Keeper of the Lost Cities: Phoenix Rising (Book 9)

Chapter 14 - Keefe

"Why do you always resort to creating portals rather then light-leaping?" Keefe complained. The pair were on a balcony on one of the higher floors of the Citadel. (The fortress in the center of Mirevale) Kayla leaned against the door leading into the fortress while Keefe was hunched over a pot, having retched nearly all of his lunch after portaling for a second time.

"I mean, honestly." Keefe continued. "Light leaping is so less strenuous." Kayla sighed. "Take a look around, Keefe." " We are in the middle of a cavern." "How could we have light-leaped if there's no light to leap on?"

"And besides, " Kayla added. "Light-leaping makes me sick."

"Well, portaling makes me sick." Keefe retorted, then bent back over the pot and retched again.

"You'll get used to it, Kayla replied, and helped him to his feet. Once she was sure Keefe could stand on his own she led him through the door.

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Kayla led her brother through a maze of corridors and halls, each unique in their own weird way. There was the hall of Enterances and Exits, in which the walls were lined with thousands of thousands of doors, each in varying shapes and sizes. Keefe nearly tripped over an open door the size of his shins had Kayla not pointed it out to him.

His sister had sighed and said something about the halflings getting complacent again. Keefe wasn't too sure what a halfling was, but he hoped they could fight. The Lost cities needed all the fighters they could get.

Next up was the hall of flora, a large, sunlit hall made from trees whose leaves wove together to form a canopy. This hallway had a tiled dirt floor with tiny saplings and flowerets  growing every few feet. The entire hall had a very earthy smell that faintly reminded Keefe of Havenfield and, surprisingly, of Sophie.

Oh Gods, Sophie. What did she think of him after leaving, yet again? Did she hate him?

Keefe shook his head. Stop it. he told himself.

Mentally torturing himself about what Sophie thought of him wasn't going to stop the Neverseen.

He just  hoped that his actions would make up for his mistakes.

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Finally, Kayla paused at the foot of a spiral staircase. "What is-" Keefe began, but his sister shushed him. A look of confusion that swiftly changed to understanding seemed to flit across her face.

"The Commander's Office is just up these stairs, Keefe." Kayla instructed.

"You aren't coming with me?" Keefe asked, slightly worried. What had the commander told her?

Kayla shook her head. "Apparently, the commander wants to talk to you in private." she explained. "According to him, it would be easier to tell you this way: as one former citizen of Eternalia to another."

"Honestly, I didn't think it would matter but orders are orders."

Keefe frowned. "Tell me what exactly?"

Kayla winced. Keefe could sense she wanted to tell him something, but was holding herself back.  "It's better if you see him for yourself." Kayla said mysteriously. " "The fire did a number on him."

Keefe nearly choked. "Wait, are you saying that the commader is a pyrokinetic?"

Kayla acted like she hadn't heard him and instead opened another shimmering blue portal "I'll meet you at the Gardens after your meeting." she said hurriedly.

Before Keefe could reply, his sister stepped backward into the portal and dissapeared. A second later, the portal closed inward on itself, leaving Keefe alone at the foot of the steps.

Keefe threw up his hands.  "Well, that was helpful." he said sarcastically

No response. Keefe sighed and ascended the steps.

While he climbed, Keefe began to theorize about the Commander's identity. Kayla mentioned something about fire and Eternalia, so....who could it be?

There hadn't been a fire in Eternalia in three years, not since....oh. Oh no. Keefe silently cursed his luck. The commander couldn't be Brant, right? From what he'd heard the elf was dead, crushed  by a falling chunk of rock in his attempt to escape the destruction of Lumeneria.

Besides, Brant was insane. There was no possible way Kayla would willingly follow the orders of a madman.

That left the only other possibility: The commander was Fintan.

But Fintan was trapped in that iceberg out in the middle of nowhere.

Or was he?

The Fintan whom they'd captured after the destruction of Lumenaria could very well be just another unknown member of the Neverseen in an addler.

But then how would the real Fintan go from a psychopath to the leader of a secret city?

The facts just didn't add up.

Keefe sighed. Worrying would only delay the uncertaincy further. Steeling himself, he countined up the steps

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The steps ended at a simple oak door with a golden doorknob.

Upon seeing it, Keefe took a deep breath and subtly readied his melder. If the commander was Fintan, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared, right?  Right.

Raising his hand, he rapped the door twice.

There was a pause, then with a series of whrrs and clicks the door swung open, revealing not Fintan, but the last person Keefe ever expected to see: Councilor Kenric.