Sophie stood outside the Healing Centre, still debating whether to go in or not. It had been over three years for her, yet for Keefe, it must have felt like no time had passed at all.

She heard raised, angry voices. Seriously, Keefe had just woken up and was arguing already?

"Even if I'm right, it's not like it's a bad thing," a familiar crisp voice said, sounding slightly annoyed. "So you're a Polygot and an Empath? That–"

Sophie gasped and opened the door.

"You are?" She interrupted.

" 'Bout time you got here, Foster!" he called out, but he soon frowned and closed his eyes, wincing.

"Uh, you should probably step back, Sophie," Fitz warned, looking at Keede worriedly, "I think your emotions are too strong for him."

"No, they're not!" Keefe protested–but his voice sounded forced. He cleared his throat and started again. "Nothing's wrong. I swear, I'm fine."

"He keeps saying that," Fitz told her with a slight nod to his head, "but Keefe's been picking up all our emotions without even trying. And he's always been able to do that with you, so I think you're overwhelming him right now."

Sophie took a large step back, hoping that it would help.

"Okay, I'm done liking Captain Perfectpants," Ro announced.

"Uh, for the record, most of the emotions are coming from you, Fitzy," Keefe blurted, "you wouldn't happen to have some unresolved feelings for anyone in this room, would you?"

No one said anything for what seemed like an eternity.

Elwin coughed. "Well. I think maybe visiting hours should–"

"No," Keefe interrupted quickly, "it's okay. My senses just need to adjust. Plus I never took anything for the headache and nausea. I should have."

"Yes, you should," Elwin agreed, leaning in to whisper something to him. Whatever it was it made Keefe blush bright red.

Elwin continued giving Keefe elixirs including one that made his teeth stick together with the juice which Ro seemed to find amusing. Even after three years, Ro still loved planning torture methods–uh, pranks.

Sophie watched Keefe quietly in the hallway, struck by how crazily handsome he was. Even stuck in bed and pale from lack of exercise and sun, he still possessed a certain charm that would hold most girls captive if he shot them a brief glance.

"How are you feeling?" She asked from the doorway.

"You don't have to stay back, Foster," Keefe told her, running his fingers through his damp hair. "Seriously. I'm much better now. Right Elwin?"

Elwin didn't look convinced. He snapped his fingers, wrapping Keefe's head in a soft orange glow. "I'd prefer you to take another dose of headache medicine first."

"Bring it on," Keefe said, "just no more squelchberries, okay? Let's save those to sneak into Ro's dinner, so we can all have a few hours of silence."

"Um, excuse me, Berry Boy–I think you're forgetting that I have plenty of ways to make your life miserable, even with the doc's restrictions." Ro gave Sophie a look and Sophie just stared back in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

"See, Foster? I'm all good. You don't have to keep hiding in the doorway.

Keefe shot her a smile–but it seemed forced.

Sophie's worry for him surged. How could she not worry when he had nearly died. When he had nearly gone–forever.

Keefe visibly winced and Sophie scrambled back and crashed into Sandor.

"It is my fault!" She exclaimed.

"No, it's not what you think!" Keefe said, sounding shaky, "You got nervous about moving closer, right? That's what I felt. And it's not just you

I'm picking upeveryone'smood swings right now, without trying—even Gigantor's, who, I gotta say, is a big old softie. Who knew our favorite goblin had so many fuzzy feelings?"

Sandor let off a low growl.

"I'm seriously okay, Foster," Keefe promised. "It's always this way when Empaths first manifest—ask Elwin."

Sophie faced Elwin for confirmation.

"Well, I'm not an Empath," Elwin corrected. "But… abilities do tend to be overwhelming in the beginning. And it seems likeKeefe's empathy has been reset. I'm sure you'll understand how intense that can be right, Sophie?"

Sophie tugged at her eyelashes, a habit she had not managed to grow out of.

"I'mfine, Foster," Keefe assured her, "and yes, Ro, I know I keep saying that. But I'm serious. In a couple of days, I'll be totally back to normal."

Sophie flicked an eyelash away. "But… Fitz said you're a Polyglot now.…"

"Well… I don't know for sure if he is, "Fitz mumbled, looking uncomfortable. "But he mimicked—"

"No, IthoughtI mimicked," Keefe corrected. "That doesn't mean I was right."

"You realize there's a super-easy way to settle that, don't you?" Ro said, and it took Sophie a second to realise she was not speaking in English. "Do the pretty boy's snooty voice again!"

Keefe snorted. "Thanks, I'll pass."

Sophie's heart rate quickened. Keefe had understood Ro and answered in her language.

"What's wrong?" Keefe asked, looking worried. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sophie pulled out another eyelash, "Because… you understood Ro. And you replied back in her same language."

Keefe spun toward Ro. "You were speaking Ogreish?"

Ro nodded. "So were you. And your pronunciation was eerily perfect. Who knew you could growl like that?"

"So… I guess I'm a Polyglot, then," he said, softly.

"Why is that bad?" Elwin asked as Keefe reached for his pillow and hugged it tight, wishing it was Mrs. Stinkbottom. "Your dad's an Empath. Your mom's a Polyglot. Now you have both of their abilities. That's honestly the way the matchmakers wish it would work all the time!"

Keefe squeezed his pillow tighter. "Awesome, because my goal in life has always been to make the matchmakers happy."

Keefe looked at Sophie for a brief second, so quickly that Sophie thought she had imagined it.

"Besides," he continued, "we all know I wasn't a Polyglot before I... Um, went to sleep. And I wouldn't be one now if my mom hadn't attacked all of my friends, bound me to King Enki's throne, and…"

Sophie took a few steps closer to Keefe, monitoring his face carefully to see if anything would change. When it didn't, she made her way right to Keefe's cot.

"Hey," she said, but Keefe didn't seem to notice.

"Hey," Sophie said again, closing the last of the space between them. "I know what you're thinking–and not because I read your mind. I just… I get it, okay? I've been experimented on too. I know what it's like to have unnatural abilities—how unsettling it is. And I've been lucky, since the Black Swan–"

"Aren't psychotic murderers?" Keefe interrupted, twisting his pillow into a stranglehold.

"Well… yeah," Sophie admitted. "That does make it a little easier. But I've also been lucky because they've been pretty good about reminding me of something I'm sure your mom is hoping you'll forget." She waited forKeefe's ice blue eyes to meet hers before she said, "You still have a choice, Keefe. Nothing your mom does will ever take that away. She can give you whatever abilities she wants, but she can't make you use them. You're not her puppet–you're Keefe Sencen: the most stubborn person I know."

"Knew," Keefe corrected.

"What?" A flash of surprise radiated from Sophie.

"I've been lying here, asleep for the last three years. Don't tell me you didn't change, didn't grow up. You've probably managed to solve the matchmaking problem and are matched right now."

Sophie met Keefe's ice blue eyes and said in the quietest voice, "I haven't gotten my matchmaking list yet. None of us have. We wanted to wait for you."

Keefe looked slightly touched.

"You should listen to your pretty littleBlondie, Hunkyhair," Ro toldhim. "None of them did anything big without you, and to be honest, I don't get what your mom is thinking. Like… she's met you. She has to know there's no way you're ever going to do what she wants you to. So why give you more elf-y powers to use against her?"

"And why a Polyglot?" Fitz added. "It's not exactly the most useful talent. Not that it's bad or anything," he added, glancing at Sophie.

Keefe seemed to fall into a void of deep thought.

"Well… maybe this is proof that your mom's plan isn't very good," she suggested.

"Yeah, most of the Neverseen's plans don't make a whole lot of sense," Fitz reminded them.

"And yet, they keep beating us," Keefe muttered, tossing his pillow aside, "usually because we can'tfigureout what they want until it's too late. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand here we are again."

"Wow, that's quite a pity party you're throwing for yourself," Ro toldhim.

"Uh, if anyone's heaping on any pity, it's you guys." Keefe fanned the air and Sopie looked around.

"I don't think your senses are as good as you think they are," Sophie said, offeringhimher hand, just like Elwin had earlier. "You're not getting any pity from me. Go ahead andcheck."

Keefe hesitated for a moment but took her hand.

And froze.

He looked completely and utterly overwhelmed.

Keefe yanked his hand back but still looked frozen.

His chest wasn't moving anymore.

He wasn't breathing.

"Elwin!" Sophie yelled, and the doctor came rushing up.

Then, out of nowhere, Keefe blurted out a word. Not just any word. Numb.

And then neither Sophie, nor Fitz, nor Elwin could feel a single thing.