Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities) (24 page)

The mushrooms were as big as her feet and Sophie crouched to get a closer look. “I thought bioluminescent plants only grew in caves?”

“They usually do,” Grady said as he crouched beside her. “But these are a special type of mushroom the gnomes cultivate just for this event.”

Sophie stood, squinting at the
F
on the pyramid, which seemed to shift between orange and yellow. “Is that fungus too?”

“It’s actually a kind of mold. And the blue lights are a rare type of glowworm.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, they’re far too busy eating the mandible leaves they’re dangling from,” Edaline promised. “And they’re harmless anyway.”

“But . . . why are they here?”

The glowing fungus she understood—sort of. But
worms
?

Grady laughed. “Bioluminescent light is the only natural light in the deepest, darkest places on this earth. And Foxfire Academy is all about training our future generations to shine just as boldly. What better way to mark the start of a new school year than by lighting our path with their special kind of glow?”

Sophie was tempted to point out that worms and fungus didn’t seem all that special. But then she took another look. The campus really was breathtaking. Even if it did make her skin crawl.

She kept toward the center of the path as they wound their way past the outbuildings to the main auditorium, and Sandor placed his meaty hand on her shoulder as they walked. For once she didn’t mind. The black capes the Level One parents were wearing made it all too easy to imagine the kidnappers wandering among them.

The crowd gathered along the edge of the round courtyard
in front of the auditorium’s entrance. All the bushes that lined the circle had been twisted and trimmed into the six Levels’ mascots and lit with more glowworms. The mastodon was by far the largest, and Sophie couldn’t help feeling a bit proud to be a Level Three. Especially when she saw how ridiculous all the other costumes were too. The gremlins had black noses and furry gloves, and the halcyons had blue feathered arms and red beaks, and the dragons had leathery green bodysuits with spikes running down their backs, and the saber-toothed tigers had long red-orange striped tails and pointed white fangs hanging from their hoods, right next to their eyes. But the worst was the yetis in their head-to-toe bushy white fur.

Sophie tried to find her friends, but with the shadows and the costumes it was impossible to tell who was who. Maybe that was the point. No one was popular or unpopular, important or unimportant. They were all just Foxfire prodigies, waiting to start the next year.

The chimes rang with the same fanfare Sophie remembered hearing in Eternalia, and as everyone fell silent, the twelve Councillors appeared in all their finery in the center of the courtyard. The crowd erupted with applause—though Sophie noticed that several of the adults around her didn’t clap. And each Councillor was flanked by two bodyguards.

“Welcome to the beginning of another year at Foxfire!” Councillor Emery announced, raising his arms. “We fully expect this year will be the greatest year the Academy has ever seen—and
we look forward to watching all of the greatness unfold.”

“Maybe they should spend less time watching and more time actually
doing
something for a change,” someone near Sophie whispered, and someone else snorted in agreement. “Maybe then we wouldn’t have to worry about our children being taken.”

“We understand things have been a bit . . . uncertain in recent weeks,” Councillor Emery continued, almost like he’d heard the murmurings. “And we want to assure you that we are working tirelessly to restore the peace and order we’ve enjoyed for millennia. Our world has changed—but change is not always a bad thing. When we resolve this situation—and it
will be
resolved—our world will be stronger, smarter, more prepared for whatever else time may throw our way. Make no mistake that we
will
endure this unrest, and bring an end to these rebellions.”

There was a smattering of applause, but Sophie suspected it wasn’t the resounding celebration the Council was hoping for. She could see Bronte’s scowl deepen, even in the dim light.

“We also have some other news, which we suspect you will find most encouraging,” Councillor Emery added, his voice booming even louder. “Some of you may have already heard the rumors about the timeline being reset, and we are happy to confirm tonight that the rumors are indeed true. A second alicorn has been discovered—a healthy, magnificent female!”

The collective gasps made Sophie smile. If they only knew how stinky and annoying Silveny could be.

Though she was extremely grateful for the peaceful night of sleep Silveny had given her.

“The remarkable creature is currently in the process of being rehabilitated, but we are confident she will be moved to the Sanctuary soon,” Councillor Emery continued. “And we will prepare her to bring forth not just a new life for her species, but a new hope for our world. A promise of restoration. A promise of survival.”

This time the cheering and applause was so loud it hurt Sophie’s ears. Maybe she was imagining it, but the Councillors’ smiles looked relieved as Councillor Emery promised an update soon and welcomed them once again to the Opening Ceremonies. “And now,” he added, stepping back in line with the other Councillors, “let us celebrate our future.”

The Councillors flashed away amid more applause. Then another chime sounded and the intricate golden doors to the main auditorium slowly parted, bathing the crowd in the yellow glow from inside.

Dame Alina stepped onto the landing and smiled at the crowd as she smoothed the silky fabric of her elaborate orange cape and gown. She tossed her dark wavy hair and raised her hands to quiet everyone.

“Lords and Ladies. Sirs and Madams. Parents and prodigies. As Foxfire’s principal it is my great honor to welcome all of you to tonight’s festivities. Let the Foxfire Opening Ceremonies begin!”

A
MENTOR AT THE DOOR
directed Grady and Edaline to their seats in the stadium and sent Sophie down to the floor level with the other performers. Sandor tried to follow, but the Mentor insisted the rehearsal area was for prodigies and faculty only.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” a familiar voice volunteered.

Sophie grinned as she spun to face a tall Mentor with olive skin and light blond hair. “Sir Tiergan!”

“Just Tiergan,” he corrected—true to form. “You seem surprised to see me. Have you been hoping they’d find you a Mentor who could actually match your incredible abilities?”

“Actually, I already have that.”

“You’re very kind. But we both know I can never match you.”

Sandor protested as Tiergan led Sophie away, but Tiergan reminded him that only Mentors and prodigies were allowed where Sophie was going, and that he’d be much more useful to her by keeping an eye on the audience, where any real threat would be hiding. Sandor didn’t look happy about it, but he stalked off to catch up with Grady and Edaline.

“I take it you’ve seen the change with your telepathy session this year,” Tiergan said as he brought Sophie down the stairs to the cold silver room that served as the preparation area. Costumed prodigies shouted over each other and groups of Mentors struggled to line them up by grade level. “I hope you don’t mind having Fitz in there with you.”

“No, I like Fitz—I mean, I don’t
like
him—we’re friends, not anything . . . It’s fine,” she finished, feeling her face burn.

“Well, it wasn’t my first choice,” Tiergan mumbled, fidgeting with the topaz-encrusted
F
pinning his bright orange cloak. “But if he can get past your blocking, I suppose it’ll be worth investigating. Even if he is a . . .”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Sophie had a feeling she knew what he meant. Tiergan might’ve been the only elf—besides Dex—who didn’t admire the Vackers. Especially Alden. Tiergan had been close friends with Prentice and had pleaded for mercy on his friend’s behalf after he’d been arrested. But Alden had gone forward with the Tribunal and the memory break anyway, and Tiergan had never forgiven him.

It had to be even harder for him now that the Council was working to join forces with the Black Swan. Especially since Tiergan had adopted Prentice’s son and personally lived with the devastation of Alden and the Council’s decision. But now that she thought about it, she couldn’t help wondering what had made him so sure of Prentice’s innocence.

Did he know something about the Black Swan?

The question was on the tip of her tongue when Tiergan told her, “I need to take my place for the Ceremonies. Will you be okay if I leave you here?” He pointed to the line of Level Threes.

“Of course.”

“See you Tuesday, then.” He’d vanished into the crowd before Sophie realized she’d forgotten to tell him about Silveny’s transmitting. She’d have to wait for their first session.

She tried to imagine how it would be having her, Fitz, and Tiergan alone in a small, plain telepathy room, working so closely together. Just the thought made her heart feel fluttery. She scanned the crowd to distract herself, shouting for Dex when she
finally
spotted him among the chaos. He shoved his way toward her, dragging three Level Ones with him. Two boys and a girl, all with wild strawberry blond hair sticking out around their gremlin ears.

“Hey,” Dex said, tugging on Sophie’s mastodon trunk and making a trumpeting sound. “Been looking everywhere for you.”

“I know—it’s crazy here. I thought I’d never find you. Are these the triplets?”

“Yep. Rex, Bex, and Lex. My dad thinks he’s hilarious,” he added when Sophie laughed at the rhyme.

“Ooh, you’re Sophie?” the girl—who Sophie assumed was Bex—asked. “My brother talks about you all the time.”

“No I don’t—and get back here, Lex!” Dex grabbed one of the boys by his furry collar and jerked him back to his side.

“Yes he does,” the other boy—who had to be Rex—corrected, flashing a huge grin with a big black space where one of his front teeth was missing. “He
liiiiiiiiiiiiikes
you.”

“I do not!”

“Yes you do!”

Sophie stared at her furry feet as all three kids made kissing noises and Dex threatened to destroy everything they owned and dragged them away.

“Sorry,” he said when he returned, gremlin free. “My parents made me watch them.”

“I didn’t realize they were going to be Level Ones this year.”

Dex never talked about his siblings—they were kind of a sore subject. Multiple births were incredibly rare in the elvin world, and quite a few people thought the triplets existed because Dex’s parents had been a bad match.

“Yeah. I’m not happy about it.” He fidgeted with his left mastodon ear, unraveling a thread at the end. “I’m sorry they said that, by the way.”

“Huh?”

“When they said that thing, about me—”

“It’s fine! They’re just giving you a hard time.”

Her sister had been a master tormenter when she was growing up—though she actually missed it now, crazy as that sounded.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, and they both stared at their feet until Marella and Jensi joined them in line. Marella’s “ears” hung crooked on her head—and she’d managed to get her furry bodysuit wrinkled.

“Where’s Biana?” Jensi asked, scratching at the collar of his costume, which hung loose on his skinny frame.

Marella snorted. “Ten lusters says she’s hiding in the bathroom, not wanting anyone to see her in her trunk.”

Sure enough, Biana joined them at the last
possible
second—though she still looked ten times better than everyone else. She got in line behind Sophie right as the Mentors called for silence. They gave instructions that didn’t make
any
sense—probably because as a Level Three, Sophie was supposed to know that stuff by now. She was glad she had Dex in front of her and could follow his lead.

Dame Alina introduced each grade level as they marched into the stadium, and when all six levels were in position, the spotlights focused on the Level Ones. Dame Alina gave a quick speech about the qualities the prodigies would be learning that year, and then the music started—a raspy tune that sounded like
it was made of muffled growls—and the Level Ones skulked and somersaulted, moving uncannily like the gremlins Sophie had seen at Havenfield. The audience cheered when they made their final bow, and then it was the Level Twos’ turn. Sophie tried to pay attention as the halcyons flapped and fluttered to a melody of high-pitched chirps, but she couldn’t stop thinking,
We’re next
.

“Just follow me,” Dex whispered as the halcyons filed away and Dame Alina started her speech about teamwork and cleverness. Then their pounding, trumpeting song started and all Sophie could think was
don’t trip don’t trip
and
why why why do we have to do this?
as she filed out to the center of the stage. Blinding spotlights flashed in her eyes and Sophie braced for a migraine. But all she felt was a dull buzzing as Dex squeezed her arm to cue her.

Maybe Elwin had fixed the problem!

She couldn’t tell for sure, but her head felt clear as she squinted at Dex to copy his movements. Her feet kept stumbling and her leg muscles burned, but she was surprised to realize she was smiling behind her stupid elephant trunk. She made the final series of twirls, nearly losing her footing but managing to stay upright, then dipped an ungraceful curtsy.

She did it!

She didn’t do it
well
. But she made it through a major school event without falling on her face, needing medical attention, or almost burning down the building. And even though she
couldn’t see them in the crowd, she knew Grady and Edaline were cheering for her like crazy.

The rest of the dances passed in a blur, and then Dame Alina stepped up for the closing remarks. Sophie leaned on Dex, not really listening to the speech, but something Dame Alina said caught her attention.

“Foxfire is about more than just a top-notch education. It’s about helping our youth find their place in this world. Discovering where they belong. And it is our goal that by the time they complete their studies, they’re not only ready to handle whatever life throws at them—but to truly know who they are.”