Neverseen (49 page)

“Maybe Alvar knows a secret entrance,” Biana suggested.

“Maybe,” Sophie agreed. But she doubted it.

“I know the way,” Calla said from the staircase, making Sophie drop her pen midnote. She hadn’t seen Calla since
Calla had left to tell the other gnomes the truth about the drakostomes.

Calla gave her a reassuring smile as she moved to Sophie’s side. Her gray eyes were rimmed with red, and Sophie couldn’t tell if that was from exhaustion or crying. But Calla’s voice was confident when she told them, “I know how to get into the city.”

“How?” Sophie asked.

Calla was about to answer, when she noticed the pathetic pile of fruit they’d gathered. She picked up one of the pieces, tracing her fingers sadly over the peel before setting it down and shaking her head. “One problem at a time,” she whispered.

“What do you mean, you know the way?” Dex asked, getting back to the subject.

“I mean there’s a secret path into Ravagog,” Calla said. “I finally solved the riddle. All the songs said to ‘embrace the heartache,’ and now that I know the truth about our past, I know what the words mean. Our leaders would’ve known we’d never give up on our homeland, and made the way back for us to return. If I sing the song of the Four Season’s Tree and embrace their heartache, their roots will open a tunnel to the ogre city.”

“Does that mean you have to come with us?” Biana asked.

“I don’t
have
to. I want to.”

“But it’s dangerous—especially for you,” Sophie warned.

“I know the risks. But I will see my homeland, however lost it is. And I will take back freedom for my people.”

Sophie could tell there would be no arguing the point, and
made a note that they’d need to make another Neverseen robe for Calla.

“Okay, so that’s progress,” she said. “But I feel like we still need a better plan for how to stay hidden.”

“I might be able to help with that,” Mr. Forkle said. “No need to hide that paper, Miss Foster,” he added as he made his way to the table to join them. “I know what you’re planning.”

“You’re not going to try to stop us?” Fitz asked.

“I doubt I could even if I tried. Plus, I learned from the mistakes in Exile”—his eyes strayed to Fitz—“that it’s far better if we coordinate our efforts.” He took her list and scanned it. “I assume your mother is working on reaching out to Mr. Vacker?”

Fitz nodded.

“Good. I’ll have Granite talk to Lady Cadence about the Markchain. Perhaps she knows how to amp up its aroma to better cover a group of nine.”

“Nine?” Sophie asked, doing a quick mental head count. With Alvar and Calla she only had them at seven. “Who are the other two?”

“Two elves with incredibly powerful abilities, who should solve many of these problems you’re tackling. The trick will be convincing them to help.”

“Who?” Fitz asked, but Sophie had already guessed.

It looked like she’d be dragging Tam and Linh into danger after all.

T
HAT’S A LOT
of information to get in five minutes,” Tam said, staring at the curved ceiling of the small den.

Their dwarven house looked like a clump of bubbles inside the earth, with tiny round rooms that somehow felt cozy, not claustrophobic. Maybe it was the subtle glow from the flecks of lumenite peppered through the walls. Or the way the stone furniture had been hand painted with intricate patterns of lines and dots. But even with Mr. Forkle filling a large portion of the space, Sophie didn’t want to leave.

Or maybe that was because she knew her friends were back in Alluveterre working with Calla to arrange the supplies
they’d need. Once Tam and Linh were on board—
if
Tam and Linh were on board—they would be departing for Ravagog that evening.

Part of her wanted to lock everyone up to keep them safe. But then the gnomes would die—or end up King Dimitar’s slaves. And knowing Keefe, he’d find a way to sneak off on his own.

Teamwork was the best option—but she’d made Mr. Forkle promise he’d be upfront with Tam and Linh about all the risks.

“So . . . if I’m understanding this correctly,” Tam said, “you want us to take a secret tunnel into Ravagog to steal the cure from the King?”

“It might not be directly in King Dimitar’s possession,” Mr. Forkle said. “We’re actually not sure where he’s keeping it, or what kind of vessel it will be contained in.”

“Oh good,” Tam said. “And here I thought it was going to be impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible with the right team,” Mr. Forkle told him. “That’s why we need your help. Your shadows can keep everyone hidden.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Tam said. “I’ve never covered more than two people.”

“But I can add mist to thicken the shadows,” Linh reminded him. “It may not work under close scrutiny, but it will hide us from a distance.”

“There’s always going to be
some
danger,” Sophie added quietly. “But some risks have to be taken.”

Tam brushed his bangs out of his eyes and paced the ten steps the floor allowed. “Here’s what I don’t get. You said the gnomes can already tell the cure is working, right? So why did the ogres give a whole week for them to decide?”

“I’ve been pondering that question myself,” Mr. Forkle said. “And I suspect the deadline is strategic. It’s possible King Dimitar is hoping the Council will send in goblin forces, and he’ll finally have his war. More likely though, the Neverseen is hoping we’ll attempt something like this.”

“You think this is a trap?” Sophie asked, her voice too loud in the small space.

“Quite simply . . . yes,” Mr. Forkle said.

“Then, uh, why would you walk right into it?” Tam asked as Sophie’s mind exploded with new worries.

“We’re not,” Mr. Forkle said. “We’re taking advantage of their distraction. They’ll be so focused on what they
assume
we’re going to do that they won’t be prepared for us to go a different way. That’s why it’s so important that we have you and your sister on the team. Your unique, unexpected abilities will give our strategy the advantage we need.”

“Right, but—” Tam started to argue, but Linh stepped forward.

“I cannot speak for my brother,” she said, “but I will go. The gnomes at Wildwood took care of us for years. I’m honored to have a chance to help.”

“I guess that means I’m in too,” Tam said. His eyes latched onto Sophie as he added, “Don’t make me regret this.”

“Oh good, Bangs
Boy decided to join us,” Keefe grumbled as Sophie and the others returned to the girls’ tree house.

Tam didn’t seem to notice the insult, too distracted by the leaves flying everywhere as Dex tested one of his Sucker Punches against the shrubbery chairs.

Sophie, meanwhile, was focused on a familiar face. “Alvar!” she said, rushing over to give him a hug. She realized halfway there that her friendship with the eldest Vacker sibling hadn’t really reached the hugging stage—but she was too committed to abort.

Fortunately, Alvar laughed and set down the scroll he’d been reading to hug her back.

“Always good to see the famous Sophie Foster!” he said.

Alvar had the Vacker accent and the Vacker insane good looks, though he was more meticulous about his appearance. His dark hair was perfectly gelled, and his clothes never had a speck of lint or a wrinkle. He also had his mom’s cobalt blue eyes instead of teal.

“Thanks for coming to help us,” Sophie told him.

“How could I not? Apparently I’m the only member of my family not helping the Black Swan.”

“Remember when you didn’t think the Black Swan existed?” Biana asked her brother. “You and Dad used to fight about it all the time.”

Now that Biana mentioned it, Sophie remembered that too. “But wait, Fitz said you used to go out looking for me. Why
would you do that if you didn’t think the Black Swan existed?”

Alvar laughed. “I was wondering when you guys were going to call me out on that. Honestly? I did the Sophie Search just to keep my dad happy—and because it was fun to sneak to the Forbidden Cities. It was probably good that Fitz took over. I’m sure my biases affected my search. I visited each girl expecting
not
to find an elf. All I needed was one detail to prove I was right, and I was out of there. I never could’ve looked past your eye color.”

“I almost didn’t, either,” Fitz admitted. “As soon as I saw the brown, I thought I should leave. But . . . there was something about her. The way she kept herself separate. The way she was so much smarter than her teacher. And other than her eyes, she definitely looked like an elf.”

Sophie was fairly sure he’d just implied she was pretty—and had to look away to hide her grin.

“So you really lived with humans?” Tam asked.

Sophie nodded. “It’s a long story.”

“One we do
not
have time for,” Mr. Forkle added.

“I don’t think we’ve met,” Alvar said, turning to Tam and Linh. “New recruits?”

“More like temporary assistants,” Mr. Forkle corrected. “Much like yourself. We would never expect any of you to swear fealty with so little information.”

“But now we’ve seen your secret hideout,” Alvar teased. “How can you keep us away?”

Mr. Forkle didn’t return the smile. “I dare you to find it again.”

“What if we
want
to join?” Linh asked, ignoring her brother as he elbowed her.

“That’s something we could discuss,” Mr. Forkle said. “
After
this mission. For the moment, we must stay focused. How is our progress?”

“Sucker Punches are almost done,” Dex said. “Then I’ll make as many of these as I can.” He held up one of the cube-shaped gadgets he’d used in Exile.

“The cloaks are also finished,” Calla said, pointing to a stack of black robes. “I’m still assembling the rest of the outfits.”

“We’re wearing disguises?” Linh asked.

“As an added precaution,” Mr. Forkle agreed. “In case there are moments you and your brother cannot keep everyone hidden, it’s best for you to blend in.”

“They’re hiding us?” Alvar asked. “What are their abilities?”

“I’m a Hydrokinetic,” Linh said. “And my brother is a Shade.”

Alvar scratched the back of his head. “Huh. That definitely changes things up.”

“Why?” Keefe asked. “How do we know his little Shade tricks are even going to work? What if the ogres can see through them like Calla can see through the vanish?”

“They can’t,” Alvar said. “I used to sneak around the city all the time—but wait, gnomes can see us?” He disappeared and
tried the
how many fingers am I holding up
test. “Whoa. Total mind blow.”

“I know how to get around it,” Biana said smugly.

“What’s the secret?” Alvar asked as she vanished to prove it.

“Like I’d tell you!” She shoved her brother as she reappeared. “Honestly, though, you kinda have to figure it out yourself. I’ve been trying to teach Mom, but she still can’t do it.”

“Can you see Tam?” Sophie asked Calla, getting back to the bigger worry.

Tam gathered the shadows and faded from sight. A faint outline remained, but Sophie had to really look for it.

“My eyes see nothing beyond yours,” Calla said. “The glints of life ignore him.”

Keefe snorted. “How does it feel to be rejected by dust?”

“Pretty good, actually,” Tam snapped back, “since it means I can survive this mission. Can you?”

“Yes,” Mr. Forkle jumped in, “with your help.” He eyed both boys. “Whatever differences the two of you have must be settled immediately. You’re a team now. It’s time to start acting like it.”

“That’d be a whole lot easier if he’d let me take a reading,” Tam said. He pointed to Alvar. “I’d like to do one on him, too.”

Keefe rolled his eyes. “Forget it, dude.”

“That’s twice now you’ve refused. Do you really have that much to hide?” Tam asked.

“Hey, I’m not up for it either, and I’m not hiding anything,” Alvar jumped in. “You want to know something about us—ask.”

“Okay,” Tam said, glaring at Alvar. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m the only one here who knows the back paths of the city. It’d be easier if I knew exactly where we’re going, though. I can think of several places they might keep the cure.”

“Choose the one that would be the most obvious,” Mr. Forkle said.

“Mr. Forkle thinks this is a trap,” Sophie explained. She did her best to convince them it was the advantage Mr. Forkle believed, but they all looked a lot more fidgety, and she didn’t blame them.

“That . . . complicates things,” Alvar said, going back to studying the scroll he’d set aside. It turned out to be the map of Ravagog from Lady Gisela’s possessions. “Does anyone have any idea which side of Ravagog this secret tunnel is going to bring us to?”

“Side?” Linh asked.

“Ravagog is separated by the Eventide into two parts,” Fitz explained. “Half the city is underground, the other half is carved into the mountain.”

“It’s cute how he repeats things I’ve taught him like he’s an expert, isn’t it?” Alvar asked—and with that joke, Dex officially jumped on board Team Alvar. Even Keefe cracked a smile.

Tam still looked wary, and Sophie could see his shadow crawling closer to Alvar.

“Seriously, guy,” Alvar said, scooting his chair away. “Respect
people’s boundaries. You don’t see the Telepaths poking around everybody’s heads, do you?”

“No, you do not,” Mr. Forkle agreed. “Though Shade readings are far less intrusive than telepathy.”

“Whatever,” Keefe said. “Can we go now? We’re losing time.”

“We’re going tonight?” Tam asked. “Wouldn’t a night raid be exactly what they’re expecting?”

“It’s still safer than broad daylight,” Keefe argued.

“Not for me,” Tam said. “I can control the shadows at any time. It’s safer to go when they’re not on alert.”

“I actually agree with Mr. Song,” Mr. Forkle said after a long minute. “That will also give you a few hours of rest before a very long day.”

Sophie could see the fury in Keefe’s eyes and slipped to his side, leaning in to whisper. “It’s only a few more hours. Please wait with us.”

“I could be back with the cure while the rest of you guys are still sleeping.”