Sophie really wished that was true.

But there were lots of things she could never tell Edaline.

Being the moonlark meant being lied to and lying to everybody.

“I’m also not going to stop you from taking risks,” Edaline promised, reaching for Sophie’s hand. “I just want to know what’s going on, in case I can help. It’s nice to have a partner.”

“It is,” Sophie agreed, glancing at the Cognate ring on her thumb.

She wasn’t sure if she and Fitz could actually be Cognates anymore, with all the awkwardness between them. Which made her shrapnel heart shred even deeper.

“You shouldn’t do this alone,” Edaline said gently. “Even if you can’t tell me the specifics, I still might be able to help you come up with a strategy. I do that with Grady sometimes, when he’s stumped by a classified assignment. He gives me a vague explanation of the problem, and we put our heads together and brainstorm solutions. Can you at least let me try?”

Several long seconds passed before Sophie told her, “Well… I need to find someone. And I don’t know where to start.”

Edaline tightened her grip. “If you’re thinking of going after Keefe’s mom—”

“I’m not,” Sophie interrupted. “Really, I’m not.”

Edaline relaxed her hold. “Okay, good. I can deal with you taking risks, but they have to be smart risks. Tracking down anyone in the Neverseen needs to be a team effort—and by ‘team,’ I mean bodyguards and adults and Councillors and—”

“I know,” Sophie cut in, resisting the urge to point out that they’d tried that in Loamnore and still ended up trapped and helpless while Lady Gisela got exactly what she wanted. “I’m not trying to find anyone in the Neverseen. I mean… they used to be—but they’re not anymore.”

Edaline’s eyes narrowed, and Sophie had a feeling that meant she’d guessed who Sophie was talking about. But all Edaline said was, “And you can’t use your telepathy to help track them down?”

“I wish. I can’t track thoughts without having some idea of where I’m searching. And transmitting won’t work either, because the person would have to choose to respond to me.”

Which seemed like poor planning on the Black Swan’s part, if she was being honest.

Sometimes it felt like they just… hadn’t made her strong enough.

They’d genetically engineered everything about her—why not go big?

Though… if they had done that—assuming it was actually possible—her life would’ve been even more complicated and weird. So she should probably be grateful the Black Swan let her have a tiny bit of normal.

She doubted Keefe’s mom had done the same for him.

And Keefe seemed to know it.

That’s why he’d hidden under his blankets.

Refused to talk.

Sent her away…

What if—

“Do you know the last place this person was seen?” Edaline asked, reminding her to focus.

Sophie nodded. “But I saw them leave, and I can’t imagine they’d go back.”

“Okay, but have you searched the place since then? They might’ve left something behind that could help you figure out where they went.”

“I suppose it’s possible.”

It seemed like a long shot, but…

Candleshade was pretty enormous.

And Alvar had been hiding there for a while—and he left in a hurry.

Maybe it was worth checking.

Definitely sounded better than hailing Fitz and getting shouted at for things she couldn’t change.

“Thank you,” she told Edaline, throwing back her covers. “I guess I’ll give it a try.”

Edaline smiled. “Good. And don’t worry, I won’t ask where you’re going, or try to convince you to let me go with you—but I am going to insist that you take both of your bodyguards.”

Sophie knew better than to argue. Plus, having Flori there might be a good idea. Gnomes had different senses than goblins. They could even see Vanishers after they’d disappeared.

“I also want you to take this.” Edaline snapped her fingers, making a silver melder appear in her palm. “And have Sandor give you some throwing stars just in case.”

Sophie nodded.

A few years ago, she might’ve cringed at the idea of carrying weapons.

But she wasn’t that girl anymore.

“I’ll be careful,” she promised, taking the melder and heading for her closet to change into one of her special tunics with lots of pockets.

“I know,” Edaline told her. “But I’m still going to worry. So I think I deserve all the mom points for letting you do this.”

“You do,” Sophie agreed.

It hit her then. The contrast between her different mothers.

Her human mom never quite knew what to do with her.

Oralie had abandoned her and betrayed her.

But Edaline truly trusted her—even when she knew Sophie was hiding stuff.

Which made Sophie wish she could sit back down and unload everything—and made Sophie resent Oralie even more. Especially since it was only a matter of time before she’d have to lie to Edaline to protect Oralie’s secrets.

“What’s this for?” Edaline asked when Sophie turned back and threw her arms around her.

“Because I know it’s not easy being my mom—”

“Wrong,” Edaline interrupted, leaning back to meet Sophie’s eyes. “I’ll admit, the abundance of near-death experiences can be a bit stressful—but being your mom is easy.”

“Really?” Sophie whispered, blinking back tears.

She didn’t like to think about how it felt growing up hearing her human parents’ thoughts all the time, knowing how much they struggled to understand her. And it was even worse realizing how easily Oralie had cast her aside, as if having a daughter were just some item she’d checked off her to-do list.

“Really,” Edaline promised, kissing Sophie’s cheek. “You’re the single greatest gift I’ve ever been given, Sophie. And I’m so incredibly grateful that you trust me enough to be my daughter. I love you so much—and I always will. No matter what.”

“I love you too.” Sophie buried her face in Edaline’s hair and wished she could stay like that and never let go.

But she had work to do, so she forced herself to drop her arms and stand, promising one more time, “I’ll be careful, Mom.”

She didn’t use that title for Edaline very often—but she should.

“I know you will,” Edaline assured her. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

Sophie changed quickly, pulling her hair into a simple ponytail and stuffing her pockets with weapons before making her way to the stairs.

“You’re not going to use the Leapmaster?” Edaline asked when Sophie started going down instead of up. “I thought you might be heading somewhere we have a crystal for.”

“I am,” Sophie agreed, deciding to give her mom that tiny clue. “But I need to practice my teleporting.”

Sandor groaned as he followed. “You’re really going to make us jump off a cliff when we could light leap?”