Sophie hugged them tighter, barely managing to choke out, “Okay.”
“And hey,” Grady added, “if this makes you decide to put the whole dating thing on hold for a while, I can definitely get behind that—OW!”
He pulled back from the hug, rubbing the tender part of his arm where Edaline must have pinched him.
“What your overprotective father—who, unfortunately, will always struggle with the idea of you growing up—is trying to say, is that we’re here for anything you need,” Edaline clarified. “And that includes whatever investigating you might be planning to do into your biological family. I’m assuming that’s why you went to talk to Mr. Forkle today? And I’m guessing he was less than cooperative, and now you’re determined to find out what you can on your own while you also look into all the other important things going on?”
“Something like that,” Sophie admitted, picking at the tiny silver gadgets covering her index fingernails and her thumbnails. Tinker had designed them to control her enhancing, so she wouldn’t always have to wear gloves—though she still wore gloves most of the time as an extra precaution. “That… doesn’t bother you guys?”
“It does if the search is going to cause more Elwin visits or Tribunals,” Grady told her.
“Avoiding anything dangerous or illegal would be best,” Edaline agreed. “But again—translating for your overprotective father—of course it doesn’t bother us. We know your past is complicated. And we never want you to feel like you have to deny or hide any part of it. So if there’s some way we can help, just say the word—and please never worry that it’s going to upset us.”
“Thanks,” Sophie mumbled, blinking hard to fight off the fresh burn of tears. “Right now, I don’t have much of a plan. Keefe’s making some lists, but—”
“You told That Boy about this?” Grady interrupted. “He didn’t make you feel embarrassed, did he? Or pressure you to—”
“Actually, he told me no one would care about the unmatchable thing,” Sophie corrected. “Well, not anyone who mattered, at least.”
Edaline’s smile practically glowed. “That was very sweet of him—not that I’m surprised.”
Grady snorted.
“And he’s absolutely right,” Edaline added, elbowing Grady in the ribs.
Sophie shrugged, still not convinced. She stared at her lap and folded and unfolded the handkerchief. “He actually tried to talk me out of finding my biological parents when he realized how weird it was going to be for me. But… I have to.”
“No, you don’t.” Edaline tilted Sophie’s chin up. “Seriously, Sophie—and I’m not saying that because I don’t want you finding them. I just want to make sure you know that if your current matchmaking status is a deal-breaker for someone, they don’t deserve you. Yes, being unmatchable will bring its share of challenges. But those challenges will mean nothing if someone truly loves you.”
“How can you say that after what happened with…” Sophie stopped herself from blurting out the name, worried she was about to cross a line.
“What happened with Jolie was a tragedy,” Edaline finished quietly. “And there’s no excuse for what Brant did—even if it was a horrible accident. But… part of me will always wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t put so much emphasis on matchmaking. I’ll never know if things would be different if I’d truly supported their relationship—one hundred percent—from the moment Jolie picked up her final list and found that Brant’s name still wasn’t on it. That’s why I’m not making that mistake again. I understand why the matchmaking system exists. And I’m grateful every day that it steered me toward Grady.” She reached for her husband’s hand, clinging tight. “But… the system definitely has its flaws. And if it’s going to exclude you for something you can’t control—especially since I know Mr. Forkle would never let you form an attachment to someone you’re related to—I hope you’ll trust yourself enough to know what you truly want and ignore the rest. And Grady and I will support you every single step of the way.”
“We will,” Grady agreed. “Though I gotta say, I hear staying single can be amazing.” He yanked his hand free before Edaline could pinch him again.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “You know this isn’t just about dating, right? Everyone’s going to freak when they find out. And I’m sure the Council will take back their fancy appointment faster than you can say ‘Regent.’ ”
Maybe they’d even kick her out of Foxfire.…
“Why?” Grady asked. “Marriage has nothing to do with the nobility. In fact, some Regents and Emissaries are even advised to stay single—that way they’ll have the option of becoming a Councillor someday, should an opening arise.”
The Councillors weren’t allowed to have any immediate family ties because it could hinder their ability to make objective decisions.
“Okay,” Sophie said, wishing it could be that simple, “but… how many bad matches have been appointed to the nobility?”
Grady and Edaline shared a look.
“I… can’t think of anyone,” Edaline admitted. “But it’s hard to keep up with all the Regents, Mentors, and Emissaries.”
“I’m sure it is,” Sophie conceded. “But, given the way people treat bad matches, I’m betting there haven’t been any. And even if there have been… I’m unmatchable. I’ll be stuck with that label whether I date or not—and I’m sure it’s never happened to anyone before, so that’s going to make it an even bigger deal. Which means, once the news gets out—and you know it will, given how many people have already figured it out without me telling them—it’s going to turn into this huge drama. And if I’m a Regent, I’m sure they’ll demand the title be taken away, and then I’ll be the Girl Who Got Kicked Out of the Nobility and—”
“Whoa, easy there,” Grady interrupted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I think you’re forgetting that power and talent will always reign supreme around here. How else would someone as grumpy as Bronte end up on the Council? And no one—no one—can deny the value of your abilities. Or how much we need your help with the huge problems we’re up against.”
Edaline reached for Sophie’s hand. “I know people haven’t always been as welcoming, or as accepting of you as they should’ve been. Our world wasn’t prepared for the challenges we’re now facing. And many unfairly blamed you, because you were new and different and completely unexpected. But they’re beginning to see how very much we need you.”
“That’s actually another reason the Council is offering you this appointment,” Grady added as Sophie’s skin turned prickly with responsibility. “They want to send a message—loud and clear—that you’re officially on their side.”
Sophie chewed her lip. “Am I on their side, though?”
“I think it’s time for you to be,” Grady admitted. “If the Neverseen are working to sway the public to their side, then the best thing you can do—for yourself, the Black Swan, and the Council—is prove that you’re not some rogue rebel circumventing our weak leaders. Show everyone that you’re a valuable ally working in unison with the Councillors because you respect and trust their authority. Make the Council look good, if you can. And take advantage of the resources that only a Regent is entitled to have.”
“Like what?” she asked. “I still don’t even know what a Regent is.”
“Their specific duties and privileges vary,” Edaline told her. “So try to think of it more as ‘redefining your relationship with the Council.’ You’d be one step closer to being their equal, and as such, they’d grant you the power to make certain decisions that an ordinary citizen wouldn’t be authorized to make. Like… choosing moments to bend the rules of telepathy—or break them. Or when to teleport to important places, even if they’re technically forbidden.”
“So… things you already do—but now you wouldn’t get in trouble for them,” Grady teased, jostling her gently. “And there’s a lot more to it than that. But, like Edaline said, it’s hard to know the specifics until you have your first a
ssignment.”
“They’re going to give me an assignment?”
“They’re going to give you lots of assignments,” Grady corrected. “That’s why the nobility exists—to provide the Councillors with reliable people who can assist them with the projects they either don’t have time for, or that require special skills. The title just provides you the clearance to access classified secrets and the authority to act on the Council’s behalf.”
“Lady Sophie,” Edaline said, her voice all singsongy.
Sophie winced.
Keefe would have way too much fun with that.
“Please tell me people won’t have to curtsy to me,” she mumbled.
Grady laughed. “They won’t have to unless you demand it. But they’ll probably do it on their own. Or bow.”
She groaned.
It was bad enough walking through the halls of Foxfire surrounded by all of her bodyguards. If people were dipping curtsies or bowing, she might as well ask Magnate Leto to set up a permanent spotlight to follow her around.
“What happens if I don’t want to be a Regent?” she whispered.
“Then you won’t be a Regent,” Grady said simply. “No one’s going to force you to accept the appointment. But at least hear the Council out before you make up your mind, okay? I know they’ve made some huge mistakes, so I don’t blame you for having reservations. I’m sure you remember how hard I resisted becoming an Emissary again after what happened with Jolie. But… I think the problems we’re facing with the Neverseen are reaching a point where having the Council on your side is going to be essential. For example, the title will be a huge help when you’re dealing with King Enki. He responds better to those with obvious authority.”
“Will the Council tell me what my first assignment will be before I have to decide?”
She’d have to make sure it wouldn’t interfere with everything Mr. Forkle needed her to work on—and the search for her genetic parents—and Keefe’s missing memories—and Tam—and…
“I know you have a lot going on,” Grady promised. “And so does the Council. I got the impression that their assignment will be right in line with everything you’re already tackling. But we’ll find out more tomorrow. They wanted to explain everything to you personally.”
She blew out a breath, wishing she didn’t have to ask her next question. “Will I have to tell them I’m unmatchable?”
“That’s up to you,” Edaline jumped in. “If you’re worried that there will be problems once they find out, then it might set your mind at ease to clue them in and see what they say. But it’s also private information—and it’s a status that may very easily change if you track down your biological parents. So, you’re definitely not required to share.”
“Take the night and sleep on it,” Grady recommended, leaning in and kissing her on the forehead. “You’ve had a long day. I’m sure everything will feel clearer in the morning.”
Sophie grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving. “Wait. You didn’t tell me what the Councillors said about the Neverseen probing Tam’s memories.”
She was really getting tired of all the matchmaking drama sidetracking her from the bigger problems they were facing.
But Grady shrugged. “They actually weren’t worried—but that might be because Tam doesn’t know anything that specifically compromises the Council.”
“I take it that means you didn’t tell them I lost Kenric’s cache?” Sophie asked, even if “lost” wasn’t technically the right word to describe what happened.
“I didn’t,” Grady agreed, “because if the Neverseen had a way to open the cache, they would’ve used it already. And that’s actually what the Council said about all the secrets that were stolen from Tam. The Neverseen have had that knowledge for long enough to do something with it, and yet nothing’s changed. So the Councillors feel that the more important lesson is for the Black Swan to be much more open with them in the future, to ensure that our enemies never have more knowledge than our leaders.”
“But shouldn’t we—”
“I’ll update Grady on all the things Sandor told me about Tam and Keefe while you get some sleep,” Edaline interrupted, snapping her fingers to make Sophie’s dinner tray disappear. “Try not to stress. You’ve done all you can for today.”
“But—”
“You need to rest,” Edaline insisted, pulling the covers back so Sophie could crawl underneath. “Sandor told me what happened with your echoes—and thank goodness Flori’s song was able to calm them again. But that was still an incredibly close call, and you need to let your body recover.”
Sophie wanted to argue, but… she was pretty wiped.
The exhaustion hit even harder when Edaline turned off the lights.
“Sleep,” Edaline told her. “That way you can get back to work tomorrow feeling as strong as possible.”
“Sweet dreams,” Grady added, which should’ve been impossible, given her current list of worries. But Silveny reached out telepathically after Grady and Edaline left, filling Sophie’s head with soothing scenes of Wynn and Luna snuggling.
The nuzzle-filled memories left Sophie just enough concentration to warn Silveny to keep Wynn away from the gorgodon. Then she drifted off into dreams filled with cuddly alicorn babies.
Somewhere in the night, though, the scenes shifted to glittering castles and cheering faces. And among them were two blurry figures—one male, one female—standing apart but somehow also together.
“We’re so proud of you!” they shouted in unison, stretching out their arms like they wanted to hug her.
By the time she’d fought her way through the crowd, they were gone.
* * *
“If this is how I’m going to have to dress all the time, I’m definitely passing on the Regent appointment,” Sophie grumbled, trying to lift her dark blue gown as she walked—but there were so many tiers of tulle, she couldn’t find the right layer of fabric to grab. It would only be a matter of time before her much-too-narrow heels caught on the hem and she ended up sprawled across the shimmering sidewalk.
Sure, the gown was also gorgeous. The skirt had an ombré effect that made it look like wisps of twilight were floating around her, and the waist was dotted with dozens of tiny diamond stars—the same stars that decorated the halter neckline and sparkled along the edges of her gloves. More diamonds formed a glittering galaxy across the velvet cape covering her shoulders. And Vertina—the tiny talking face programmed into her spectral mirror—had even managed to convince Sophie to brush a little smoky powder across her eyelids and tie back the front part of her hair with strands of silver tinsel.
But Sophie would never not be annoyed that she’d had to play Pretty Princess Dress-Up when she could’ve used the time to update her friends about Tam, or to check in with Keefe about his memories.
Plus, leggings, boots, and tunics were so much more comfortable.
“How much farther do we have to walk?” she asked, wishing Sandor would move a little slower so she could hide behind his massive muscles. Eternalia wasn’t as bustling of a city as Atlantis, but there were still plenty of people staring as she followed Grady down a street lined with enormous jeweled buildings.
Bo, Flori, and Edaline hadn’t been invited to join them.
“Just a few more blocks,” Grady promised, looking particularly regal in his burgundy jerkin with silver leaf embroidery, starched gray trousers, and smoky gray cape.
Their leap had brought them to the glassy river that divided the main city from the twelve identical crystal castles that served as the Councillors’ offices, and they’d spent the majority of their walk on a meandering path along the shore, bathed in the shade of the towering palmlike trees called “the Pures.” But now they’d headed into a section that was more like the capital’s “downtown”—nothing but wall-to-wall sparkly buildings for block after block. And each street was a mix of before and after. The solid-colored buildings built from bricks of a single gemstone were the “originals” t
hat had survived Fintan’s Everblaze attack. The newer replacement buildings were elaborate, multicolored jeweled mosaics.
Either way, the wealth on display was staggering.
Sophie had only been to Eternalia a few times, and most of those visits had involved dramatic, life-changing rulings from the Council, so she found herself huffing out a sigh of relief once they’d passed the emerald walls of Tribunal Hall—one of the few buildings that had been rebuilt to look exactly the way it had looked before: huge and green and intimidating. But her chest tightened back up when she realized their path was heading toward one of the largest structures in the city: a sprawling diamond palace framed by four domed towers.
The building glittered so brightly in the midday sunlight that Sophie had to shield her eyes as they drew closer. If Ro had been there, she would’ve called it “sparkle overload.” And honestly? She would’ve been right.
“This is the Seat of Eminence,” Grady explained as they made their way up the palace’s wide diamond steps. “Think of it as the hub of the nobility.” He pressed his palm against the rectangular door, which looked like it had been made from threads of gold and silver woven together. “Only Regents, Emissaries, and Mentors may enter. But the Council has granted you early access today since they’re offering you an appointment.”
He leaned in to lick the DNA sensor that appeared next to his thumb, and Sophie’s insides squirmed as the doors swung inward to reveal…
… a whole lot of darkness.
She might’ve been staring into an unlit foyer. Or a corridor. Or a dungeon. There was no way to tell.
“Where does all of the light go?” she asked, trailing her hand over the outer wall, which was sparkly and clear and should’ve been flooding the interior with sunshine.
“The diamonds are cut with a specific pattern of facets that reflects all of the light away. It’s one of the ways the Seat of Eminence remains untouched by any outside force or influence. The palace is also a place of peace, where even the Councillors’ own bodyguards aren’t meant to follow—but they’ve made an exception for Sandor because they want you to feel safe. Their only requirement is that your weapons must remain stowed,” he warned as Sandor pushed past them to take the lead.
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