This post contains a spoiler from late in the series and hints at other late series spoilers. Do not read this post unless you have read ALL of the Keeper books.
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Back in 2020, Shannon Messenger posted deleted lines on her Instagram. A Tumblr user compiled them. The Tumblr posts are a handy way to see the posts at a glance without having to scroll back through years of Instagram posts. I did exactly that just because I wanted to verify that the captured posts are from Shannon's Instagram. And they are.
There is a lot of misinformation about this series that has been spread online between fans. For instance, if you ask Google who Sophie's father is, Google gives a wrong answer based on a fake story someone told in an online forum. Google even quotes the fake story, so that is how little we can trust online content about this series. When someone says that something came from Shannon Messenger, I make certain. I take no chances.
Here are the Tumblr pages that compile Messenger's posts giving her deleted lines.
Exile Deleted Lines
Everblaze Deleted Lines
Neverseen Deleted Lines
Neverseen Deleted Lines Part 2
Lodestar Deleted Lines
Lodestar Deleted Lines Part 2
Nightfall Deleted Lines
Flashback Deleted Lines
Legacy Deleted Lines
Stellarlune Deleted Lines
I transcribed three of the deleted lines posts that I consider to be pretty interesting and important.
From Shannon Messenger's Instagram, deleted scene from Everblaze:
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kenric said, shaking out the scroll harder and filling the room with more crunching and crackling. "Am I distracting you?"
"You know very well what you're doing," Bronte snapped.
"I do," Kenric agreed. "I'm making notes on everything I see happen today."
Bronte sighed. "There's no need. I'll be giving the Council a full report tonight."
"Oh this isn't for the Council. This is for Grady. I figured he'll want to know exactly how you're treating his daughter." Kenric grinned when Bronte scowled. "There's nothing quite like an angry Mesmer, is there?"
Sophie had never been more tempted to hug him.
I wish that this part of the Kenric, Bronte, and Sophie Inflicting scene had stayed in the book. It's great! Some readers struggle to understand why Sophie is so heartbroken about the loss of Kenric. This shows why.
Shannon also posted some additional deleted lines from the same scene.
From Shannon Messenger's Instagram, deleted scene from Everblaze:
"Try to imagine yourself somewhere peaceful," Sophie told Bronte. "Like... a babbling brook."
He snorted. "That is not a peaceful place, Miss Foster. It's a haven for trolls."
Sophie sighed. "Fine. Then think of somewhere you like to relax."
She fully expected Bronte to tell her it was his job as a Councillor to never relax.
Instead he said, "Okay I'm picturing a library filled with books I've never read."
"That's... good," Sophie mumbled, surprised that Bronte's peaceful place actually sounded peaceful. "Now try to relax."
"Done. What now?"
"Uh, you don't sound relaxed," Sophie noted.
"Shocking, given that I'm currently taking Inflicting lessons from a untrained child!"
From Shannon Messenger's Instagram, deleted scene from Neverseen:
"I think you need a day off," Sophie told Calla. "Let me cover your 'To Do' list."
"You cannot sing to trees. And you should be training. Not washing dishes."
"Hey, my human mom used to say, 'if you have two hands you can put them to work.' "
Calla smiled at that. "I'm glad they gave you a good mother—mothers, actually. Lady Ruewen has always been one of my favorites. As has your genetic mother."
Sophie froze. "You know who she is?"
"I suggested her. Please do not ask more than that."
Okay, now this is very interesting. Shannon had this to say about these deleted lines:
I realized as I got deeper into writing the middle of this series that sometimes it’s better to hold off making something "canon" until I really need to, because it gives me the option of pivoting to a better idea (you know, if I *get* a better idea) as the story develops. So in this case, I'd already given several huge revelations about Calla and didn’t NEED to add this one in. I was also nowhere near to the point in the story where I'd be having Sophie looking into her genetic parents, so I decided to cut this out just in case, when I got to that point in the story... I'd have the option of changing this detail if I needed to.
Based on what I believe must be true about Mr. Forkle's true identity as well as that of Sophie's father, I do not believe that Calla suggested Oralie to be Sophie's mother. It had to have been Mr. Forkle's plan all along. There is no other explanation based on what is revealed in the Forgotten Secrets of Book 9.
However, I really like these deleted lines. Going off of them, I feel that it's likely that Mr. Forkle had Calla approach Oralie about donating to Project Moonlark. Calla would have had a great chance of success. So, that's what I think would be canon.
You can find all of my Keeper posts at this link:
Keeper of the Lost Cities Summaries, Reviews, and Theories
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