Шеннон Мессенджер - Keeper of the Lost Cities

“Oh. But wait—doesn’t everyone get the same amount of money in their birth fund?”

Edaline nodded. “Money has nothing to do with social rank. Our world is ‘talent based.’ Those with simpler abilities work simpler jobs—and they dress correspondingly.”

“Seems kind of unfair,” Sophie mumbled. “You can’t control how much talent you’re born with. Why should you live a lesser life?”

“Their lives aren’t lesser. They have houses just as fine as Alden’s or ours. But when they come to work, they come to a different type of city. A city designed for their kind of work . ” Edaline’s grip tightened on Sophie’s hand as several people waved at her.

“You okay?” Sophie asked.

“Yes, I’m just not used to being around so many people.” She kept her head down as she led Sophie through the busy village, avoiding the other elves they ran in to. Everyone seemed to recognize Edaline, though, and whispers followed them wherever they went.

“Look, it’s Edaline Ruewen—can you believe it?”

“I thought she never left the house.”

“She doesn’t.”

Edaline pretended not to notice, and they didn’t slow their pace until they reached the only building that was different: a store painted twenty different colors, with curved walls and a crooked roof—like it belonged in a nursery rhyme.

SLURPS AND BURPS: YOUR MERRY APOTHECARY.

The door belched as they entered.

The store was a maze of shelves filled with colored bottles of liquids and pills . Edaline went straight to the back, to a laboratory complete with beakers bubbling over burners with rainbow-colored flames. A slender man in a long white lab coat hovered over the experiments with a skinny boy at his side—probably his son, since they both had the same tousled strawberry blond hair and periwinkle eyes.

“I’ll be with you in two minutes,” he promised as he added a blob of orange slime to one of the test tubes. “Get ready to add the amarallitine, Dex.”

The boy used a long pair of tongs to pick up a glowing yellow vial and hold it over the experiment from a safe distance. “Ready?”

“Not yet.” He slipped on a pair of thick black glasses. “Okay. Now!”

He jumped back as the boy poured in the contents of the vial. The beaker sparked and released an enormous plume of smoke, filling the room with the smell of dirty feet. Sophie fought off a gag and hoped the concoction wasn’t on Elwin’s list.

The man pounded the boy’s back and removed his glasses. “First one we haven’t exploded all day. Edaline!” he exclaimed, finally looking up. “Is that really you?”

“Hello, Kesler.”

“‘Hello, Kesler,’” he repeated, with a convincing impersonation of her soft voice. “That’s all you have to say? Get over here and give me a hug!”

Edaline moved across the room like sludge, but he wrapped her in a big bear hug anyway. “You look good, Eda—but what are you doing here? You never come to town.”

“I know.” She handed him the crumpled scrap of paper. “Elwin said I need to get these for Sophie.”

Kesler scanned the sheet for half a second before his head snapped up. “Sophie?” His eyes found where Sophie was standing and his jaw fell slack. “Did . . . . miss something?”

“Yes.” Edaline took a deep breath. “Sophie lives with us now.”

Kesler’s eyes darted between Sophie and Edaline, like he couldn’t decide who was more fascinating. “Since when?”

“Since yesterday—it’s a long story.” She gestured for Sophie to join them. “Sophie, this is my brother-in-law, Kesler, and my nephew Dex.”

“Hi,” Sophie mumbled, too nervous to make eye contact, especially since these were Edaline’s family . She could practically feel their stares.

“Sophie will be starting at Foxfire on Monday,” Edaline explained.

“Cool,” Dex exclaimed. “What level will you be?”

“Level Two.”

“Me too! Do you know your schedule al—whoa!” He leaned close to her face and pointed to her eyes. “How’d you do that? I turn mine red sometimes—totally freaks everyone out—but I’ve never seen brown before. I like it.”

She could feel her cheeks blush. “Actually, I just have brown eyes.”

“Really? Excellent. Do you see them, Dad?”

“I do.” Kesler studied her like she was one of his experiments. “Where exactly are you from, Sophie?”

“I . . . uh . . .” She wasn’t sure if she was allowed to tell the truth.

“Sophie’s been living in the Forbidden Cities until a few days ago,” Edaline answered for her.

Sophie cringed as Kesler asked, “What?” at the same time Dex shouted, “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard! Was it awesome? I bet it was awesome. Hey, are you human? Is that why you have brown eyes?”

“I’m not human. I was just raised by them.” The words came out, but they felt wrong on her tongue.

“Dex, I think you’re making Sophie uncomfortable,” Edaline said, before he could ask another question.

“Am I? Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Sophie shrugged. “It’s okay. I know I’m strange.”

Dex smiled, flashing deep dimples. “I like strange. Hey, do you—”

The door burped again.

“You!” A tall woman in a dark green cape stalked through the store, pushing past Sophie and Edaline. A beanpole of a girl in a hooded pink cloak dragged behind.

“What’s wrong now, Vika?” Kesler asked with obvious annoyance.

“Ask your son. This has his handiwork written all over it.” She whipped the hood down from the girl’s head, revealing a shiny bald scalp underneath.

Edaline, Sophie, and Kesler gasped at the same time. Dex, meanwhile, seemed to be trying very hard not to smile. “Hey, Stina. Did you change something? ’Cause you look different today. Wait, don’t tell me. . . .”

“Mom!” Stina growled.

Kesler’s cheeks twitched, like he was battling a laugh. “We don’t sell any balding solutions here, Vika.”

“Just because you don’t sell them doesn’t mean you don’t make them,” she insisted.

Kesler glanced at Dex.

“You know how to make them too,” Dex reminded him.

“I know it was you, you stupid sasquatch !” Stina screamed.

Dex rolled his eyes and pointed to a spot behind her ear. “Did you know you have a dent in your skull right there?”

Sophie bit back a laugh as Stina lunged for him in a flurry of bony appendages.

“That’s enough!” Kesler shouted, pulling them apart. “Control your daughter, Vika.”

“Why should I? It’s not like you control your children.”

Kesler looked like he wanted to throttle her, but instead he gritted his teeth and said, “We have Hairoids in stock. Take some on the house, and she’ll have her hair back in a week.”

“A week?” Stina wailed. “I can’t go to school looking like . . . like . . .”

“Like an ogre?” Dex suggested with a wicked grin.

Stina screamed.

“If my daughter misses any days of school because of your son, I will make sure he is held responsible,” Vika yelled.

“You can’t prove anything,” Dex grumbled.

“I won’t need to. They’d expect nothing less from a bad match!”

Kesler’s friendly features twisted with obvious rage, and he needed several deep breaths before he spoke. Sophie didn’t know what a “bad match” was, but it must be a heavy insult.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Kesler practically spat. “You two are going to get out of my sight, and when I finish helping these customers, I’ll see if I can make the Hairoids more potent. If I can’t, wear a hat.”

Vika stared him down, but he didn’t flinch. “I guess we have no choice. It’s not like anyone else would waste their lives making ridiculous medicines in a useless shop.”