Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“I’m not leaving early,” he said, reaching for Mr. Snuggles and
squeezing the sparkly dragon so hard, the stuffing bulged.
“Okay . . .”
She could tell this conversation was going to be like crossing a
frozen lake, and she tried her best to tread carefully. “Is that because
you don’t think you can handle being there when Alvar arrives,
without triggering your echo?”
Fitz snorted. “No. It’s because I’m not going to start living my life
around my jerk of a brother. If my parents want me there, they can
wait one lousy day until I’m home. But they won’t. So I’m not rushing
back to make it easy for them.”
“They might be thinking they’re protecting you by doing it before
you’re there,” she reminded him.
“Uh, if they were worried about me, they wouldn’t be doing this—
period. This is about Alvar. He’s probably been whining to everyone
about how miserable his little cell is, and my parents are rushing to
get him out.”
“Or it’s the Council’s decision,” Sophie countered.
“Nah, it’s my parents’ private property—the Council doesn’t get to
drop a prisoner off without their permission.”
“Okay, but . . .”
She hesitated a second, hoping she wasn’t about to cross a line—
then decided it might be best to switch to transmitting, in case they
had anyone eavesdropping.
The thing is, she started again, Biana needs you. You know that’s why
she’s here, right? I mean, yeah, I’m sure she also thought you should know
what’s going on—but if that’s all it was, she would’ve left as soon as she
finished telling you. But she’s still here, probably hoping you’ll decide to go