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Chapter 19

" . . . What?" The world seemed to stop. Sophie barely felt Keefe holding her hand tightly, sending colorful breezes through her head. It didn't matter. But Oralie's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Sophie. Are you alright?"

"What?" Sophie repeated.

"I asked if you were alright. You zoned out for a moment."

"I don't . . . I don't want the Amitrynes to take custody of Arina. They abandoned her!" Sophie shouted through the screen. "I love her too much to let her go."

"Please calm down, Sophie. We're going to settle everything tomorrow. Usually we would have asked you and the Amitrynes to file for adoption papers or something like that, but the Amitrynes are her biological parents."

"But they abandoned her! Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Of course it does. The rest of the Council and I will discuss it during the tribunal tomorrow, which is why your attendance is needed. Worst case scenario, I think you would have to say goodbye to Arina very soon."

Sophie burst into tears after that, and Keefe ended the hail. He wrapped his arms around her, her tears soaking his tunic.

"It's okay. It's okay."

"How can you say that? The Amitrynes are taking her away from us." Sophie whimpered.

"Look, Sophie. We're going to do everything we can to keep Arina with us. But in case what Oralie said might happen, we could still see her."

"I don't think that would happen. I've met the Amitrynes on multiple occasions. They were entitled and snobby." Sophie said, and tears welled in her eyes again.

"Well then, we'll just have to prove that you would be a better guardian for Arina."

"I guess. I don't know. What if they take her away?"

"Let's not worry about that right now. We should tell Arina what the expected outcome might be tomorrow." he grimaced.

"I want to tell her alone. Please." Sophie pleaded. Keefe understood and nodded. "Let's at least let her finish her session. It's one thing that she enjoys."

Once Arina came back inside, her tunic as wet as Keefe's, Sophie ushered her into her room.

"Arina, I . . ." Sophie trailed off, at a loss for words.

"What is it?"

"We might be separated soon."

"What!?"

"The Council came into contact with your . . . real parents. And they want to take back custody of you."

"Can't I just stay with you?"

"I would love that. But, Oralie, the Councillor you met the other day said that we might have to say goodbye to each other." Sophie said, and Arina gaped at her.

"But . . . how soon?"

"As soon as tomorrow."

"That's so early!"

"I know. But, if anything bad happens tomorrow, just know that I love you so much, okay?"

"I love you too, Sophie." Arina said, and hugged Sophie, her tears soaking Sophie's tunic this time. She held tight for what seemed like a few hours but was probably only a few minutes. "This isn't goodbye, is it?"

"I'm afraid it might be." Sophie replied.

"Well then, if it is, could we do something fun?" Only Arina would do something like that before they were maybe going to be separated.

"Whatever you want. Today is going to be a fun day." Sophie replied with a shaky smile. The child dragged Sophie downstairs, where Keefe, Biana, and Linh were standing, concerned. Biana was chewing on her fingernails, and Linh was looking off into the distance. When she saw Sophie, Biana rushed to her.

"It's really true?" And Sophie knew she was referring to the situation with the Amitrynes.

"Yeah."

"Keefe told us. And Arina, please know that even if your custody is taken by the Amitrynes, I will continue to mentor you whenever I can. I'll even sneak onto your property." Linh said, smiling steadily.

"I'd like that. But we're supposed to be having fun." Arina said in reply. "In case I can't live with you and Biana anymore." she said to Sophie.

"That's all going to be settled tomorrow. Don't worry about it. Let the adults handle it." Sophie replied. And idea popped into her head. "How would you like to meet the rest of my friends? There aren't that many more."

"That sound fun! So in total, I've met Biana, Keefe, Fitz, Linh, and Dex.

"You forgot Tam. I'm pretty sure last time you listed who you had already met you forgot him as well."

Arina flushed slightly. "Oops! Then I've met Biana, Keefe, Fitz, Dex, Linh and Tam."

"All that's left is . . . Marella and Wylie, isn't it? We could go pay them a visit."

"Who are they?"

"Marella is Dex's wife, and also one of the first friends I made at Foxfire. Wylie is Linh's fiancée. By the way, when is the wedding going to happen?" Sophie asked.

"We're planning it to be in a couple of months." Linh replied shyly.

"Which do you want to meet first?" Sophie asked.

"It doesn't matter to me. All that matters is that we have fun today!"

They leaped to Dex and Marella's property, Moonglade, but when they arrived, Marella wasn't home. Dex told them she had went on a Black Swan investigation and had been gone for a few hours. Sophie looked at Arina, thinking that she would be disappointed, but she looked all the same. Linh pulled out her home crystal, and they leaped to her and Wylie's house.

She unlocked the door swiftly and they all piled into the house.

"Wy?" Linh called through the house.

"Linh?" he replied, and somehow figured out exactly where they were within seconds. Engulfing her in a hug, he swept her into his arms and kissed her cheek. Linh laughed breezily, which was when Wylie noticed the rest of them. "Hey, guys. Didn't know you were coming."

"Well, Arina wanted to meet you. You know my temporary prodigy?"

"Please do not bring up anything from that place again. It does not hold the greatest memories." he said. Everyone except Arina nodded. Right. She wasn't there when Wylie was kidnapped.

"Anyways, Arina, this is Wylie. Wylie, this is Arina." Linh said, and Arina stepped out from behind Keefe.

"She looks like you, not going to lie." he said, looking at Linh.

"Does she?" she asked.

"Same jet black hair and curious eyes. You guys even have the same ability."

"I never thought of that."

"Well, enough chit-chat. You wanna see the hologram room?" Wylie asked Arina.

"Do I?" she exclaimed, and raced after him. Sophie was happy to see her so excited. After all, she might not even be able to see her smile again after the next day.