cascade | kotlc

4. The Promise of a New Year

"Dude, what is up with them not rhyming?" Keefe asked, holding up the note like he expected to find a secret message scratched into the paper.

June sighed. "Seriously, Sophie, just threaten them or something. They're scared. You can tell. The Black Swan are scared, and it's your best chance to make contact."

"Yeah," Keefe agreed. "Okay, I figured out our reply. Write this down, Gigantor: You may not want to meet, but we definitely do. Name a time and place or we'll pelt you with sparkly poo."

"How would you acquire the said 'sparkly poo' if Silveny's not with us anymore?" June mused. "I doubt the Council is letting us into the Sanctuary again, after the tracker got discovered in Silveny's tail."

"Hey, don't go," Keefe said, grabbing Sophie's wrist to stop her when she turned and tried to walk away. Sophie flinched.

June noticed. "Hey, you okay?" She was on a date with Fitz -- Fitz Vacker, her boyfriend -- in Atlantis yesterday, and she completely missed what happened at Havenfield. It was worth it, though. She'd finished her shopping spree with fourteen extra white silk tunics (seriously, they were just so good) and a couple dresses and skirts.

"I'm fine," Sophie said under her breath.

Keefe narrowed his eyes. "I know the Black Swan is being super jerky, but that means you need to get tougher. You're sister's right. Remember, you're Sophie Foster -- Mysterious Girl Extraordinaire!"

"Deluxe Pro, Patch 2.0, Update 3," June added. Sophie glared at her.

"I mean it," Keefe said, a little quieter. "The Black Swan needs you way more than you need them. You're the one holding all the cards."

"You just don't know how to play the game," June told her. "And that's why we're here. To help you understand what you want, and what you need, and how to get them."

Sophie sighed. "How is refusing to meet with me for my protection?" she asked as they walked along the winding path toward the main Foxfire building. "I mean, if they want to keep me safe, shouldn't they find out what I know?"

"They're scared, Sophie, I thought I told you. They think they have a leak."

Sophie whirled around to face her. "What?"

"It's obvious," June said. "We flew for an hour on alicorn and reached their hideout, and in the matter of another hour the rebels found us, set up a trap, and almost caught Silveny. They had to have known our location."

"They're worried they have a leak," Keefe continued. "Which makes it safer for you to not meet with them."

"That... actually makes sense."

"Of course it does. I'm a genius. That's why you keep me around. Well, that and my stunning good looks."

June shoved him. "Please. I came up with that. You just hopped onto what I said."

Keefe winked. "There's no way to prove that-"

Shiiiiiiink!

"Yes, yes, you came up with that, I'm so sorry please don't hurt me-"

June laughed when they reached the five-story glass pyramid in the cener of the courtyard. She sheathed Glistensteel. It wouldn't be great if she accidentally impaled someone with a ten-feet long saber.

"Are you guys leaping to school together now?" Dex asked as they joined him.

"Ha -- Foster wishes," Keefe jumped in. "I was just walking with them, because, well, Gigantor misses me."