Шеннон Мессенджер - Keeper of the Lost Cities

Fitz pointed to a domed building that towered over all the others. The green stones of its walls looked like giant emeralds, but for some reason the building sparkled less than all the others. It looked like a serious place, for serious things. “See the blue banner flying? That means a tribunal is in progress. Everyone’s watching the proceedings.”

“A tribunal?”

“When the Council—basically our royalty—holds a hearing to decide if someone’s broken a law. They’re kind of a big deal when they happen.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Laws are rarely broken.”

Well, that was different. Humans broke the law all the time.

She shook her head. Was she really thinking of humans as something other ?

But how else could she explain where she was?

She tried to wrap her mind around the idea, tried to force it to make sense. “So,” she said, cringing over her ridiculous next question. “This is . . . magic?”

Fitz laughed—a full body laugh, like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

She glared at him. It couldn’t be that funny.

“No,” he said when he’d regained control. “Magic is a stupid idea humans came up with to try to explain things they couldn’t understand.”

“Okay,” she said, trying to cling to the remaining strands of her sanity. “Then how can we be here, when five minutes ago we were in San Diego?”

He held the pathfinder up to the sun, casting a ray of light onto his hand. “Light leaping. We hitched a ride on a beam of light that was headed straight here.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. You need infinite energy for light travel. Haven’t you heard of the theory of relativity?”

She thought she had him stumped with that one, but he just laughed again. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Who came up with that?”

“Uh, Albert Einstein.”

“Huh. Never heard of him. But he was wrong.”

He’d never heard of Albert Einstein ? The theory of relativity was dumb ?

She wasn’t sure how to argue. He seemed so ridiculously confident—it was unnerving.

“Concentrate harder this time,” he said as he grabbed her hand again.

She closed her eyes and waited for the warm feather sensation. But this time it was like someone turned on a hair dryer and sent the feathers scattering in a million directions—until another force wrapped around her and pulled everything back together like a giant rubber band. A second later she was shivering from a cold ocean breeze whipping her hair around her face.

Fitz pointed to the massive castle in front of them, which glowed like the stones were carved from moonlight. “How do you think we got here?”

Words failed her. It really had felt like the light passed through her, pulling her along with it. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it, because if that was true, every science book she’d read was wrong.

“You look confused,” he observed.

“Well, it’s like you’re saying, ‘Hey, Sophie, take everything you’ve ever learned about anything and throw it away.’”

“Actually, that is what I’m saying.” He flashed a smug grin. “Humans do the best they can—but their minds can’t begin to comprehend the complexities of reality.”

“And what, elves’ minds are better?”

“Of course. Why do you think you’re so far ahead of your class? The slowest elf can still trump a human—even one with no proper education.”

Her shoulders sagged as Fitz’s words sank in.

If he was right, she was just some stupid girl who knew nothing about anything.

No—not a girl.

An elf .

T HE SCENERY BLURRED—BUT WHETHER ITwas from tears or panic Sophie couldn’t be sure.

Everything she knew was wrong. Her entire life was a lie.

Fitz nudged her arm. “Hey. It’s not your fault. You believed what they taught you—I’m sure I’d have done the same thing. But it’s time you knew the truth. This is how the world really works. It’s not magic. It’s just how it is.”

The castle bells chimed, and Fitz yanked her behind a large rock as a gateway opened. Two elves with floor-length velvet capes draped over their black tunics emerged, followed by dozens of bizarre creatures marching in military formation down the rocky path. They were at least seven feet tall and wore only black pants, leaving their thick muscles prominently on display. With their flat noses and coarse gray skin, which fell in pleated folds, they looked part alien, part armadillo.

“Goblins,” Fitz whispered. “Probably the most dangerous creatures you’ll ever meet, which is why it’s a good thing they signed the treaty.”

“Then why are we hiding?” she whispered, hating her voice for trembling.

“We’re dressed like humans. Humans are forbidden in the Lost Cities—especially here, in Lumenaria . Lumenaria is where all the other worlds come together. Gnomes, dwarves, ogres, goblins, trolls.”

She was too overwhelmed to even think about the other creatures he was mentioning, so she focused on the better question. “Why are humans forbidden?”

He motioned for her to follow him to a rock farther away, squatting behind it. “They betrayed us. The Ancient Councillors offered them the same treaty they made with all the intelligent creatures, and they agreed. Then they decided they wanted to rule the world—like it even works that way—and started planning a war. The Ancients didn’t want violence, so they disappeared, forbid any contact with humans, and left them to their own devices. You can see how well that’s working out for them.”

Sophie opened her mouth to defend her race, but she could see Fitz’s point. War, crime, famine—humans had a lot of problems.

Plus, if everything he was saying was true, they weren’t her race. The realization chilled her much more than the frigid wind licking her cheeks.

“The stories told by the humans who’d known us must’ve sounded impossible after we disappeared, and eventually they evolved into the crazy myths you’ve heard. But this is the truth, Sophie.” Fitz pointed around them. “This is who you are. This is where you belong.”

Where you belong.

She’d waited her whole life to hear those three simple words. “I’m really an elf?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

Sophie peeked through the rocks at the glowing castle—a place that wasn’t supposed to exist but was somehow right in front of her. Everything he was telling her was insane. But she knew it was true—she could feel it. Like a crucial piece of her identity had clicked into place.

“Okay,” she decided, her head spinning in a thousand directions. “I believe you.”

A loud clang sounded as another gate closed. Fitz stepped out of the shadows and pulled out a different wand—no, pathfinder—sleek and black with a cobalt blue crystal. “Ready to go home?”

Home.

The word jolted her back to reality. Mr. Sweeney would call her mom when she didn’t get on the bus. She needed to get home before her mom freaked.

Her heart sank a little.

Reality seemed so bland and boring after everything she’d seen. Still, she took his hand and stole one last look at the incredible view before the blinding light swept it away.

THE SMOKY ASH STUNG HERlungs after the crisp, fresh air of Lumenaria. Sophie looked around, surprised she recognized the plain square houses on the narrow, tree-lined street. They were a block away from her house. She decided not to ask how he knew where she lived.

Fitz coughed and glared at the sky. “You’d think humans could handle putting out a few fires before the smoke pollutes the whole planet.”