"You," Fitz told Keefe, "have the worst timing ever."

Keefe smirked. "I try."

Fitz's eye roll was epic. "Sorry," he told Sophie. "I'm not mad at you. I just really thought we were making progress."

She looked away.

She knew she wouldn't die if Fitz didn't like her. But it would be crazy humiliating. And how would they ever be Cognates?

But . . . how would they be Cognates if she was hiding secrets from him?

She sighed.

Everything would be so much easier if she could just get over her silly crush. Would it be so bad to just be friends? It wasn't like she was ready for a boyfriend. She doubted she was even allowed to date, given the whole matchmaking thing. Not to mention all the problems it would cause with Dex-and maybe Biana.

She needed to let it go . . .

And yet, when she stole a glance at Fitz, her stubborn heart still fluttered. Especially when he flashed his movie-star smile.

"Whoa, now there's a whole lot of staring into each other's eyes going on," Keefe said.

"Let them work," Della told him. "And you should be working too-really working, not flipping pages and complaining. The Black Swan gave you that book for a reason."

"Right. Because they're more evil than we think," Keefe muttered under his breath.

"So . . . ," Fitz said through the silence that followed.

"Sorry I blocked you," Sophie mumbled.

"I'm getting used to it. But do I have permission to go back in?"

Keefe snickered. "Smooth, Dude."

They both ignored him.

Sophie gave Fitz permission, and within seconds she could hear him in her head. At least her subconscious still trusted him, even if her conscious wasn't quite as brave.

Sorry again, she thought.

It wasn't all your fault. He glared at Keefe, and Keefe blew them a kiss. He's lucky I don't shove that book somewhere he really won't appreciate it. Especially since I'm guessing you're not going to tell me whatever it was you were about to say?

Maybe . . . another time, when we don't have Keefe paying such insanely close attention.

I guess that makes sense. Okay, we should get started on this exercise.

They agreed to take turns, and Fitz went first.

Favorite animal? he asked.

Instantly Sophie pictured her pet imp, Iggy.

Huh, I thought you would've said Silveny, Fitz said.

I know, me too.

Leave it to her to pick the stinky imp over the majestic alicorn. Then again, she never thought of Silveny as an "animal." Plus, Iggy's breath might be toxic-and his farts could be weaponized-but he needed her as much as she needed him.

Okay, she said. Favorite subject in school?

Telepathy.

Her face flashed through his mind and Sophie had to force herself not to wonder what that meant.

This one's harder, he said, moving to the next question quickly. Biggest regret?

Sophie assumed it would be the moment she'd chosen to let Brant get away. But her mind filled with her friend Marella's face instead. Maybe it was because deep down she knew she'd had to let Brant go to save her friends. Or maybe it was because the last time she'd seen Marella, she'd let Marella's hurtful words get to her, even though she could tell there was something bigger going on. And now she'd run away and might never have a chance to make things right.

Think we'll ever go back to Foxfire? she asked Fitz.

I have no idea.

She could see how painful the thought was for him. He'd dreamed of being an elite level prodigy all his life, and now he might not even finish Level Five.

Don't say you're sorry, he told her. This was my choice-and it was the right one. It's just hard not to want it all sometimes, you know?

She did.

She checked her list again. What are you most proud of?

Her face popped into his mind again-but this time it was her terrifyingly transparent face from the day he'd rescued her.

Where were we when you found us? she asked, focusing on the strange tree in the background. She vaguely remembered describing it to Fitz in her desperate transmissions. It looked like four trees in one, each quarter representing a different season.

That's the Four Seasons Tree, a gift the gnomes planted for us in Lumenaria.

As soon as he said the words, the worries she'd been trying to set aside flooded back.

Wow, I didn't realize you were blaming yourself for what's happening with the plague, Fitz thought. Why didn't you tell me?

Because I'm trying to believe that the physicians will have a cure soon.

I'm sure they will.

She could see the doubts in his mind.

I wonder why we ended up in there, Sophie thought, trying to focus on less troubling things. Do you think the tree is connected to the Neverseen, somehow?

My dad wondered the same thing, and he went back to investigate. But he didn't find anything important. And the pathfinder you took from the Neverseen was totally standard. So he's guessing it was just random.

Maybe . . .

But the tree was so unique, it seemed to beg for attention. If she was ever allowed back in the Lost Cities she wanted to see it again.

I'm forgetting whose turn it is, Fitz said, reminding her that they should be training.

Me too. So I'll go. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A dark city flashed through Fitz's mind as he thought the word Ravagog.

Half of the city was above ground, carved into the side of a stark mountain. The other half was underground, in an enormous swampy cavern. A glowing green river separated the two halves, carving a deep canyon between them. A single bridge at the top provided the only connection. The dark metal structure was lined with arched towers glowing with green flames that blazed in hovering fireballs.

It's like the ultimate Forbidden City, Fitz said. That doesn't make you curious?

No, I hope I never have to go there.

But she had a horrible feeling that someday they would.

Two questions left, Fitz said. Least favorite school subject?

Her mind was a three-way-tie between her horrible alchemy sessions, her torturous inflicting sessions with Bronte, and her stressful linguistics sessions with Lady Cadence.

Wow, I will never complain about my boring elvin history sessions again, Fitz thought.

Yeah, you haven't known fun until you've spent some time with Councillor Bronte, learning to inflict pain.

And Bronte was one of her only supporters on the Council. No wonder she'd had to go into hiding.

Person you look up to? she asked him.

Alvar's face popped up in his mind.

Huh, you'd think it'd be my dad, Fitz thought.

Well, Alvar's your big brother.

Yeah, but we've never been that close. He moved into the elite towers when I was still a kid, and never moved back after that. Plus, he's spent huge chunks of time with the ogres. I'm lucky if I see him more than twice a year. But maybe- Fitz's thought was cut short by Calla bursting into the room.

"Sorry for the interruption," she said, stooping to catch her breath. "I could not reach the Collective, and this cannot wait. Two of our guards just arrived with an emergency report."

"What guards?" Sophie asked.

"The gnomes that keep watch over one of the Neutral Territories. They saw members of the Neverseen."

SIXTEEN.

TWO GNOMES STOOD waiting by the river, watching the colorful reeds sway in the rushing water. It should've been a peaceful moment, but their stance was too rigid. Their gray eyes were clouded with trouble when they turned to watch Sophie and Calla barrel down the winding stairs, with Fitz, Keefe, Dex, Della, and Biana behind them.

"This is Lur," Calla said, struggling to catch her breath as she pointed to a gnome in pants and a vest woven from leaves. "And his wife, Mitya."

"We asked for the Collective," Lur said in gnomish.

Calla used the same swishy language, sounding like rustling leaves. "The Collective is in the Lost Cities, so I brought the Moonlark and her friends to help."

Lur and Mitya straightened at that, and their eyes stayed fixed on Sophie as Calla introduced the rest of the group.

"She looks younger than I imagined," Mitya whispered in gnomish. "Too young to bear this burden."

"She has borne far worse," Calla reminded them.

Sophie couldn't tell if Calla knew she could understand them, but she decided to clue them in. "Whatever it is, I can handle it," she said with a perfect accent.

Lur and Mitya lowered their heads and switched to the Enlightened Language.

"We meant no disrespect, Miss Foster," Lur said. "We did not realize how far your gifts stretched. And it is an honor to meet you in person."

"Lur and Mitya have served the Black Swan nearly as long as I have," Calla explained. "Usually from afar, keeping an ear to the ground, so to speak. They were actually the ones who found the hideout where the Neverseen held you captive."

"You did?" Dex asked. "I've always wondered how they found us."

"So have I," Sophie agreed.

"It really was not much," Mitya said. "The roots told us of the voices hiding deep in the earth. All we did was listen."

Sophie had no idea what that meant. But she knew enough to say, "Still. Thank you."

"Yeah," Dex mumbled. "I'd be dead right now if it weren't for you guys."

"Those were dark days," Calla agreed. "It was an All Call to action, everyone scrambling, using any resource they had to search the layers of our planet. We were beginning to lose hope when Lur and Mitya delivered their report."

"And what is the report you came to give today?" Della asked, reminding everyone why they were there.

Lur and Mitya shared a look, then focused on Sophie, switching back to gnomish.

"We will tell you," Lur said, "and let you decide if you'll share with the others."

"I would not recommend it," Mitya added, her focus drifting to Keefe.

Sophie's heart deflated, and she barely remembered to use gnomish when she said, "This is about his mother."

Lur nodded. "We spotted three of the Neverseen on our patrol today, on the far side of the Lake of Blood."