He Left Me - KotLC fic (after Unlocked)

Chapter 17

One more for tonight; this one is super short, and again, I'll go back and edit soon, but for now, don't hate me?

We stood there for what felt like hours. Eventually the crowd settled into quiet unease, and tangible fear was thick in the air. I reached to tug out an eyelash, but remembered the make-up Biana had applied so liberally and dropped my hand.

I pulled my imparter out of my pocket. "Show me Grady Ruewen."

Nothing happened. The screen was dark, and there was no sign that it worked. I tucked the square back into my dress and sat, pulling my friends with me. We huddled into a pile on the floor, Sandor the only one remaining standing. From the sound of it, other students were beginning to sit too.

"The doors are still locked." The echoing voice was filled with dread, coming from my right. The whispers grew throughout the crowd. We were truly trapped.

All was quiet for a while longer. It could have been minutes or hours; I couldn't tell. The suffocating darkness reminded me painfully of the King's Path in the dwarven kingdom.

"Hello."

The booming voice caused everyone to jump and many people to scream. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, and I found myself searching for the source frantically in the pitch black.

"Everyone should be on the ground. If not, please proceed to be in the next minute."

There were a few scuffling sounds. I reached for Sandor's hand, tugging the reluctant goblin to the ground.

"Sophie Foster is in the crowd tonight. Please stand."

Fitz clutched at my hand, and Sandor put a heavy hand on my shoulder, keeping me sitting.

"Let me rephrase. Stand, or we'll start testing how little oxygen these students can live on."

My friends protested, but I forced myself upright, resisting Sandor's squeaky orders. I couldn't let anyone else die.

I grinned, my hands shaking slightly with adrenaline. I needed the lights back on. I needed my friends and classmates to leave so I could settle this properly. 

"Very good. Please step away from your friends and bodyguard."

Fitz tightened his hold on my hand. "Sophie, don't. You can't risk it."

"You're right." The walls were back to full power, my voice empty and hard. I shook off his hand and Sandor's. "I can't risk anyone else."

Stay with them, I ordered Sandor, transmitting the command.

He was silent, but he didn't pull me back. I stepped backwards, hoping I wouldn't trip on another human.

"One more step, there, Ms. Foster."

I prayed there wasn't a sitting person behind me and stepped backwards.

A hand clapped a piece of fabric over my nose and mouth from behind. I struggled to free myself, kicking and elbowing whoever it was, but they held fast. I laughed through the fabric, nearly a cackle as they pressed the fabric harder to my face. I didn't even try to turn away from the hand over my face. A sickly-sweet smell invaded my senses, and my head started ringing. My head started to fill with the hated fog of a sedative, and with my last conscious thought, I transmitted to Fitz, Swan song.

I faintly heard shouting as the darkness pulled me under.