Flashback ( PDFDrive )

Keefe ignored her. “I guess I just wish I could pretend it never
happened. But . . . we might as well try to get something out of it. The
training wasn’t fancy, but it was solid—and it did make me stronger.
Probably because Alvar handled most of it, and he was one of few who
actually liked having me there. He wanted me on their side—and not
because he was playing head games like Fintan, or because of my mom
and her creepy legacy. He seriously believed in the cause, and for some
reason he wanted me to believe in it too. That’s why I hope his
memories really are gone and not just tucked away somewhere.
Because if he ever remembers why he joined, I know he’ll go back.”
“You really think so?” Sophie had to ask. “You don’t think he’ll
look at his scars and be too angry—like he said at the Tribunal?”
Keefe shook his head. “For one thing: We don’t know who gave him
those scars. Might not have been the Neverseen.”
Well . . . that was something she hadn’t thought of.
“Who else would’ve done it?” she whispered.
“No idea. All I know is it’s possible. But even if it was the
Neverseen, I just don’t see Alvar turning his back on them—not after
everything he’s already given up. I mean, think about it: He wasn’t like
Fintan or Brant, where his ability was banned—or Ruy, who was
banished. He was a Vacker. He had all the power and prestige he could
ever want. And he passed it up for the Neverseen.”
She wasn’t a fan of how much sense he was making.
“I’m assuming he never told you why he joined?” she asked.
“Nope. Just lots of ‘you’ll see someday.’ But one time he did give me
this speech about how history only has two sides—the right side and
the wrong side—and how we were both exactly where we should be.