They arrived a couple minutes later at Havenfield. Grady was waiting for us at the door. "How'd it go?" he asked, smiling. Then he noticed our distressed expressions. "Is something wrong?"

   "No, not wrong, but very, very nerve-wracking," Fitz answered, his worried expression showing clearly on his face. "Edaline should probably be out here to hear this too." At Fitz's words, Grady raced inside and called for Edaline; within seconds, they were both on the doorstep, looking just as anxious as Sophie felt.

   "So what happened at Everglen?" Edaline asked.

   "The Council appeared," Sophie replied. "They told us that the human arsonists were gone, probably because Brant is now dead, and they are relieved, but they just want to send a couple elves over to investigate so they know for sure. They chose us, because as kids we'll blend in more. However, even though all seven in our crew are super-powerful, they only chose four of us because they only 'had access' to four disguises." Sophie made little finger quotes in the air to show her sarcasm.

   "In other words, they were too lazy to ask my dad for more," Dex reasoned, winking despite the tension.

   "Anyway, they told us Biana, Tam, and Linh can't go, since Linh is going to be attracted to water, Biana can't help subconsciously vanishing sometimes, and Tam is just kind of a loner -- he honestly won't find out any information. Keefe's and Dex's abilities are less obvious, and they're more extroverted. Fitz and I have been to the Forbidden Cities before, so we know what it's like and we can navigate," Sophie explained. "The Council wants experience, too."

   "So you're basically telling us that you're going to another world completely for a month, and you're not even worried what's going to happen?" Grady questioned, beginning to look just as anxious as they were.

   "Yep, that's basically what we're telling you, minus the 'not even worried' part," Keefe replied, grinning slightly.

   "Wow. I can't believe you're so grown up now, Sophie," Edaline murmured. "You're going off on your own to face the world for a month. I know you've done more dangerous things, but you've never done anything like this before, have you?"

   Sophie nodded in agreement. "You're right. It's very different from anything I've ever done before -- I don't know what will happen. But I'll try to stay out of trouble for you guys." Sophie gazed fondly at her adoptive parents, who had taken care of her, the freak with five abilities, for three years, without complaining. They'd done so much for her. And then Biana, Tam, and Linh -- without them, none of the group would be the people they were today. They were so important to Sophie, and she didn't know if she'd be able to live without them.

***

   Ring, ring!  the doorbell chimed, announcing the arrival of the disguise vials. Sophie was excited, but also scared -- as soon as they got the disguises taken care of, they'd have to wait a day, grab her glasses, and visit the Council so they could give the future spies a proper send-off. Sophie only had a day left in the Lost Cities before she would go to live in the Forbidden Cities for a whole month.

   Grady went to answer the door, and returned to the living room with a small package labeled "Fragile." He set it down carefully on the living room floor, and gestured to Sophie. She tore it open and slowly removed the four vials inside. They too were labeled: Kitterie, Sam, Kyle, and Oliver.

   "Now you guys get to decide who you're going to be," Sophie reminded the boys as she downed the Kitterie vial. It tasted like mallowmelt and strawberries -- a delicious combo. "Mmm, my disguise potion tastes really good!"

   Dex, Fitz, and Keefe talked amongst themselves for a bit, and finally Dex snatched the Sam vial, Keefe grabbed Kyle, and Fitz took Oliver. All three of them quickly consumed the bottles' contents and made faces.

   "Eww!" Keefe exclaimed after his container was empty. "Mine tastes like old smelly socks!"

   Sophie giggled. "You've tasted old smelly socks before?"

   "Well, I had to get rid of my dad's tacky gnome socks before we had visitors," he replied, looking mock-offended. "Would you want your host to be wearing socks with little squished-up faces when you met him?"

      "Mine tastes suspiciously like rotten eggs," Fitz announced, looking slightly green. "I hope Dex's is better."

   The boy shook his head. "You think those are bad? Try booger." He retched, and Biana led him to a trash can.

   "Well, I certainly got the better end of the deal," Sophie chuckled after all three boys had taken turns in the bathroom, each more pale than the previous victim. Judging by the looks on their faces, and the apparently decreased sizes of their stomachs, all had lost whatever lunch they had.

   "Not fair," they grumbled when Sophie smiled at them brightly. "Girls are always favored."

   Then Sophie felt her shape contorting. Suddenly, everyone was a lot taller.

   "Guys," she groaned, after the pain subsided. "I think the disguises are starting to kick in."