Biting her lip and bracing for the worst, she forced herself to ask, “How’s Fitz?”
“Heavily sedated at the moment—but he’s going to be fine.” He pointed across the room to where Fitz must’ve been sleeping.
She couldn’t see him from her current position—and lifting her head didn’t feel possible yet—but she was familiar enough with the layout of the Healing Center to picture it.
The space was divided into three rooms: Elwin’s personal office, an alchemy area where he made his medicines, and the treatment space they were in, with a row of cots and lots of shelves filled with bottles of colorful elixirs and tiny pots of balms and poultices and salves.
“How bad were his injuries?” she whispered as Elwin waved the orange light away and pressed another vial against her lips.
He poured a thick, floral-tasting syrup into her mouth and waited for her to swallow it before he told her, “Pretty bad. Bullhorn ran to him before he went to you. And Tam had to fight hard to get those shadows away from his heart.”
Tam looked slightly green as he nodded. “I’ve never felt anything like that before. I don’t know who their Shade is, but—”
“She calls herself Umber,” Sophie told him. “But that’s all we know.”
“Well, whoever she is, she’s doing some dark stuff—which I know sounds obvious, since she’s a Shade. But . . . those weren’t normal shadows.”
“They weren’t,” Sophie agreed. “She said they were different. And they kind of poured out of her hands, like they came from somewhere inside her.”
Tam shivered. “I don’t know how that’s possible. But those creepy things wouldn’t obey any of my commands. I had to wrap my shadowvapor around them and control that—and when I finally pulled them free, they wouldn’t fade. They just . . . slithered away.”
“Seriously, it was one of the freakiest things I’ve ever seen,” Dex said with a shudder.
“Yeah, my Shade Mentor and I have a lot to talk about,” Tam mumbled.
Sophie glanced at Elwin. “Fitz won’t have any permanent damage, will he?”
“It’s a little too early to tell about scars,” he admitted, pouring a second dose of the floral medicine into her mouth, “but I have everything else covered. We talked before I put him under, and he sounded good. Exhausted and weak, of course—and super worried about you. But his mind was sharp and his vitals were strong. He even convinced his mom and sister to go home and rest, so that should tell you something.”
Sophie closed her eyes, repeating the words until they felt real. “Then why did you sedate him?”
“I want to keep his pulse slow and steady for a bit, so I can run some tests on his heart—just to double-check a few things. Not because he’s in any danger. Plus, I needed to set his broken leg.”
“Is it a bad break?” She could still hear the horrible crack.
“Unfortunately, yes. The bone split in three different places.” He let out a sigh. “But they were clean breaks, so the marrow regenerator should seal them pretty fast. Same goes for his cracked ribs. Then it’s just all the nerve and tissue damage from the force field, and—”
“Uh, I don’t think this is making her feel better,” Dex warned. And he was right.
Every word was making it harder and harder to breathe.
“He’s not in any pain,” Elwin assured her. “And by the time he wakes up, most of his injuries will be taken care of. The broken bones will take a few days, but everything else is easy, okay? I could put you out too, so you’d just sleep through—”
“No sedatives,” she told him.
“I figured you were going to say that. You even fought me when I tried to knock you out before I worked on your hand and arm—and you weren’t even conscious. That’s quite a talent.”
She tried to smile, but . . .
She couldn’t move her right arm.
Or feel it at all.
“It’s in there,” Elwin assured her when she scraped together the strength to lift her head enough to find a massive cocoon of silver bandages completely encasing her shoulder, arm, and hand. “And don’t worry, it’ll be good as new by the time I’m done. But . . . it’s going to be a process—way more involved than what I had to do for Keefe after his sparring match with King Dimitar. What the Neverseen did to you . . .”
His voice choked off, and his eyes turned shiny behind his glasses. And Dex and Tam both started blinking really hard.
“That bad, huh?” she asked, forcing her lips into a wobbly smile.
Elwin nodded. “Some of the breaks were clean. But some . . .”
She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing it could block the memories of her knuckles shattering.
“Can you really fix that?” she whispered.
“I can,” he promised. “And I will. The Neverseen might be stepping up their game, but I can step up mine, too.”
His tone had such a strange mix of anger, confidence, and exhaustion that it made her reach for him with her good hand.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice thick and squeaky. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
But she did know.
She’d be dead.
And so would Fitz.
Elwin cleared his throat, squeezing her fingers back. “And to think, the first time you met me, you were afraid of me.”
She had been—though it wasn’t because of anything he did. Several traumatic hospital stays during her years living with humans had left her terrified of doctors—and the needles and pain and scary beeping machines that always seemed to go with them.
But Elwin was different—and not just because his treatments were gentle and he always wore funny glasses and silly tunics covered in colorful animals.
After everything they’d been through together, Elwin . . . felt like family.
“Well,” she told him, “now you’re my favorite.”
“You’re mine, too. And it’s a good thing. Because we’re going to be spending lots of time together. I set your bones as much as I could, but the shattered parts have a lot of missing pieces, which means a lot more marrow regenerator—and you can’t move any part of your arm or hand until everything’s sealed. That’s why I have you wrapped up like that. And even after the bandages come off, you won’t be able to light leap for at least a couple more days, because breaking your body down would undo some of the recovery. So I told your parents to plan on at least a week before we can move you to Havenfield—that’s why they’re not here right now, in case you were wondering. They were by your side the whole time Tam and I were treating you. But since you didn’t seem to want to wake up, Edaline went to pack up your stuff. She figured you’d probably want something better to wear—though I think you look awesome.”
That was when she realized she was wearing one of his tunics, with the right sleeve chopped off to accommodate her bandage. The blue fabric was decorated with eurypterids, but Sophie was far less disturbed by the idea of wearing sea scorpions than she was by the thought that someone had to have changed her into it, and she decided she didn’t want to know the who or when or where or how.
She knew the why, and the rest was better left unanswered.
“Edaline should be back pretty soon,” Elwin added. “And Sandor, Grady, and Alden went to talk to Magnate Leto about how to adjust the campus’s security while you’re staying here.”
“Wait, I’m staying at Foxfire?” Sophie asked—then wanted to kick herself for focusing on such an unimportant detail when there was a much better question. “Sandor’s okay?”
“Yep to both,” Elwin said, making her swallow a third dose of the floral medicine. “It’s going to be a Foxfire slumber party! And Sandor’s fine—he wasn’t exposed to the kind of shadows that you and Fitz were, so he just had a broken nose and some cuts and bruises.”
“And a lot of rage,” Tam added. “Even Ro looked scared of him.”
“Ro was here?”
Actually, now that Sophie was thinking about it, she reme
mbered a blue breeze swishing through her head and helping her sleep. “Was Keefe here too?”
They’d discovered that if Keefe held her hand when she wasn’t wearing gloves, her enhancing allowed him to send rushes of energy into her mind that could affect her moods.
“I’m sure he’s still around somewhere,” Elwin said, stopping her from sitting up to look and reminding her that she wasn’t supposed to move.
Tam grinned. “Elwin made him wait out in the hall—and he was not happy about it.”
“It was either that or strap him down to one of the cots so he’d stop all the frantic pacing,” Elwin explained, adjusting her pillow to prop her head up a little more.
“I would’ve voted for that,” Tam noted.
Sophie sighed.
Tam and Keefe had been feuding since the moment they’d met—even though they were so similar it was kind of hilarious.
“I think Ro went with the others to talk to Magnate Leto,” Dex added.
“Are Grizel and Lovise with them too?” Sophie wondered, wishing she’d thought to ask about them sooner.
“I don’t think so—but they’re both okay,” Dex promised.
“I wouldn’t say they’re okay,” Elwin argued. “They both have broken ribs, and Grizel has a few other hairline fractures. But instead of letting me treat them, Lovise gave her some sort of goblin battlefield remedy that’s supposed to boost her strength. They’re both refusing to rest until the security’s reorganized. Sandor’s even less happy about it than I am. He threatened to call their queen and ask her to order them back to Gildingham, but Grizel said if he did that, she’d cover all of his weapons in Ro’s flesh-eating bacteria.”
“And it’s not like Sandor’s letting you treat him, either,” Tam added. “He didn’t even wipe the blood off his face.”
“I know,” Dex said. “I can’t imagine being that tough.”
“Um, you already are.” Sophie pointed to the giant bruise on his cheek, then to his left arm, which she could now see was supported by a golden sling.
He tried to shrug—then winced. “It’s just a sprained shoulder.”
“There’s no ‘just’ about that, Dex,” she said, reaching for him with her good hand.
Tears blurred the room as her gloved fingers tangled with his.
“If you hadn’t answered when I pressed my panic switch—or made it for me in the first place . . .”
Dex cleared his throat. “I’m just glad you used it. Thank you for trusting me.”
“Thank you for saving us.”
He tightened his grip. And as the last fragments of space vanished between them, so did any lingering wisps of the awkwardness that had rattled their friendship after their epic fail of a kiss.
“Uh . . . should I leave you guys alone?” Tam asked.
Dex laughed, his dimples making a quick appearance. “Nope. We’re good.”
And the best part was: They really were.
They were also safe—and Sophie clung to that word as hard as she clung to Dex. But then she realized . . .
“Where’s Wylie?” She hated herself for not asking about him sooner.
After everything Wylie had risked and how hard he’d fought, and—
“He went home to protect his dad,” Dex told her.
“WHAT? Did the Neverseen—”
“He’s just being cautious,” Elwin assured her. “In case Gethen searched his mind during the attack and found out where he’s living.”
Her heart stumbled. “I . . . didn’t even think about that.”
“Don’t worry—the Black Swan’s on it,” Dex promised. “Blur and Wraith both went as backup, and Granite’s setting up somewhere for them to move to. In fact, I bet they’re already in their new place.”
“I’m sure they are,” Tam agreed. “Granite doesn’t mess around when it comes to Wylie. Or Prentice.”
He definitely didn’t.
Granite had adopted Wylie after Cyrah was killed, while Prentice was locked away in Exile—and didn’t seem to mind sharing fatherly responsibilities now that Prentice had been healed.
But Sophie still felt ill. “How bad were Wylie’s injuries?”
“Not bad at all,” Elwin insisted. “Just some gashes and scrapes and bruises.”
“How is that possible?” she asked. “He got flung across the desert in that explosion—and what was that, by the way?”
“No idea,” Tam admitted. “I’m guessing it has something to do with those weird shadows.”
“Probably,” Sophie agreed. “I saw Umber swirl them with normal shadows before she attacked.”
Tam tugged on his bangs, pulling them lower across his eyes. “Well. I need to talk to my Shade Mentor about it—which isn’t going to be fun, by the way. Lady Zillah is intense.”
Elwin flashed a blue sphere around Sophie’s body. “That she is.”
“You know her?” Tam asked.
“I’ve met her,” Elwin corrected. “And let’s just say it was memorable. But she knows her stuff. In fact, would you mind sharing what she tells you? It might explain the anomalies I’m seeing—which aren’t serious,” he added before Sophie could ask. “If I was worried, I’d be tracking down every Shade I could find and dragging them here. Everything’s good. I just don’t understand why certain places look different.”
“Different how?”
Elwin sighed, rubbing his chin. “I don’t really know how to describe it. Usually, when I wrap something in light, it sharpens through my lenses. But right now, certain spots are . . . murky. I’m not worried, since it’s not affecting your vitals in any way. But I’d still love to understand it.”
Sophie would too. “Which places is it affecting?”
He pointed to her bandaged hand. Then to her forehead. Then to Fitz’s chest.
All places that Umber’s creepy shadows had touched.
But not everywhere they touched.
“It’s not like that in my arm or shoulder?” Sophie verified, since she’d felt the darkness tear through both.
“Nope. Just those three spots.”
“And there are definitely no shadows there,” Tam promised, closing his eyes and waving his hand back and forth. “I’d be able to feel them.”
“Which is why it’s not a big deal,” Elwin added.
Sophie wanted to believe him. But . . .
“Umber made it sound like the shadows were changing us,” she whispered.
“Yeah, but she said that when they were trying to scare Wylie into turning himself in,” Dex reminded her, fidgeting with the strap of his sling. “I really thought he was going to.”
“So did I.” And she had a feeling Wylie would have if the final attack he’d tried hadn’t worked. “Why was he with you?”
“Total coincidence. I was at his house when the panic switch went off, and he insisted on helping. Then we got there and you were screaming and Gethen said Wylie’s name and . . . well . . . you know the rest.”
She did.
And she was trying hard not to relive it.
“Why were you with Wylie in the first place?” Tam asked. “Linh had hailed him earlier to see if he wanted to meet up, and he said he was busy doing memory exercises with his dad.”
“That’s what he was doing when I got there. I didn’t tell him I was coming. I just wanted to see what he thought of some of the stuff Luzia Vacker said at the Tribunal, since he’s a Flasher too.”
“Luzia Vacker,” Elwin repeated, scratching one of his cheeks. “Now, there’s a name I rarely hear. What’d she say?”
“Nothing major. It just felt like she was giving really weak excuses for why she used to live at Everglen—like how she needed somewhere peaceful after a long day of bending the sun and stuff.”
“That’s not as weak as it sounds,” Elwin told him. “Light has a weight to it—I never felt it until I manifested. And if I don’t take breaks from it, the constant pressure can really drag me down.”
“That’s what Wylie said too,�
� Dex admitted. “But that still doesn’t explain why she picked Everglen specifically. It gets dark everywhere, you know?”
“But not always the same way,” Elwin corrected. “Some parts of the world have longer nights than others. And anywhere close to a human city gets a hint of their light pollution.”
“It’s a thing,” Sophie agreed when she saw Tam and Dex’s confusion. “There are places where you can barely see the stars.”
“So you didn’t think it seemed like Luzia was hiding something?” Dex asked her.
“No, I totally did. Especially since she knew Vespera. Fitz and I were planning to search Everglen ourselves, to make sure the Council doesn’t miss anything. But . . .” She glanced at her bandage cocoon.
“I can do it,” Tam offered. “I’m sure Biana would let me into the property. She’d probably even want help.”
“Oh, let me know when you’re going,” Dex told him. “I want to look around too. Maybe I can even find somewhere to hide one of my stashes. Might be a good thing to have handy in case Alvar’s up to something.”
“Since when do you have stashes?” Sophie had to ask.
“Since Atlantis. I thought it might be good to make some gadgets that counteract the tricks we know the Neverseen always use, and I’ve been trying to hide them places we might need to use them.”
“Smart,” Sophie said, feeling equal parts impressed and ashamed.
She’d spent weeks stressing about how little they were accomplishing, and Dex had used that same time to build secret weapon stashes?
“The only problem is, unless I hide a stash everywhere, it takes too long to leap to one and find all the stuff I hid,” he admitted. “That’s why it took me so long to get to you. Well, that and I wasted time trying to talk Wylie out of coming. If we’d gotten there sooner . . .”
Sophie shook her head. “Don’t do that. You came as fast as you could. And you got us out of there alive—that’s all that matters.”
“I agree,” a familiar voice said from the direction of the doorway. “You kids did exactly the right thing.”
Sophie craned her neck, expecting to see Mr. Forkle shuffling toward her. Instead, it was Magnate Leto—which was the same thing, of course. But his heavily gelled black hair and sharper features always made him seem more intimidating than his pudgy alter ego.
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