. And I’ve been trying to save them to find out how to steal the caches.”

“The caches are important,” Sophie said. “But this has a bigger time crunch. It sounded like the Peace Summit is coming up quick, and I’m assuming they’ll be meeting before then.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Keefe said, shaking the sand off his cloak. “I’ll see if I can find a way to bring the ogres up during my next empathy lesson. Maybe the fact that Fintan’s going to be angry at everyone for botching the Wylie thing will make him a little more willing to open up to me.”

“Be careful,” Sophie begged, still imagining fiery punishments. “None of this is worth what they’ll do to you if they figure out you’re helping us.”

“I got this,” Keefe said, ducking behind the rocks he’d been leaning on when they arrived. He returned carrying a sludgy, stinky bucket. “I’d better get back. I’m sure the person meeting me at the rendezvous point is there by now.”

“I think we should check in more than once a day from now on,” Sophie told him as he fished out a simple blue crystal. “That way you won’t have to try to slip away again. Is there another time that’s safe to talk?”

“I get a breakfast break around sunrise, and a dinner break around sunset, so we could go with either of those times. Or both. But no check-ins tonight. I’m supposed to have a special skill lesson with Ruy—and even if that’s changed, I should probably lie low.”

“Tomorrow morning, then,” Sophie said, trying not to think about how early she’d be waking up from now on.

“Woo-hoo for bonus Keefoster time! Try not to get jealous, Fitzy. She still likes you better than me—but someday I will wear her down. I’m sneaky like that.”

“Not sneaky enough!” a voice growled behind them.

Sophie’s panic mixed with dread when she realized the voice was high-pitched and squeaky.

Sure enough, when she turned around, she found Sandor, Grizel, Alden, and Grady glaring at them.

“Uh-oh—that’s my cue,” Keefe said, his eyes on his feet as he moved his crystal to the light and disappeared through the path.

Grady’s lips pressed into a rigid line, parting enough to only release one word.

“Grounded.”

Alden added, “For the rest of eternity.”

FORTY-FOUR

GRADY MADE GOOD on his threat, sending Sophie to her room the second they got back to Havenfield and informing her that she wouldn’t be leaving the house again until her ears turned pointy.

Even after she’d warned him about the alliance between the Neverseen and ogres.

Even after she’d explained the plan they were working on to prevent it.

Even after she’d shared Keefe’s darkest memory to help prove he was trustworthy.

Reasoning with Grady was sometimes like giving Verdi something new to eat.

And from the look in Alden’s eyes as he dragged Fitz back to Everglen, she had no doubt Fitz was meeting the same fate—though Grizel’s lecture would surely be less brutal than Sandor’s. Sandor’s stretched on for an hour and seventeen minutes—and yes, Sophie counted. He ranted for so long, her butt went numb—and she was sitting on her very soft, very comfortable bed.

Apparently Alden had come to Havenfield after Grady told him about Cyrah, and they’d gone upstairs to ask Sophie a few follow-up questions. Cue massive chaos when they found her note on the bed. They’d hailed Sandor to have him find her through the emergency trackers hidden in her clothes, and Grizel had insisted on coming along, since Fitz was her charge.