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Chapter 17 - Sophie

To say Mr. Forkle was mad would be an understatement.

After Trix's identity was revealed, everyone had been way too shocked to move. The first one to come to their senses, surprisingly, was Marella.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she had yelled. "Take him off to the Councillors! Or Exile! Or do something!"

Her voice had been cracking and her eyes starting to well, but she almost masked it perfectly. Sophie might have been the only one to notice how much this was breaking her. Probably because she was familiar with the exact same thing Marella was doing. Putting on a strong face for everyone, even though inside it felt like you were about to collapse.

After her outburst, Marella had light leaped away before anyone could stop her. Linh promised she would go talk to her, and left not long after. Everyone took off shortly later, mumbling excuses before letting the light carry them away. Sophie had tried to sneak up to her bedroom unnoticed but Mr. Forkle had a good eye. He gave her a look that made it clear she wasn't going to get out of this one that easily.

Now Biana and Sophie were sitting on the couch in Havenfiled's living room, while Mr. Forkle stood facing the window with crossed arms. Ro was lounging not too far off but she looked bored, while Elwin settled next to Biana, still tending her melder injuries. Grady, Edaline, Alden, and Della watched them, their faces coated in unreadable expressions.

After an unbearable silence, Mr. Forkle turned to them. He spoke quietly, his tone deep and indecipherable. "I haven't searched your mind for the events that transpired yet, Miss Foster. I trust you'll tell the whole story, especially given the circumstances."

Sophie knew she was in for it this time. She explained what happened, looking down and fumbling with her hands the whole time. This wasn't like when she had snuck off to London with Keefe and Fitz. This time humans had seen them. Not one, but hundreds, possibly thousands, of humans. The only upside was that they had captured Trix, and he was currently being taken to a Black Swan hideout until the Collective figured out how to explain all this to the Council.

When Sophie finished describing the story, the room filled with a thick silence. It was several agonizing moments as she waited for someone to say something. Finally Alden asked, "You teleported to an airport in the United Kingdom?"

Sophie winced. "I didn't try to—"

"But you did." Mr. Forkle turned to confront her and Biana. Sophie tried to read his expression. He looked somewhat beliwederd, a little in awe, worried and angry. Definitely angry. "How?"

Sophie tried to hide her blush. No way was she going to answer that in front of everyone if what she thought happened was true. "I wasn't even thinking about airports! One minute we were falling and the void wasn't opening, but the next my teleporting started working again and we landed on an airstrip."

Sophie snuck a quick glance at Mr. Forkle. She could tell he knew she was avoiding the question.

As if on cue Mr. Forkle transmitted to her, We need to talk later. Alone.

Great.

"Biana shouldn't be in trouble," Sophie told him. "This is all my fault, not hers. She got hurt because of me."

Biana sat up as if to protest, but clutched her chest in pain a moment later and needed Elwin's help to lay back down.

Sophie mentioned to her. "See?"

"Don't you dare try taking all the blame for this, Sophie Foster." Biana gritted her teeth as Elwin flashed lights around her abdomen, but her expression was entirely determined. "I wanted to come. I forced you to let me come with you. So technically, it's my fault."