Falling For His Charms

CHAPTER 17

The old wooden door closed behind Sophie with a loud creak. After being inside a fairly warm house, the chill of the early morning air made Sophie shiver slightly. Underneath her boots, she could hear the rocks and dirt crunch - it was a very satisfying sound. Ahead of her, the sun was lighting up the sky, like an orange-pink ceiling, with bright hot-pink or light purple clouds. The smell of smoke had finally gone away; now, there was the smell of fresh flowers and cold air. Sophie liked that better than smoke. She imagined what it would be like to taste the flowers that were filling the air with their scent. Would the petals feel soft like clouds, smooth like a rock worn down in a river? Slightly cold, but a warm, almost alive feeling?

Sophie thought of random things as she walked down the dirt path to the town square. Thanks to Bex, Sophie actually had a lead. She would go to the square, and look for clues. Right before Sophie had left, Bex told her what all of them were wearing, what their abilities were, etc. She would look for those.

She arrived. Like everywhere else in the town, there was only ruble and destruction. A crystal fountain sat in the middle of the clearing, though the water wasn't running and half of the statue of the King holding up a sword was on the ground, the other half still intact but cracked. The shops surrounding the area were in ruins, and the streets were littered with left-behind swords and shields. It was not exactly a pretty sight.

"Umm... Dex? Juline? Kesler? Are you guys here?" Sophie didn't even know why she asked that. Evidently, none of the Dizznees would answer. But still, she waited for an answer. "Hello? I'm here to help you all. I'm staying with the triplets." Again: no answer.

She started to look for clues. Kesler was Talentless, so she didn't have much of a lead there. Juline was a Froster, so she could look for ice or snow... Though it must have melted in the fire. Bex had told her that Dex was a Technopath-

There! On the ground, slightly to the left of the fountain, there was a gear. Technopaths used those, right? And next to the gear, the was a weird cubed device. Looked techy, so it must be from Dex.

Sophie followed a trail of equipment and what seemed like rust towards the ruble of a burnt-down shop, and sticking out of a piece of wood there was what looked like a copper antenna. She reached out her hand to touch the antenna, and pulled on it. When she did, she heard a cough. Surprised of the sudden sound, Sophie jumped, and pulled out a knife, which she pointed at the ruble.

Whoever the person was, it coughed again.

"K-Kesler? Dex? " Sophie asked, since the cough sounded like it came from a male.

"It's Dex, " The person rasped, and Sophie scrambled to the ground, pulling off the burnt wood from him as quickly as she could.

"Thank goodness! I looked everywhere for you and your parents! The triplets are so worried; especially Bex. I made it my number one priority to find you! Are you alright? Do you feel alright? You must be in terrible pain. Is there-" Her rambling was cut off when Dex chuckled.

"Don't worry about me... But the triplets are alright? You're certain?" His face, which had just been uncovered by the ruble, flashed with concern. Sophie nodded.

"I found them the day that I came back here. They were looking for you guys, " She answered, pulling the rest of the wood off of Dex. She cautiously helped him into a sitting position. "Now I'm staying with them at your place. "

Dex nodded, and seemed to loose himself in his thoughts. He coughed again, harder than last time. Sophie rubbed his back. "And... Who are you?" He asked, turning his gaze towards her.

"Sophie Ruewen; I worked at the bakery with my Mother, and in the Clinic with my Father, " She said. His confused eyes turned to recognition, and he smiled.

"I went there once! I had one of your blitzenberry pies; I am so happy that I had one. The triplets love it there too!" Sophie laughed. "Glad that you are such a fan," She added a grin. Dex smiled, his dimples showing, before his smile slowly fell. He coughed again, turning serious.

"You said that you came back here... What did you mean? Weren't you here for the attack?" He asked, looking at her in the eye. She sighed, and retold the story, exactly like how she told her parents. And like her parents, he gasped at the right times. However, unlike her parents, when she told the part of Fitz not wanting her to go find her family, he glared at the ground and growled in anger.

"What's wrong-"

"I knew that the Royals were like that! Especially that prince! He is a spoiled little brat, alright! Grew up in a shiny, perfect castle, with shiny, perfect jewelry, while we have to work our butts off every day! That little d-"

"Dex, calm down! " He had seemed to have bottled up his little outburst all of his life. When Sophie had interrupted him, he looked slightly less lunatic, and more just only a little frustrated. "They're not all like that, you know. And when I first met Fitz..."

"So you're on a first name basis? Perfect," Dex grumbled.

"He actually was quite nice before that argument we had!"

Dex shook his head, then coughed. "You're only saying that because you're in love with him. It's obvious."

"I'm not- I'm- You- He- You know what, let's stop this conversation. The triplets are worried sick, Bex was even crying this morning, so let's go back home, then I'll go find your parents."

Dex looked at the ground, and his eyes filled with tears. "That's- that's the thing. They... They didn't make it, Sophie."

Sophie stared at him, eyes wide. She had an idea of what he had meant; she just didn't want to believe it. "What do you mean?"

He looked at her, tears now streaming down his face. "They're dead. They were killed by the ogres."