keep your friends close

(10)

"I'm Biana," says Biana. She fixes Sophie with a hard stare that isn't cold, but not quite warm and fuzzy either. "Pleasure."

Sophie smiles back uncertainly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sophie."

"And I am shocked and disappointed."

Sophie turns around—and comes face to face with none other than Keefe Sencen. Someone managed to wrestle him back into a proper Foxfire uniform, but the sleeves are still rolled up to his elbows.

Dex groans quietly. "Hi, Keefe."

Keefe raises his eyebrows. "Foster, I can't believe you're still letting Dizznee show you around. You couldn't even find the Healing Center earlier."

"You've already met?" Dex and Biana exclaim in unison. They glance at one another in surprise, and Dex turns pink.

"Something like that." Keefe gives Sophie an overexaggerated wink.

Someone standing beside Keefe laughs quietly. "I can't say I'm surprised," he says. "But I am kind of jealous that he got to meet the new Telepath before I did."

Sophie tears her gaze away from Keefe's smirk, surprised she hadn't noticed the other boy—and her heart skips a beat. Elves were beautiful, sure, but she isn't certain she's ever seen one as breathtaking as the boy in front of her right now. His teal eyes glitter like sunlight through seaglass, and the gold of his Level Seven cape against his dark hair make him look like a prince. Sophie finally understands what Dex meant.

"I'm Fitz Vacker," he says with a warm smile, and Sophie feels like melting. "Welcome to Foxfire."

At that moment a mentor sweeps by and quietly scolds them for standing around and talking. Sophie welcomes the interruption, thankful that she doesn't stumble over her words trying to reply to Fitz. The prodigies scramble to seat themselves at the table and pull out their books—everyone except Keefe, who props his shoes up and starts fiddling with his Imparter.

"It's so neat to have another Telepath around," Fitz whispers to her. "Do you have Tiergan as your ability mentor?"

"Yeah, I do," she replies. "He's great." She doesn't mention that Tiergan has been mentoring her for almost ten years.

"Isn't he?" Fitz says warmly. "He taught me everything I know. Don't tell my dad," he adds jokingly.

Of course—the esteemed Alden Vacker. Sophie smiles back. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Can you guys be a little more quiet?" Maruca murmurs. "Some of us are actually trying to study."

"Yes, please," Biana mutters.

Fitz rolls his eyes at his sister. "Sorry. We're just talking." He turns back to Sophie, then frowns. "That's weird."

Her heart jumps. "What is?" Was there something on her face? Did she say something wrong?

He tilts his head. "I can't get through your blocking. Not even to transmit."

Sophie almost sighs. The defensive techniques in her mind that she's built up over time were too good sometimes—just her luck that her ability gets in the way of a cute boy wanting to talk to her.

She opens her thoughts to Fitz. Sorry about that.

Whoa, he says. You have to show me how you got your blocking to be so good. When did you manifest?

It's a little jarring to hear his deep voice echoing in her mind. Sophie purses her lips. I was five years old.

Fitz's eyes widen. No way. And I thought I manifested young.

I guess I'm just special, she says half-jokingly.

His eyes sparkle back at her. No kidding.

The fluttery feeling returns. Sophie keeps talking to distract herself. If you want, I could show you some pointers, she tells him. I can't guarantee I'm a good teacher, but I'll try.

Fitz smiles. I'd like that.

"Are you guys done making moony eyes at each other?" Dex says.

Sophie blinks, and suddenly she's sitting in the Foxfire library again. She looks across the table to find Dex and Biana with disapproving stares. Maruca still has her nose buried in a book. Keefe is nowhere to be seen; Sophie can only assume that he ditched again.

Her face burns. "We were just... talking," she explains, glancing back at Fitz.

"Sorry," Dex says, and he looks like he meant it. "But we have to leave. Like, now."

"Is everything okay?" Fitz asks.

"Yeah. Peachy," Dex answers, but the tight expression on his face says otherwise. "Just some last minute registration business that we forgot to take care of. For Sophie."

Fitz rests a hand on her arm. "It was really nice to meet you," he tells her. "I'll see you around, I guess?"

Sohpie's heart pounds. She manages to reply with a "Yeah, you too," before Dex whisks her out of the library.

"What was that all about?" she asks as she follows him down the twisting hallways.

"Haven't you checked your Imparter?" Dex splutters.

"No, I was talking to Fitz—"

"Oh, how could I forget—here, just—" Dex shoves his Imparter into her hand. Sophie struggles to keep up with him as she squints to read the stream of messages on the device.

"Wylie called?" she exclaims. "Why?"

Dex sighs. "That's what we're about to find out."

Sophie looks up and realizes they're outside, at the back entrance of Foxfire. Standing in front of them is Wylie, dressed in one of the Black Swan's dark hooded cloaks for missions.

"Finally!" he sighs in relief. "Sorry to cut your first day short, kiddo, but we have a problem to deal with. Put these on." He shoves a pair of hooded cloaks at them.

"What's going on?" Sophie asks as she and Dex rush to sling the cloaks over their uniforms.

Before they can say anything else, Wylie hands them each a leaping crystal. Both are a deep cobalt blue.

"Get ready for a field trip." Wylie pulls the hood of Sophie's cloak over her head and smiles grimly. "There's a fire in the Forbidden Cities."