Nightfall

I don’t know how it’s all going to work out, but . . . I’ll be fighting for the happy ending too.

Sometimes I get sick of being strong.

Sophie smiled. “We all have our things.” “Well, yours is weird,” Amy told her.

Fitz grinned—and a girl who’d been watching him tripped over her own feet.

And to be glad to wake up and find people in her room, instead of dancing anthropomorphic animals.

It’s too bad Keefe isn’t here—you two could have a contest to see who whines the most.

Take care of yourself, okay?” Sophie whispered. Her sister nodded. “And you keep . . . saving the world.

And it all started with a field trip, a giant dinosaur model, and an especially noticeable pair of teal eyes.

She’d been kidnapped right after—and then her abilities had broken, and Alden’s sanity collapsed, and Silveny was attacked, and Kenric was murdered, and the Council turned against her, and she was banished along with all of her friends, and the gnomish plague was unleashed, and Keefe ran off, and Lumenaria fell, and so many other devastating and distracting things had happened that Sophie had never stopped to wonder . . .

We wanted her to see that the shadows that scared her could be beautiful and powerful when we learn how to take control of them,” Edaline added. Taking control. It sounded so simple. And so impossible.

You can’t change who you are, or who your family is,” Tam told her. “Believe me—if I could, I would. All you can do is make sure you’re living by what you believe in.

Well, if you like honesty," Ro said, following him over to Keefe, "it stinks here, too. Everything smells like . . . " "Fresh air?" Sophie guessed. "Awww, my girl keeps getting snarkier and snarkier," Keefe said proudly. "I'm not your girl," Sophie snapped back. "And don't think I'm done being mad at you!" "Ohhh, a lovers' quarrel!" Ro clapped her hands. "Those are my favorite. Anyone have snacks? I feel like we should have snacks for this." "That's not what this is," Sophie told her. "We're not . . . never mind." Ro grinned, flashing pointed teeth. "If you say so." "Foster's not ready to face her feelings," Keefe stage-whispered. "I'm ready to strangle you," Sophie countered.

Wait for the morning, when you can regroup with your friends, and the seven of you can start scheming together.

But before he leaped away he asked, “Still best friends, right?” A soft smile curled her lips, and her heart pulled back into place. “Forever.

Sophie smiled. “Yeah, I think you whined the entire way.” “We all have our gifts. And speaking of whining—” “No whining in the happy place! Seriously, Keefe, try to concentrate.

Three hands. No fourth for her. It was how it should be. How it would have to be. And Sophie could live with that. She could let them go again, to spare them that pain. But it would still hurt. It would always hurt.

I guess that makes sense. And by the way—your friends?” Amy glanced over her shoulder to take another peek at them. “Are they in a contest to see who can be the most gorgeous or something?” Sophie had to laugh. “They might be.” “It’s ridiculous,” Amy told her. “Especially Fitz’s family. I mean, seriously, who looks like that?” “Only the Vackers,” Sophie assured her.

I know this isn’t going to make any of it better,” Sophie said, holding her sister tighter. “But I’ve done this before. The part where it all feels hopeless, and like it’s never going to come together. And you know what? Somehow, it does. It’s never perfect. But it’s usually better than I’d been fearing.

But at least this place has dinosaurs.

So she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his.

All he said was, “I believe in you, Sophie Foster,” as he raised his pathfinder up to the silvery glow of the moonlight. And Sandor added, “We all do.

Keefe was going to slay her over this

And the countdown to Nightfall had officially begun.

I’d heard your powers were legendary

The Neverseen may think themselves brilliant schemers, full of plans no one would ever suspect. But when it came to game-changing secrets, the Black Swan would always be the best.

Keefe's smile was enormous. "Woo! Team Foster-Keefe is back!

Don’t worry,” he grunted. “Breathing is overrated.” “It is,