Exile

Sophie steels herself to drink a green poison that holds “life and death” for herself, Prentice, and Alden. She wonders if she can “live with the guilt” if she doesn’t “give up everything to set things right” (4). She’s broken, and only trust remains.

Sophie, Dex, and Grady track a sasquatch, accompanied by Sophie’s goblin bodyguard, Sandor. A rustling sound provokes him to lift her off the ground, annoying Sophie, but it’s only Grady, her father. Sandor wants to take Sophie home, but Grady needs her. As she possesses exceptional telepathy skills, her ability to “track thoughts to their exact location” (7) is essential.

Sophie picks up the creature’s thoughts, impressing Dex, who envies her talent. He’s a Technopath but has not revealed his talent, hoping a “better” one will manifest. Having more than one talent is unusual, but Sophie is also an Inflictor, a talent she wishes she could give up. Sophie leaves Grady and Dex behind to follow the creature into a clearing.

She finds not a sasquatch but an alicorn, a silver-haired, winged horse with a horn of white and silver. The alicorn is skittish, and Sophie calms her by repeatedly transmitting the words “friend” and “safe” along with images of herself caring for other animals.