Keefe’s hands curled into fists. But it was the worry and panic dulling his ice blue eyes—mixed with something so much darker—that had Sophie transmitting, I can sneak us to London tonight—but you need to stop fighting, otherwise Ro will be watching you too closely.

She opened her mind to his thoughts so he could ask, You’re serious?

Amazingly, she was.

She believed in the power of spontaneity.

Mostly, though, she’d seen Keefe like this before—dangling by such a very, very thin thread. There was too high of a risk that it would snap and he’d run off without her.

Can you slip away from Ro? she asked.

Can YOU slip away from Sandor? he countered.

I think so. Meet at the swings at your house at midnight?

That’s too late, Keefe argued. We don’t know what Forkle means by “wee hours of the morning,” and we need to be out of there before he shows up.

Okay, how about eleven o’clock?

He chewed his lip and glanced at Fitz, who could clearly tell they were communicating telepathically.

Which meant Mr. Forkle could surely tell as well.

And the bodyguards.

“Thank you,” Sophie said out loud, trying to cover. She sent Keefe a quick Go with me on this, before she turned to Mr. Forkle and said, “He said he’ll wait two days and then he’s going there on his own. Seems like a pretty fair compromise to me.”

Mr. Forkle’s forehead puckered, and Sophie couldn’t tell if it was with suspicion or displeasure at being bossed around. All he said was, “I’ll make the arrangements.”

Sophie nodded, careful not to look at Keefe as she transmitted, So we’re on for eleven?

You’re sure you’re up for teleporting after the ability-resetting thing? he thought back.

I’m fine. Just play it cool until eleven o’clock—but not so cool that Ro gets suspicious.

His mental voice sounded slightly wobbly as he told her, Thank you.

Yeah, well, remember that feeling of gratitude when you have to deal with however Ro punishes you. I’m pretty sure flesh-eating bacteria will be involved.

Probably, he agreed. But it’s worth it.

He thanked her again. And right as she was about to sever the connection between them, he added, Oh, and Foster? Make sure you bring Fitz.

THIRTY-FOUR

YOU GOT AWAY FROM RO?” Sophie whispered, the words barely louder than the soft sigh of the waves lapping against the moonlit shore.

“Kinda,” Keefe whispered back from somewhere in the darkness. She couldn’t see him, but she could hear his footsteps on the patio, padding closer—which actually felt kind of ominous given the strange, shifting shadows cast by the swings. “I… might’ve laced her dinner with some of the amoebas she’s been breeding to punish my dad when he’s being particularly fun, and she hasn’t been able to leave my bathroom ever since. I also barricaded my room juuuuuuuuust in case.”

Sophie’s jaw fell open, and it took her a minute to get her mouth working again. “Um, you realize she’s going to kill you tomorrow, right? Like… you legitimately need to fear for your life.”

“Oh, I know. I mean, I have a plan to make it up to her. But I also have an escape route ready to go.” A hint of shine nearby caught her attention, and she realized he’d flashed a smile—something she hadn’t expected to see after watching him spin so close to a breakdown earlier.

It felt like proof that she was doing the right thing—even if there was also a very good chance that it was a phenomenally bad idea to sneak away without their bodyguards like this.

We’re being spontaneous, she told herself.

It worked before with Dex.

Spontaneous. Spontaneous. Spontaneous.

“What about you? How’d you get away from Sandor?” Keefe asked.

“Honestly? I have no idea,” she admitted. “I set up my bed outside again—”

“You’ve been sleeping outside?” Keefe interrupted. “That wasn’t just something you did for the reset?”

Sophie shook her head—then realized he probably couldn’t see that. “I know it’s ridiculous because my room is huge, but… it keeps feeling like the walls are closing in. And I figured tonight it’d also be way easier to sneak away if I was already outside. So I left the Cliffside gate unlocked, put a robe on over my clothes, and waited for Sandor to go check in with Flori. And then I threw off my robe, slipped on my boots, and ran for it—but I swear, Sandor must’ve guessed what I was planning because he caught up to me so fast. I totally thought it was over. But I channeled everything I could into sprinting and… I don’t know. One second the cliffs seemed really far away and Sandor was right behind me, and the next I was at the cliff’s edge and Sandor was too far back to do anything except shout a bunch of threats as I jumped.”

“Maybe the ability reset amped up some of your skills, too?” Keefe suggested. “And your channeling is stronger now?”

“Maybe,” Sophie agreed, not sure if she liked that idea.

Obviously, the stronger she was the better, but…

She was starting to feel like she was losing control of her own body, between the new enhancing gadgets and the extra layers of gloves—and pockets full of even more backup gloves—and the fact that she still had no idea how her inflicting worked.

“Don’t worry about Sandor,” Keefe told her, probably misunderstanding her mood shift. “Unlike my bodyguard, he’s not one for revenge. You just have a lot of lectures in your future.”

“Probably,” Sophie said, trying not to think about the last thing Sandor had shouted before she’d cracked the sky and slipped into the void.

If something happens to you or your friends, you’re going to have to live with it!

“Anyway,” she said, choking down the bile on her tongue, “we should head out.”

They’d be fine.

This was just a quick trip.

They were being spontaneous.

Spontaneous. Spontaneous. Spontaneous.

“I’m sure Sandor’s guessed where I’m going and woken Grady and Edaline by now,” she added, squinting at the dark silhouette of the Shores of Solace, half expecting lights to flare and shouting to erupt any second.

“What about Fitz?” Keefe asked, and Sophie could’ve smacked herself.

Had she seriously forgotten about her boyfriend again?

“I’m here,” Fitz’s accented voice whispered from somewhere over by the sand, and Sophie was glad the darkness hid her embarrassment from him. “Sorry to be a little late.”

“Problems getting past Grizel?” Keefe asked.

“Nah, she was easy. I made it sound like I was sneaking off to talk to Sophie about something, and she agreed that we could use a little snuggle time.”

No one seemed to know what to say to that.

Fitz cleared his throat. “Biana’s the one who slowed me down. She cornered me with a billion questions, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she’s about to appear with a ‘TA-DA! I followed you!’ ”

She didn’t.

“Well, that’s good,” Fitz said. “Does that mean we’re ready?”