Keeper of The Lost Cities: Book 9: Showdown

Chapter 35: Sophie's POV

When Grady and I finally reach home, Edaline waits for us in the foyer, worry and anxiety etched into her face. She fidgets with the sleeve hem of her gown.

"Sophie, there are some custard bursts in the kitchen," she says. "If you'd like some."

She and Grady share a look, prompting her to voice her worry. "How... is everything alright?"

I don't try to extract myself from the conversation. "They had to remove Councilor Kenric's Wanderling," I say, which merits a small gasp from Edaline.

"The poison was spreading," Grady says, in way of explanation. "At first, it was only on the trunk, but once it got through the roots, there was no way of stopping it from spreading to other trees."

Edalines presses a hand to her mouth. "There's no... nothing left there?"

"I think they left the sign," Grady says. "But I spoke with Bronte. He says we may still be able to find some trace of his DNA, just enough to maybe create another seed."

"That's a very risky gamble if I've ever seen one," I say. "No doubt Alina has thoroughly purged her newfound castle of any remnants Kenric might have left behind."

"True," Grady concedes. "But I wasn't talking about Councilor Alina."

"Then who-oh." I answer my own question. "You're talking about Oralie."

"That I am," he says quietly. "That I am."

Edaline fills the silence. "That's it. We will be having custard bursts as a family." she bends down slightly to stage-whisper to me. "I'll even let you 'give' some to Bo and Sandor."

I grin. We both know where this is going.

-+-

After a long debate on custard burst and several rounds of jumping and shoving (my wrath on my bodyguard's skyscraper-height) I at last have the opportunity to collapse on my bed. I think this practice is very therapeutic, as everyone should have the opportunity to flop onto a comfortable place, even if it's not somewhere you sleep.

Edaline comes into my room bearing two steaming mugs of cinnacreme. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

I smile. "There's a little too much to talk about. Where do you want me to start?"

Edaline puts her hands in her lap with some subtle flair. "Well, we can start with the fact that I am very, very proud of you, and I will be even prouder the day after tomorrow."

"You aren't scared... or that protective feeling mothers feel?"

Edaline laughs. "That I am. Right now, more than ever, I want to wrap you in bubble wrap and put a 'fragile' sticker on your forehead, and then ship you off somewhere far, far away and let someone else deal with the problem. But... I suppose I've somewhat come to terms with your situation. And I also realized that if it wasn't you, it would be someone else." She pulls me up into a sitting position. "And I also think that you're very lucky, to have been the one fate chose."

I cock an eyebrow. "You believe in fate?"

"Well, not exactly," she says. "But I do believe that each of us has some pre-written, drafted story. It's up to us to revise and edit."

What do you know, my mother has some pretty nice metaphors up her sleeves.

Edaline takes a deep breath and a dainty sip before she continues. "And I also want to say that you are doing, and have done, everything that you possibly can. You have more on your plate than you can eat, and I steadfastly refuse to listen to anyone that says anything along the lines of 'it was my fault'. And by 'my', I mean you."

I look up at her from my cinnacreme. It's very entrancing, you know?

"D'you know," I said, "what we found at the tree's roots?"

Edaline frowned. "Grady might have forgotten to mention that part."

"Would you like to know what it said?"

"That I would."

"The cure was in Elysium - a shame you'll never find it." My voice comes out icily, the way it did when I first read it for the Council. "And it was written on fancy gold paper, with fancy gold writing. Like she was mocking us." Cinnacreme doesn't nearly feel so alluring anymore. "That's what it took the Council to finally tell us that we were ready to go. But then Mr. Forkle told me that-"

Edaline wraps me in a hug as hot, stubborn tears leave burning trails down my cheeks. "You're rambling," she says softly. "But it's ok. It's all ok."

"But it's not!" I pull away. "I have no idea what situation Biana and Dex are in. I have absolutely no idea what or who we're going to see in Elysium, and now Keefe's dragged my sister into all of it and I have no idea what I'm even doing!" I sniffle. "And don't tell me it's ok!"

She gave me a small smile. "Ok, I won't," she smooths my hair. "But I want you to know that I will be right here, next to you, if you ever need anything. And so will Grady." She pats my head and squeezes my hands. "And you can ask me for anything, alright? Even if you want custard bursts at questionable times in the night or if you want me to come with you to Elysium. You can ask me for anything. Got it?"

I nod my head dimly.

"Good." She makes for the door, but when she gets there and Sandor clears the way for her, she stops, as if something has finally hit her head. "Did you say you found a note there?"

"Yes," I say hesitantly.

"And was it there before?"

"No..."

"And when'd you find it?"

I have to do some thinking. "It was right about after I found out that they were removing the tree. Stina'd found something near the roots. Of... what was left, anyway. It was in Lady Gisela's handwriting."

Edaline shakes her head, and when she speaks, her tone is urgent. "Sophie, she most likely used an accelerant," she says. "It makes poisons, cures, and whatever act faster by playing on the key ingredients." she exhales. "You need to get Kesler and Livvy to check on that."

"Whatever for?"

"Accelerants are risky," she says. "There are a hundred factors that come into play, and even if one of them is off, the whole thing can go awry." She tosses my imparter to me. "Hail Elwin, and try to get in contact with someone who can get to Livvy. If they were afraid of the poison spreading, it might already be too late."