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Chapter 23

Sophie spent another hour wandering through the depths of Arina's former home, studying the places where it seemed she had been the most. A small aquifer had a small picnic blanket of some sorts and a couple of string lights. 

There was also a room in her small house that contained a beanbag, fluffy pillows, a plethora of blankets, and more than a couple boxes of Prattles. Smiling sadly, she gathered up the tiny trinkets Arina had treasured in a small bag. She cleaned up the remaining boxes of prattles and folded up all the blankets to take home. Arina wouldn't be coming back here. 

After picking up everything that would be easy to clean up, she pulled out her home crystal. She tried to urge the sun into producing enough light for her to leap home, but since it was already evening there wasn't nearly enough light to produce a light beam.

"Why now?" Sophie grumbled, and channeled energy into her legs to teleport instead. To be honest, levitating would be easier, but there wasn't enough height in the cave for her to gather enough energy to teleport that way. Sprinting, she imagined her room in Biana's house, complete with the paintings Keefe had given her and gadgets from Dex strewn almost everywhere. She concentrated, and felt a click in her brain as she slipped into the void. 

She teleported, but ran straight into Tam. Her caught her and steadied her shoulders, surprised himself. "Oh. Hey. I found Sophie!" he called throughout the house. "You okay?" he asked her. 

"Yeah. I went to go clean up Arina's . . .  place." she replied. Tam nodded in acknowledgment. 

Everyone rushed into her room, Biana coming in first. She crashed into Sophie as had crashed into Tam. "Where were you? You gave me a heart attack!"

"I went to go clean up Arina's stuff." Sophie said again, and gestured to the bag of trinkets and stack of blankets. The prattles had spilled everywhere when she had run into Tam. 

"Oh." Biana said. "Okay, then. That's settled. You aren't missing now. We thought you were kidnapped or something."

"That was all you, Biana. We all know that Sophie can handle herself." Keefe said. Everyone else nodded. 

"I was worried, alright? Last time she disappeared for that long, the Neverseen had taken her."

"And then Sophie beat them all to a pulp. Then we came and captured all of them and they got their Tribunals and they were sent to prison." Dex said.

"That's not what happened!" Sophie said.

"Yeah, and she came back with a broken arm and a giant gash on her leg." Biana countered. 

"Let's not talk about them." Sophie intervened. "I'm okay." Everyone went silent. "Now, what time is it?"

"I don't know, 6:00?" Biana questioned.

"I'll make dinner, then. Who's staying?" Sophie asked. Everyone raised their hand. "I guess I'll get to it then." 

Walking downstairs to the kitchen, she pulled out the ingredients for Mashed Carnissa Root and Umber Leaves with Sugarknots for dessert. Surprisingly, Biana came into the kitchen as well.

"What are you doing here?" Sophie asked, chopping up some ingredients.

"Can't I help my best friend prepare dinner for the rest of our friends?"

"You and I both know that you don't and can't cook. What's the real reason?" Sophie asked, turning to Biana. She was twisting her fingers, her own nervous habit.

"Well, I might be . . . pregnant?"

"What!?" Sophie dropped her knife suddenly, and it clanged onto the floor loudly.

"Shhhh! Keep it down! Do you want the whole world to know?"

"When did this happen?" Sophie got straight to the point.

"I'm not exactly sure." Biana admitted.

"Biana . . ."

"I don't know! Tam and I went to one of my friend's party a week ago, and we may have gotten a little . . ." Biana swallowed.

"Well then how do you know?" Sophie asked.

"I started getting really sick, and I thought something was wrong. So I went to Elwin, we had a physical, and . . ."

"Oh my god, Biana. You aren't even married yet!"

Biana looked down shamefully. "Are you mad at me?"

"What? Of course not." Sophie assured, grabbing her friend's hands. "But are you ready for this?"

"I'm not sure." Biana said, her eyes tearing up. "What do I do? How am I supposed to face Tam?"

"He's the father of your child. If he leaves you or something, which I know he won't, then I'll show him a piece of my mind."

Biana sniffled. "Really?"

"Yeah. No matter what, I'm helping you get through this. You won't be alone. But you have to tell him eventually."

"Can't I hold it off? I'm not ready to tell him."

"Whenever you're ready. But I think your deadline has to be before the wedding. When is that, anyways?"

"In two months. But why before? Why not after?"

"Well, in case . . . he isn't ready. Then you don't have to go through the drama of a divorce and stuff."

Biana's eyes welled up again.

"Hey. Tam isn't that kind of guy. Everything's going to be okay." Sophie hugged Biana gently.

"Thank you, Sophie."

"There's nothing to thank me for. That's what friends are for." 

"I guess I should probably help you, since I'm already here." Biana wiped her tears. "What do you want me to do? But make sure that it's something I can do. I'm not the most reliable person in the kitchen."

Sophie instructed Biana how to boil the Carnissa Root and Umber Leaves. Sophie assembled everything, including the Sugarknots. Biana dusted some sort of sugar on top, and they brought the plates to the table.

"Biana? Are you okay?" Tam asked, noticing her slightly puffy eyes.

"I'm fine. Just . . ." she sent a look towards Sophie that said help!

"We were talking about Arina." Sophie lied. Tam blinked slowly and got up to hug Biana. Biana was worried for no reason at all. Tam was a great guy, and he would always be there for her.