Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“Do I have a choice?” Tam snapped back.
“Yes,” Sophie promised. “You do. There’s always a choice.”
“But that doesn’t mean it’s a good choice,” Lady Gisela countered.
“Remember what’s at stake here. Not just for Silveny and Greyfell.”
Tam’s voice filled Sophie’s head, and she glanced down to find his
shadow crossing hers so he could shadow-whisper just to her, “I . . .
think I have to go with her. If I don’t—and something happens to
Linh . . .”
And what if something happens to you? Sophie transmitted back.
“I can handle myself,” his shadow voice insisted. “If I can survive
my parents—and years of Exillium—I can find a way to navigate
through whatever this is. And who knows, if I play nice for a while,
maybe I can learn something useful about their plan.”
That sounds a lot like what Keefe thought when he ran off to join the
Neverseen—and you saw how well that worked out for him, Sophie
reminded him.
“Yeah . . . but he still made it back.” His shadow edged closer, his
voice turning more urgent. “And I don’t really care about me. I care
about Linh—if I go with them now, you’ll have more time to figure out
how to really protect her. And you’ll save Silveny and Greyfell.”
“Don’t do it,” Keefe pleaded, probably feeling Tam’s mood shift.
“I have to,” Tam said, pulling his hand free from Sophie and
stepping closer to Lady Gisela. “But I want your word that if I do,
you’ll leave my sister alone.”
“Of course, Tam. As long as you cooperate.” She held out the vials
of antidote. “Do we have a deal? And keep in mind that if you say yes,
it’s effective immediately. No goodbyes. No looking back. No one has
time for that. And absolutely no contact with anyone until you’ve had