Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“We thought it’d be easier for you to hear it from the Council,”
Alden explained.
“No, you thought it’d be easier for you,” Fitz argued. “You didn’t
want us to know that it was happening until it was too late to stop it.”
“You couldn’t have stopped it,” Alden assured him. “The Council
had already made up their minds. If we didn’t let them use Everglen,
they would’ve found somewhere else.”
“Fine by me!” Fitz shouted.
“I dunno,” Keefe jumped in. “Wouldn’t you rather be able to keep
an eye on Alvar?”
Fitz reeled on him. “You’re on their side? Is that why you just sat
there and talked about your stupid hair?”
“Okay, first? We both know my hair is awesome,” Keefe said with
his hugest smirk yet. “And second: It’s not like they’re setting your
brother free. Were you listening to Dizznee? I’m pretty sure if Alvar
breathes too hard, Dex’ll zap him.”
“Don’t even get me started on Dex,” Fitz muttered.
“I know,” Biana said quietly. “I can’t believe he knew for a week
and didn’t tell us.”
Sophie opened her mouth to defend Dex but swallowed back the
words. She could tell Fitz and Biana weren’t ready to hear them.
Fitz must’ve noticed, though, because he reeled toward her. “Don’t
tell me you’re okay with this.”
“‘Okay’ isn’t the right word,” she mumbled. “I think . . . it’s a hard
call.”
“A hard call,” Fitz repeated. “That’s it? I thought for this, of all
things, we’d be on the same side.”
“We are,” Sophie promised, reaching for him.