Falling For His Charms

CHAPTER 13

Bex, Rex, Lex and Sophie all finished a snack, then Sophie prepared a place for them to nap while she went to go find her parents. Their beds were in no shape to be slept in - broken in the attack - but there were many blankets that could be used instead. She spread out three blankets on the floor for them, for extra padding, and tucked them in.

"So, guys, I'm going to go for a bit, okay? I'm going to find my parents, and when I do, I'll come right back. Later we can find your guys' parents and brother too, alright?" She asked, making sure that she cleared everything.

The triplets nodded, and Sophie smiled. They were going to be okay. Still, she grabbed her bag, and took out three knifes. She gave them to the confused children.

"Umm... We're not supposed to play with weapons," Said Lex, eyeing the knives warily.

"And anything sharp, really," Added Bex, looking uncomfortable.

"Actually, this is just a precaution. You know, for ogres, just in case; though I'm sure you'll all be fine," She said, smiling as they all seemed to understand.

Sophie stood up, slipped on her backpack, and pulled up her hood. She looked at the peaceful triplets, and walked out of the house, closing the door behind her. She felt terrible leaving them there all alone, but it was the only thing to do without putting them in danger.

Now knowing exactly where she was, Sophie walked along the deserted streets, and pulled out a throwing star in fear of being attacked. She really didn't like the eerie silence that hung in the air, instead of usual village sounds: children laughing, adults talking, the sound of horses' hooves stomping along the ground, the wheels of carriages. This new, abandoned Gloria wasn't like the one Sophie loved and knew.

After nearly twenty minutes, Sophie saw the familiar fork in the road, and her heart jumped. Just along the left street, five minutes away, was her bakery and clinic, her home, Grady and Edaline.

Five minutes, and then she would be there.

Smiling to herself, Sophie picked up her speed, and took the left fork. In the distance, she could could see the sign reading 'Ruewen Bakery' and 'Ruewen Animal Clinic', though it was singed and looked more like it said 'wen kery nd uewn animal cl c'. But she didn't mind. They could make a new sign when this was all over. When she was with her parents.

Then there it was.: her home, in all its ruined glory.

Sophie ran towards it, and flung open the door. She looked around for anything out of the ordinary, but saw nothing other than dust everywhere, broken furniture, glass spilled all over the floor. But when she walked towards the basement stairs, she saw that the ceiling had collapsed on it - just as Edaline had said it had.

She walked towards the splintered, collapsed wood and tried to lift it - nope. That didn't work. She tried again, but ended up just getting a splinter. Swearing to herself, Sophie tried one last time. And... That wasn't happening. There was no way a sixteen-year-old elf could lift up heavy ceiling off the ground...

Or was there?

An idea came to Sophie out of he blue, and Sophie shook her head at her foolishness for not thinking of it before. Telekinesis, of course!

The young girl closed her eyes, and thought about grounding herself. She thought of energy, and pulling it in a ball, near her core. Pulling mental and physical strength into the ball, making it much stronger. More powerful. Raising her hands towards the ceiling-covered stairs, Sophie poured out the power she had gathered and thrust it through her fingertips. She opened her eyes softly, and gasped at what she saw.

The whole entire clump of broken ceiling wood was floating in the air, two meters off the ground, barely shaking at all. Sophie had no idea she possessed this power - it was a wonder how she was doing it so well.

And then it hit her, the full-on exhaustion. It came so quickly, like walking across the street when suddenly a horse comes crazy and trampling. With shaky fingers, Sophie levitated the ceiling away from the stairs, into the kitchen, so that she could walk down stairs. She let out a sigh of relief when she landed it, and put her hands on her knees, catching her breath.

When her heart had calmed down, Sophie stood up tall, unsheathed the sword from it's scabbard, and put away her knives. She looked around, making sure that she wasn't being followed, then walked down the stairs, into the darkness.