Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“Hey,” she said, offering him her gloved left hand.
When he didn’t take it, she turned to Magnate Leto. “Can we have a
few minutes?”
“On it,” Ro jumped in. “Everybody out! Lord Funkyhair needs a pep
talk.”
“No, I don’t,” Keefe snapped back.
Ro rolled her eyes and hauled him over to the cot next to Sophie’s,
muttering about moody boys as she forced him to sit. Then she herded
Magnate Leto and Alden out of the Healing Center and went back for
Tam and Dex.
“I forgot to say,” Keefe called after them, “thanks. For helping her.
And Fitz.”
Dex shrugged with his good shoulder. “Wylie did most of it.”
“He wouldn’t have been there without you,” Keefe reminded him
before his eyes shifted to Tam. “And if you hadn’t rushed over . . .”
“Well,” Tam said, fidgeting with his cape. “I guess that’s why we’re
a team. We each have our part.”
“Too bad I’m stuck being the designated loser,” Keefe said under
his breath.
“Ugh—this is why you need a pep talk,” Ro grumbled as she shoved
the other boys out of the room.
Elwin locked his knees when she came after him. “Hang on. Sophie
really needs to take her medicine now.”
“I’ll give you three seconds,” Ro told him, dragging Grady out
instead.
“Yeah, well I’m going to need a few more than that,” Elwin argued
as he grabbed a bottle of orange liquid and held it to Sophie’s lips.
“Try to down this in one go—and plug your nose.”