Flashback ( PDFDrive )

Fresh tears welled in Sophie’s eyes. “That’s . . . really good news.”
“I wouldn’t get my hopes up yet,” Luzia warned. “The babies still
have to survive the implanting. Some trolls don’t even make it through
that, and it’s their natural way of developing. You’re dealing with
dozens of guesses and estimates and—”
“I know,” Sophie interrupted. “I know the odds are still against us,
but . . . we’re going to beat them. We have to. When you see these little
babies—”
“I’m sure they’re very cute,” Luzia cut in. “Just remember: Nature
has no problem being cruel.”
“Well . . . today we’re going to make it play nice,” Sophie decided. “I
don’t care what it takes. So when do I bring the transport pods to
you?”
“Not yet. I still need to figure out what to do for security. And I’m
not sure how you’ll find where we are.”
“You’re not at Dawnheath?”
“No.” The word had a bitter laugh attached to it. “That would be
disastrous. You’ll have to inform the Council about everything that’s
happened, and I can’t have them asking why I’m involved, or wanting
access to my property to visit their precious alicorns. This can’t
connect to me in any way—do you understand?”
Sophie nodded, even if she didn’t totally get why Luzia’s alliance
with the trolls needed to be secret. All she’d done was set up a safe
place for them to have their babies—wasn’t that a good thing?
Unless she’d done other stuff that Sophie didn’t know about . . .
“So where are you?” she asked, deciding she’d worry about Luzia
Vacker’s secrets later, once Silveny’s babies were safe.