keep your friends close

(12)

Wylie leans on the porch railing next to her. "What if he is a Pyrokinetic?" he suggests.

Sophie continues staring out at the horizon. They'd lightleaped to the nearest safe location, which happened to be the New Zealand base where Wylie spent his last assignment. It's a large but homey cabin overlooking a clear lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Sophie would have been in awe if her lungs weren't still choked with smoke.

"I thought we ruled out Pyrokinetic Lodestar a long time ago," Dex says as he fiddles with something in his hands. It looks like a metallic marble.

"We did. He's definitely an Empath."

Scared, are we?

She runs her hands through her hair, resisting the urge to pluck out an eyelash. "I liked it better when I thought he was dead," she mutters. Wylie pats her head comfortingly.

The cabin door bursts open. "Blur's here," Maruca announces, poking her head outside. "He's waiting in the kitchen."

"Thanks, Maruca," Wylie says as he heads past her into the cabin. "You can go home now."

"For real? I just got here!"

"I asked you to bring the Collective, not yourself," Wylie answers.

Maruca turns to Sophie and Dex. "Please tell him he's being ridiculous. I'm as much a member of the Black Swan as anyone—"

Wylie grimaces. "You're not."

She ignores him. "—and I think I deserve a little credit after everything I did to get Biana and Fitz to sit with me in study hall today." She crosses her arms.

"Isn't Biana your best friend?" Dex asks.

Maruca flinches. "It's... complicated." Then she groans. "And now she thinks I'm going after Fitz, which is sooo not true, even though I told her I only wanted to—"

"Okay! Okay, fine," Wylie groans, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You can stay—but then you're going straight home after this."

She tosses her hair over her shoulder, satisfied. "Fine by me."

Blur is sitting on the kitchen counter when they walk in. The sunlight from a nearby window filters through his shifting, hazy form. "I thought you'd know by now that Maruca is perfectly capable of handling herself, Wylie," Blur teases.

Wylie rolls his eyes at his cousin affectionately. "I know."

"I'm needed back in the Lost Cities soon, so make this quick." Blur swings his feet. "What happened with the Everblaze?"

"We saw Lodestar," Sophie answers. "He attacked me and then ran off."

"He actually ran toward the fire," Dex added. "Which is not what most people would do."

"Lodestar isn't exactly most people," Wylie mutters.

A roaring waterfall. Blood-splattered stones. Lodestar standing above her, expressionless behind his mask.

Sophie shakes her head, clearing the images from her mind.

Blur tilts his head. "Interesting. We've never physically encountered the Neverseen at any of the Everblaze fires—but then again, those were in cities, and it's not hard to disguise an elf in a human city." He hums thoughtfully. "We'll send a team to the location with some frissyn later. Anything else?"

"Sophie brought weapons onto campus today," Dex blurts out.

"Yeah, and it's a good thing I did!" Sophie retorts as Maruca laughs.

Blur snorts. "Some first day. How's Operation Vacker Backer going?"

"It's... nothing I can't handle," Sophie answers, deciding not to mention her trip to the Healing Center. "I met your brother, though."

"I know. Jensi won't shut up about it. Did you know you have 'totally awesome' eyes, Sophie?" Blur laughs when she blushes. "Speaking of Jensi, I should get going. I left him in the middle of our DnD session. You guys can handle yourselves, I hope?"

"We'll be fine," Dex assures him. "But—'Operation Vacker Backer'? Really?"

"Uh. Operation.... Vacker Anti-Attacker?" Blur tries.

Dex groans. "Get out."

"Lodestar is up to something," Sophie murmurs as Blur lightleaps away. "I hate that I can't tell what it is."

"Don't beat yourself up," Wylie says, giving her a friendly nudge. "We'll get him this time."

We better, she thinks. Or someone else is going to die.