No one seemed to know what to say to that.

Or maybe Sophie did. “He might also be warning you to stay away—and even if he’s not… that might be a really smart idea.”

“She’s right,” Marella told Linh. “If you’re there, the Neverseen can use you to control Tam.”

Linh stared at the swirling orb of water. “But if there’s a fight, you’re going to need me. You’re going to need me,” she emphasized to Marella.

“Actually, I don’t think an underground city is the best place to unleash a Pyrokinetic,” Bronte admitted. “Particularly after the fire we already started the last time.”

“Welcome to Team Too-Cool-for-Loamnore!” Keefe told Marella and Linh. “Are we all agreed that they need to bring us back souvenirs?”

“I’d rather they get back my brother,” Linh said, her voice barely louder than a whisper—which definitely brought home the full reality of what they were about to be facing.

“If there’s any way,” Sophie promised.

Linh nodded.

Mr. Forkle cleared his throat. “So this is our plan, then? Mr. Sencen, Miss Redek, and Miss Linh will remain behind while the rest of us head to the Grand Hall?”

“For the record,” Councillor Emery said before anyone could answer, “we”—he gestured to the other Councillors—“feel it’s unwise to completely ignore the dwarves’ main marketplace. And given that there are so many of us, surely it would be wiser to divide up and send some to each location?”

No one could think of a reason to argue with that.

“Additionally,” Councillor Emery added, “we’d like to make two things very clear. First: We want King Enki to see that the Council stands with his people. So six of us will be going with you—three to each location—while the other six will remain in Eternalia. And second: We’d prefer that any members of the Collective sit this one out, to add greater import to the presence of the Councillors.”

Tiergan raised his eyebrows. “If one of you gets hurt or killed—”

“Then we’re not as powerful as we should be,” Bronte cut in.

Grady started to insist on coming, but Sophie begged him and Edaline to stay at Havenfield to protect Silveny, Greyfell, Wynn, and Luna. She didn’t care that the alicorns could teleport. She wanted someone keeping an eye on them—and if it kept her parents safe, all the better.

Which left them with the question of who would go where—and Sophie told everyone, “I’ll be in the Grand Hall—and let’s not waste too much time arguing about this.”

Fitz immediately volunteered to be in the main marketplace.

He tried to cover it—tried to claim it would give the two teams a way to communicate telepathically through him and Sophie. And everyone seemed to buy that.

Except Edaline.

And Keefe.

“Anything I should know, Foster?” Keefe whispered as he leaned in, his eyebrows scrunching together.

Sophie nodded. “You should know that I’m very grateful you agreed to stay out of this so I didn’t need Ro to tie you up somewhere.”

“Though I’m game for that, if you change your mind!” Ro jumped in.

A tiny smirk curled Keefe’s lips. “Fine. Avoid my question. But know I’m onto you, Foster. And also know that my cooperation comes with one requirement.”

“Does it now?” Sophie asked. “And what’s that?”

He waited for her to meet his eyes. “You have to take Ro with you—you guys are going to need her way more than I do. And don’t look at me like this is all part of my evil plan to sneak into Loamnore. I’m the one who volunteered to stay back, right?”

“I’ll keep an eye on my son,” Lord Cassius offered, making both Sophie and Keefe cringe. “And I’ll ensure he stays where he should.”

“How convenient that it means you won’t have to risk your life either,” Keefe noted.

Lord Cassius shrugged. “Physical confrontation with your mother is something I’d prefer to avoid.”

Sophie couldn’t necessarily blame him for that.

And miraculously, it didn’t take that much longer to settle the groups.

Dex, Stina, Fitz, and Biana would go with Councillor Bronte, Councillor Darek, and Councillor Zarina to the dwarves’ main marketplace, along with Woltzer, Lovise, and Grizel.

And Sophie, Maruca, and Wylie would go with Councillor Noland, Councillor Liora, and Councillor Oralie to the Grand Hall, along with Ro, Sandor, and Flori. They’d have one less person—but they’d also have a Psionipath, which Sophie felt a little guilty about, since the other team was likely heading straight into a trap.

Then again, she also wasn’t sure how having Councillors who were a Vociferator, a Conjurer, and an Empath was going to do her group a whole lot of good—and she really wished she could think of an unsuspicious way to trade Councillor Lyingcurls to the other group.

“All right,” Mr. Forkle said, and then seemed to realize that he wasn’t technically a part of the mission—and definitely wasn’t in charge—before he turned to Councillor Bronte.

“Everyone should go change, gather any weapons, and say your goodbyes,” Bronte told them, being his usual uplifting self. “We’ll notify Elwin to make sure he’s on standby at the Healing Center, and meet back here in an hour and head to Loamnore. That should allow us to be in position about an hour before the Neverseen’s deadline.”

“And we’ll notify King Enki about what’s happening,” Emery added.

With that, everyone scattered to do as Bronte had suggested.

And it all felt very real as Sophie changed into one of the outfits that Flori had designed for her before their last showdown with their enemies, with all the extra pockets to hold goblin throwing stars and tiny daggers.

She also donned her Regent Articles—even the crown.

It was time to show the Neverseen that she was a leader.

And the glow from the lumenite would come in handy in the dark.

Keefe was still waiting for Sophie when she came back downstairs, his eyes widening as he studied her outfit. But instead of commenting on it, he asked, “So, what’s going on with you and Fitzy?”

“Seriously?” she asked, wishing she didn’t feel so much heat burning her face. “This could—potentially—be the last time you ever see me, and that’s what you want your final words to be?”

“I can think of plenty of things he’d rather say,” Ro offered from where she sat perched on the bottom stair. “One thing in particular.”

Keefe rolled his eyes at both of them and told Sophie, “This will not be the last time I see you, Foster. Don’t even say that!”

“I agree,” Grady said from the doorway, where he stood with Edaline before striding closer and dragging Sophie into a strangle-hug. “You will come home safely.”

“I’ll do my best,” she told him, wanting to stick with promises she could actually keep.

Edaline joined the embrace, whispering how proud she was, and how she knew Sophie could handle anything.

Then they were gone, and it was just Sophie and Keefe again. Alone—well, if they ignored Sandor and Ro.