Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

I'll See You Soon (Keefe POV)

A/N: This chapter takes place toward the end of Neverseen, after Keefe goes back to Candleshade and recovers the memory of Gisela using his blood to seal Nightfall.

"Am I really doing this?" Keefe mumbled to himself for about the tenth time.

But he knew the answer. He had known it was a possibility ever since he'd discovered the truth about his mom. He'd hoped to avoid it, especially now that Fitz was already having to deal with Alvar's betrayal, but...this was important.

He'd known he was going to discover awful things about his mom. He just hadn't realized how integral he was to her plans. It made him angry and queasy and scared and ashamed.

It also made him useful.

If the Neverseen were waiting for him to join them, he could exploit that.

He took another deep breath before raising his imparter and whispering, "Show me Alvar Vacker."

He didn't want to say anything over the imparter in case his dad--or one of the gnomes--was eavesdropping, so he convinced Alvar to meet up with him to talk.

Alvar's big-brotherly demeanor and apparent readiness to believe that Keefe wanted to switch sides was both nauseating and validating.

This was going to work.

"But I'm not sure Fintan is on board," Alvar told him. "He's going to be the one you have to convince. I told him that it was only a matter of time before you joined us, but he and Brant both doubt you."

"How can I convince them?" Keefe asked. "I already told you. I like the Black Swan, but I think they're going about things the wrong way. If they want to force the Council to change, they're going to have to be more willing to shake things up."

He cringed inwardly at his words. They were convincing.

But they weren't true.

The Black Swan's methods drove him crazy sometimes, but they were solidly on the side of the good guys. They wanted to help, to right wrongs, to come alongside and support their world.

From what he could tell about the Neverseen so far, their displeasure with the Council took a lower priority than their desire to control and frighten the population.

Both were rebel groups, but they--and their goals--were not the same.

Alvar grinned at him, pulling him out of his musings. "I know, Keefe. You've always been a bit of a rebel. And you're tough. But you're going to have to be prepared to share what you know about the Black Swan."

"I don't know much," Keefe told him, mostly honestly. "They're very secretive. Even living with them didn't teach me very much. I don't even know who they are." He thought for a moment.

Then a horrible thought struck him.

It was awful.

It was a betrayal.

But she probably wouldn't even know. Not until he came back and returned it and explained why he'd taken it, and she'd understand.

"I...think I have an idea," he told Alvar slowly. "Foster has Councillor Kenric's cache." Alvar's sharp intake of breath told him he was on the right track. "She has it hidden, but I know how to get it."

"That's perfect," Alvar breathed. "Stealing that cache will totally seal the deal." He grinned again. "I knew you were resourceful."

Alvar hailed Fintan, and within minutes, they had a meeting set up for later that morning--Keefe hadn't realized it was well past midnight until just that moment--and Keefe promised he'd retrieve Kenric's cache and hand it over as proof of his loyalty to the Neverseen.