Unlocked 8.5 (Keeper of the Lost Cities) Page 11

  THE SCANDAL THAT WASN’T:

  Stina’s father (Timkin Heks) is one of the Talentless. Her mother (Vika) is an Empath. As such, their marriage should’ve been ruled a bad match. Yet mysteriously, it wasn’t. Timkin’s name is clearly included on Vika’s first match list—toward the top, it should be noted. Conspiracy theories abound about how that could be possible (mostly in whispers, since no one wants to face the wrath of the Hekses), and the most common story is that records were altered at the Matchmaking Office by Timkin’s sister’s husband, who works there. But no proof has ever been found of any such tampering. In a more recent investigation, one report did suggest that the real reason Timkin was able to return to Foxfire, complete the final few weeks of the basic levels, and graduate with his class (despite having been expelled and sent to Exillium for faking his “special ability”) was because he [DETAILS REDACTED FOR SECURITY]. And if that’s true, then perhaps [REDACTED FOR SECURITY]. There is, however, no way to confirm. As such, Vika and Timkin’s marriage remains an officially approved match, and the family is spared from any scandal.

  DISCIPLINE PROBLEM:

  As already mentioned, Stina has a propensity for causing drama with numerous other prodigies at Foxfire, and since the school doesn’t tolerate bullying, she a lengthy disciplinary record. She’s been assigned the second highest number of detentions—though the gap between her list and Keefe Sencen’s list is quite large. But she—unlike Keefe—doesn’t seem to enjoy her punishments. In fact, she’s tried having her mom speak to the principal several times, to see if anything could be done to lighten her sentence. But Foxfire takes bullying very seriously, and as of this writing, she’s never been able to get out of any of her detentions.

  HER FATHER’S FEALTY:

  For years Timkin has tried to convince the Council to appoint him to the nobility (despite his Talentless status). And for years he’s been denied. Perhaps that’s why he opted to swear fealty to the Black Swan when they were still an illegal rebellion. It’s hard to tell, given what little is known about his involvement in the order. Records suggest that while his involvement with the order tends to be more “hands-off,” he may have occasionally used the name “Coiffe” and relied on a disguise of full-body, curly white fur (caused by an elixir that may have been created by Kesler Dizznee) to protect his identity. And he’s apparently assisted Sophie and her friends during their banishment from the Lost Cities, despite the fact that he disagrees with the Black Swan’s decision to utilize children in their rebellion. In fact, it seems he’s done what he could to keep Stina away from anything he’s been working on. But Stina’s ended up involved anyway.

  A NOBLE LADY:

  Stina was chosen by the Council to be a member of Team Valiant—a move that came as a surprise to many (particularly given Stina’s strained relationship with Sophie and her friends). And while Stina seemed less than thrilled about who she’d be working with (and the feeling was clearly mutual), she also eagerly accepted the title—which was surely a huge cause for celebration for her family. Particularly for her father, who’s tried many times to be appointed to the nobility and always been held back by his Talentless status.

  FINAL NOTE:

  Stina will likely never win any popularity contests. But she’s a powerful Empath and a fearless personality, and when she puts her differences aside, she can be a valuable ally. The test will be whether she can handle the hardships that come with her new role, or whether she’ll crack the first time she’s truly put under pressure.

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Marella Adene Redek

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Pyrokinetic

  RESIDENCE: Fluttermont

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Durand Redek (father), Caprise Redek (mother)

  MATCH STATUS: Registered with zero lists received

  EDUCATION: Current Foxfire prodigy

  NEXUS: No longer required

  PATHFINDER: Not assigned. Restricted to Leapmasters and home crystals.

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: None

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: No

  TITLE: None

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: None

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Fealty-sworn member of the Black Swan; training in pyrokinesis with former Councillor Fintan Pyren

  ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): None

  AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ILLEGAL ABILITY:

  Marella’s special ability is a somewhat recent development (or the Council’s knowledge of it is, at least), but it’s such a tremendously rare, incredibly complicated issue that her file must begin here. Reports indicate that several months ago Marella arranged for a meeting with Mr. Forkle (the same member of the Black Swan who triggered Sophie Foster’s abilities) and convinced him to try triggering hers, since she still hadn’t manifested. Evidently, she’d been hoping to become an Empath, because reading emotions could prove helpful with her mother’s (Caprise Redek’s) condition. But manifesting isn’t a process where anyone gets to pick or choose what happens. And unfortunately for Marella, not long after Mr. Forkle filled her mind with energy, she felt feverish and later woke up surrounded by flames after manifesting as a Pyrokinetic—the only illegal ability in the Lost Cities. The rare elemental talent causes an insatiable craving for flame, which has resulted in numerous tragedies—the most notorious of which was Fintan Pyren’s failed lesson on Everblaze several millennia ago. All five of the Pyrokinetics that Fintan had been training were killed in that inferno, and the Council was left with no choice but to ban the ability. Their new law forced any already registered Pyrokinetics to be reclassified as Talentless (including Fintan, who had to resign from the Council) and be put under supervision in order to ensure that they weren’t sparking any flames. Efforts were also made to prevent others from manifesting the ability. (For instance, anyone directly related to any of the registered Pyrokinetics was labeled as a bad match to halt the spread of their genetics, and the ability detecting session at Foxfire now specifically forbids any exercises that might make a prodigy detect heat.) Aside from one exception (the now infamous case of Brant [LAST NAME REDACTED FOR SECURITY]), no other Pyrokinetics have manifested since the ban. Until now.

  EXPOSED:

  Given the complications that come with being a Pyrokinetic, it’s not necessarily surprising that Marella opted to hide her ability from the Council. But she did reveal her pyrokinesis to a select few. Both of her parents seemed to be aware (and most likely helped cover up several accidental fires that happened after she first manifested). And Mr. Forkle was evidently informed and did his best to train her (even though he doesn’t share her ability). Marella was also brought in to assist on a few important missions for the Black Swan—which of course means that Sophie Foster and her friends were aware that Marella was a Pyrokinetic (and possibly some of their families were aware too). But everyone “in the know” kept the information secret—and likely would still be doing so, if the Neverseen hadn’t exposed Marella during the last Celestial Festival. The battle with the mutant trolls at Everglen was broadcast for our whole world to witness, which meant that everyone watched Marella call down flames and use them to defend herself and her friends. And while the crowd’s initial reaction was shock (the collective gasp was loud enough to make many ears ring), the discovery wasn’t met with the level of fear and mistrust that most would’ve expected. Perhaps it was because Marella maintained excellent control. Or perhaps it was watching her bravely stand and fight in the face of such horrors. But after the broadcast, the Council wasn’t met with outcry calling for Marella’s banishment or exile. And the Councillors have since surprised everyone further.

  TRAINING PERMITTED—WITH A TRAITOR:

  In a decision that surely no one could have predicted, the Council did not ban Marella from using her pyrokinesis. In fact, they’ve even gone so far as to allow her to take pyrokinesis lessons with Fintan—on a provisional basis. The situation is far from ideal, but given the rarity of the power, there simply aren’t many options for Mentors. And the Council seems to have decided—possibly because of what happened
with Brant—that forcing Marella to suppress the ability could end up causing larger problems in the long run. A Pyrokinetic’s craving for flame seems to be too strong to ignore—especially without training. So the Council appears to be seeing if there’s a middle ground that allows the ability to be used within specific limits. Only time will tell if there is. Until then, Marella’s lessons take place at the special prison where Fintan is being held for his crimes, and are, of course, closely monitored to ensure that Fintan cannot use the situation as an opportunity to escape or harm anyone. Linh Song also attends most of these lessons, using her hydrokinesis to extinguish any flames. And rumor has it that Marella and Linh do additional training together on their own. There are certain similarities between their abilities, given that they’re both controlling an element, and it appears they may be attempting to combine their powers. It’s difficult to imagine how that might work, but if the events over the last several years have taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected—particularly when it comes to any of our powerful youth.

  A TRAGIC FAMILY ACCIDENT:

  As already briefly noted, Marella’s mother (Caprise) suffered a traumatic brain injury when Marella was three years of age. For reasons still unknown (though some have claimed that fizzleberry wine might have been involved), Caprise fell off a balcony at their home and hit her head. Elwin did all he could to help, but some injuries cannot be completely healed, and Caprise was forever changed by the experience. Her symptoms seem to primarily affect her moods, and certain elixirs do help her manage them. But she’s known to have good days and bad days. And Marella seems to shoulder a heavy amount of the responsibility in caring for her, oftentimes running late for things or looking slightly disheveled. (And of course, there was Marella’s hope of becoming an Empath to better assist, which was already mentioned.) Naturally, Caprise’s situation has lowered the family’s social standing. Most are sympathetic to the Redeks’ plight, but still aren’t sure how to help or what to do, since these kinds of challenges are so rare in the Lost Cities.

  A BIT OF A LONER:

  It’s hard to tell how much Marella’s family challenges have affected her social decisions, but despite her large personality, Marella has opted to isolate herself—particularly from the other prodigies at school. In fact, until Sophie Foster started attending Foxfire, Marella often ate lunch by herself. She used to claim it was because she found everyone annoying, but it’s also possible that she has a harder time “fitting in” given how different her homelife is. Even after Sophie and Marella became friends, they weren’t as close as Sophie was with some of her other friends, and rumors claim that Marella has at times felt neglected by Sophie’s group, particularly when they started spending an increasing amount of time working with the Black Swan. Sophie was likely trying to spare Marella from the dangers that come with the Black Swan’s assignments (much like she tried to do with everyone she cares about)—and some reports do indicate that Marella is far less eager to risk her life than some of her friends appear to be. But that doesn’t mean that Marella wouldn’t have preferred to be included. The number of dangerous missions she’s agreed to help with—and the fact that she recently swore fealty to the order—definitely proves that she’s both willing and able when asked and needed.

  THE “GO-TO” FOR GOSSIP:

  Despite her sometimes antisocial ways, Marella has a gift for always knowing about everything, and anyone looking to catch up on the latest gossip (or wanting to find out about a past scandal) tends to go to her. There are often gaps in her knowledge, but what she does know generally seems to be accurate—sometimes so much so that people are left wondering where she got her information. And the truth is, no one knows—except Marella.

  A NOTORIOUS FLIRT:

  In what also seems to be a strange contrast to her loner ways, Marella definitely has a reputation for flirting. And teasing. And generally being very open about who does and doesn’t catch her interest—as well as who she thinks her friends should or shouldn’t be interested in. Which may seem like a strange note to be including in this file. But given the particular complications of Marella’s ability, she’s likely going to have a very challenging matchmaking process—possibly even more challenging than Sophie’s. In light of that, her flirting seems suddenly significant.

  A SECRET STUFFED ANIMAL:

  Elwin’s records indicate that Marella is yet another of his patients to receive one of his Emotional Support Stuffed Animals (as is her mother, actually)—though Marella seems to be more secretive about her stuffed animal buddy and hasn’t mentioned its existence to her friends. Still, in the interest of thoroughness, it must be noted that Marella is the proud owner of a sparkly blue-green stuffed kelpie, which Elwin named Sir Splashyhugs. It’s even possible that Sir Splashyhugs was the first Emotional Support Stuffed Animal, since he was gifted to Marella when she was three and struggling to adjust to what happened with her mom.

  FINAL NOTE:

  It’s unclear whether Marella realizes how much pressure is resting on her shoulders. But she has unwittingly found herself in a pivotal role in our world. If she’s able to maintain control of her ability, she may be responsible for lifting the ban on pyrokinesis and righting what an increasing number are beginning to see as an injustice. And if she surrenders to her flames, she could end up the most destructive Pyrokinetic yet, given the access she has to the Council and the Black Swan, and the friends who’ve chosen to put their faith in her.

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Grady Howell Ruewen

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Mesmer

  RESIDENCE: Havenfield

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Edaline Ruewen (wife), Jolie Ruewen (daughter, deceased), Sophie Foster (daughter, adopted)

  MATCH STATUS: Match approved (one match list received; married the #7 recommendation)

  EDUCATION: Foxfire graduate (both basic and elite levels)

  NEXUS: No longer required

  PATHFINDER: Assigned (to the Lost Cities and the Forbidden Cities; crystals to Loamnore and Ravagog also issued)

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: Yes

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: Yes

  TITLE: Lord

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: Emissary

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Adoptive father to Sophie Foster; known supporter of the Black Swan; former caretaker of Brant [LAST NAME REDACTED] ; animal rehabilitator for the Sanctuary

  ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): Brielle (goblin, deceased)

  DRASTIC CHANGES:

  In a single day, Grady Ruewen went from being one of the Lost Cities’ most prestigious and powerful Emissaries to a virtual recluse and outspoken opponent of the Council—though that day did involve a tragic fire that killed his only daughter (Jolie). The grief nearly shattered Grady (and his wife, Edaline)—and sadly, no one knew how to help them. Loss is (thankfully) uncommon in our world, so few could understand what Grady and Edaline were feeling. Instead, everyone watched in sorrow (and a bit of confusion) as the Ruewens retreated from the rest of society after Jolie’s planting. Grady resigned from his position as an Emissary, and Edaline took a (still technically ongoing) leave of absence from the assignment she’d been given by the Council. They chose to spend their days tracking down protected species hiding in the Forbidden Cities, bringing them to the pastures at Havenfield, and helping the creatures prepare for life in the Sanctuary. Neither of the Ruewens left their home to visit anywhere in the Lost Cities unless they absolutely had to (which was extremely rare), and gossip grew more abundant and critical by the year. But just when it seemed like Grady and Edaline would soon be nothing more than a “cautionary tale” (before falling into complete obscurity), everything changed for them once again. A young girl (Sophie Foster) had been found hidden among humans and needed a home in the Lost Cities, and the Council wanted Grady and Edaline to be her guardians. To nearly everyone’s shock, the Ruewens agreed—and apparently even needed little convincing. Reports indicate that when Alden Vacker hailed Grady to explain the situation, there was a brief pause, an exchanged look, and then a s
imple, “We’ll try our best.” It wasn’t an easy adjustment for them—or for Sophie—and at one point the situation nearly dissolved. But over time, Sophie proved to be exactly what Grady and Edaline needed to finally work through their grief. And now that Grady has resumed his work as an Emissary, the Council is hoping that he’ll be able to return to [ASSIGNMENT REDACTED FOR SECURITY].

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Edaline Kelia Ruewen

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Conjurer

  RESIDENCE: Havenfield

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Grady Ruewen (husband), Jolie Ruewen (daughter, deceased), Sophie Foster (daughter, adopted)

  MATCH STATUS: Match approved (one match list received; married the #3 recommendation)

  EDUCATION: Foxfire graduate (both basic and elite levels)

  NEXUS: No longer required

  PATHFINDER: Assigned (to the Lost Cities)

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: No

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: Yes

  TITLE: Lady

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: None at present

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Adoptive mother to Sophie Foster;known supporter of the Black Swan; former caretaker of Brant [LAST NAME REDACTED]; animal rehabilitator for the Sanctuary