Keeper of the Lost Cities: Elysian

Chapter 26

Oh, no.

Mr. Forkle must have sensed her panic because his brow furrowed as he asked, "What's wrong?"

Sophie needed to breathe. She choked out, "Elysian's in danger. She needs help."

Linh gasped. "From what?"

"I don't know- she didn't say."

A million thoughts were racing through her head at the speed of light. "We need to help her."

"All of us?" Fitz asked. "Could it be a trap?"

"Maybe. But we still need to see," Sophie insisted. "If Lady Gisela's behind this, this could be our opportunity to defeat her once and for all."

"But it's risky," Mr. Forkle argued. "How would she get there in the first place?"

"Maybe she solved the riddle and found the secret entrance," Marella suggested. 

A revelation hit Sophie and she gasped in alarm. "If she does, she has Elysian and Keefe. Elysian's the power source. Lady Gisela has all the things she needs to complete the last step of stellarlune. We need to get there right now."

"I'm coming with you," Sandor said immediately as he moved to her side. "It isn't the time to argue. You're going to need protection, especially since Lady Gisela has trolls now."

"Me too," Ro said, tossing one of her daggers up in the air and catching it in a deft move. "Hunkyhair's my charge."

"You might need force fields, so I'm coming too," Maruca said, her palms glowing white.

"I'll come too," Biana said bravely. "You might need a Vanisher along. Anyone else?"

Linh, Marella, Rayni, and Tam immediately raised their hands and formed a circle around Sophie as she reached for the starstone that led to Elysian.

Elidyr, Urre, Opher, and Timur joined the circle as well.

"If we don't make it back, don't come for us immediately," Sophie warned. "Lady Gisela's dangerous, and if she manages to defeat us, then it will be dangerous for you as well."

Mr. Forkle looked like he was going to argue, but he closed his eyes and nodded.

Alden looked at Biana hesitantly. "Are you sure you will be safe?"

"I don't know, but this is what I signed up for," she whispered. "I'm going to see it through. Go help Mom. She's at Everglen."

Fitz and Alden nodded. "We'll go," Fitz said.

"I'll go with you too," Wylie said. He waved his hands as if conducting an orchestra, and for a moment, Sophie didn't know why.

But she understood when the light around them bent and shifted until they practically blended in with the landscape.

"Safe travels, my moonlark," Mr. Forkle said with a smile. "I don't know what you're thinking. Literally."

"You still can't read my thoughts?" Sophie asked, alarmed. "Can you transmit to me?"

"No, and that's because of this circlet on my head," he answered ruefully, pointing to it. "Fitz tried, too, but he felt the same strange barrier around your head."

Sophie extended her consciousness... but felt a wall.

A barrier that trapped Sophie's mind from all sides.

Can you hear me? she transmitted as loudly as she could to Fitz. But her mental voice hit the barrier and ricocheted off.

She winced as her words echoed repeatedly in her head, making everything in her head a mess.