Reversed

xlvii. forty-seven

Lady Foster. Sophie was proud of herself for not flinching when she heard Councillor Emery say those words.

Two weeks ago, she would've died from laughter if someone told her that she was nobility.

Now, here she was.

Lady Foster.

"We hope your Black Swan mission went well," Councillor Alina said.

"Yes, you were away for quite a while," Councillor Zarina added.

Her Black Swan mission? Sophie wondered. Was that what the Black Swan had said to cover things up?

She snuck a glance over at Biana, and her friend gave her a small, encouraging smile. Play along.

"Yeah, things got . . . a little more complicated than we had expected." She almost snorted. A little more complicated. She smoothed her gown. "Sorry."

Emery nodded. "It's fine. We do understand that we share you with the Black Swan. You are a prominent player, after all." He chuckled.

Something wrestled inside Sophie's chest when Emery said that they share her with the Black Swan. Like she was a possession.

"Yeah," she said stiffly.

She could nearly feel Dex cringe.

"Forgive her," Wylie said quickly. "The excursion took quite a toll on her, and she's still recovering. She'd not quite herself."

Sophie shot him a glance. Thanks for covering for me.

"Well, we hope that you're feeling enough like yourself to get started on the new task we called you here today to explain," Emery said. "We'd like it to be set into motion as soon as possible."

Sophie nodded in what she hoped was an agreeable way. "What do you need from us?" she asked.

"I'm not sure if you've heard, but lately, the Neverseen has started to stir up unrest in the public," Emery started. "They're starting rumours and making people nervous."

"We need to soothe the public," Bronte interjected. "We can't lose them right when things are about to boil over."

"And we have to do it honestly," Oralie said. "No lies. That's not how this is going to work."

"What do you mean, things are about to boil over?" Biana asked, voicing what they were all thinking.

"Don't you feel it?" one of the Councillors Sophie didn't know said. "The Neverseen have been mostly quiet for over seven months—that's never happened. And now, it feels as if the whole world is holding its breath."

"And even without taking their silence into consideration . . . you can almost feel things shifting. The balance. The light." yet another Councillor said.

"Have you guys visited the Point of Purity recently?" Wylie asked.

All of the Councillors exchanged glances in a way that made a bad feeling thrash in Sophie's gut.

"Yes," Emery said. "And . . . it was a different experience."

"Different how?" Stina asked, he brow furrowed.

Sophie didn't get it. What was so important about the Point of Purity?

"The forces felt almost . . . anxious," Bronte whispered. "And they've never felt that way. Not for millennia—not since the humans planned to start a war and overthrow the elves."

"And that's when the Ancients had to sink Atlantis," Sophie said quietly, glad to finally contribute something.

Emery nodded. "The only thing that could effect the purest forms of light in such a way is something astronomical. Something so huge it would have the ability to rip the foundations of our world from the roots."

Sophie heard Dex gulp. "What a nice thought," he whispered.

"No, Mr. Dizznee," Bronte said. "It is most indeed not a nice thought. But as the rulers, we need to be prepared for anything—everything. And that includes the worst. We're sharing this with you because we're trying to train you to think that way too—we need to protect our world."

Sophie closed her eyes, thinking about all of the plans and advances she'd helped the Neverseen make during her time with them—all the things she'd found out.

Kenric. He was alive. And working for the Neverseen—they'd probably twisted his mind just like they'd done with hers.

Pixel's gadgets that they'd hidden throughout the Forbidden Cities.

All the slight clues and comments Lady Gisela had dropped that gave a glimpse of what she was planning.

The Neverseen's oath.

The missions that Sophie had gone on for them, not questioning the reasons behind them—thinking in her head that she was doing it for the good of their world.

Advances.

The Lodestar Initiative.

Something big was going to go down soon—the Council had gotten that right.

And even if she didn't know it in her head, she knew in her heart that she wanted to help protect the Lost Cities against whatever scheme the Neverseen was planning.

Because the problem with the Neverseen wasn't that they were the bad guys. Sophie wasn't even sure that they were the bad guys.

No—the problem with the Neverseen was that they believed that what they were doing was right. And they had no boundaries. No limits. They were willing to do whatever it took to see their mission through—and Sophie knew that eventually, that would mean going too far.

So that was why she lifted her head, facing the Council straight on, unblinking. Strong.

Like a leader.

"What do you need us to do?"

"We need to take a step forward," Emery said, "and show that we're to be reckoned with. We will not just sit quietly and wait for the Neverseen to make the next move."

"Their little rebellion cannot hide from us forever," Alina said. "While they've managed to evade us, we have had times we've gotten one over on them before."

"Uh," Dex corrected, "I think you mean that the Black Swan has gotten one over on before."

"We've both had our victories," Emery said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "And that is exactly why we'll be asking to work alongside the Black Swan to accomplish this."

"And this is . . . ?" Sophie prompted.

"We plan to capture a Neverseen member," Alina said, "and prove to the public that the rebels aren't as infallible as they like to pretend."