what happened after unlocked

chapter fifteen ~ warnings and healings

The Council didn't notice the man.

Which was pretty surprising, given the fact that he was so noticeable, beard and all, and having just leaped away. Elves never aged – well, they did, but they didn't show it; you could mistake a million-year-old woman for someone who just came out of her teens.

Sophie looked across at her friends, but none of them seemed to notice him either.

Or maybe they were just trying to hide the fact that they did because the Councillors were standing in front of them in an intimidating pack of wolves.

"We warned you approximately seven days ago not to continue searching for Mr Sencen," Councillor Emery announced. "We also have word that you have disobeyed this order and have even communicated with him."

"Um...no!" Sophie lied, coming up with something on the spot. "We never talked to him or tried to look for him – we're not stupid enough to try and find him after you warned us about the Team Valiant thing..."

Biana winced.

Emery gave her a pitying look. "The elf we were informed of this by does not lie."

Sophie groaned. "Was it Lord Cassius again?"

Oralie shook her head this time, and in the brief second their eyes met, she looked worried.

Emery spoke again. "You have one last chance to follow our law and if you disobey us again, you know what will happen."

Biana, Maruca, Stina, Linh and Marella all huddled together, but Sophie set herself apart from the others. She wasn't sure what to feel – but some part of her felt betrayed by the fact that her own mom and the Councillor who she'd only recently started to like hadn't put up fight against the rest of the Councillors and taken her side.

"We won't disappoint you," Tam finally said, causing Sophie's head to jolt to face him; she'd thought he had left, but he must have heard everything they'd spoken about in the past ten minutes.

Oh no.

Before Sophie could utter another word, Emery nodded curtly and the Council leaped away.

As soon as they left she slumped onto the armchair she'd inhabited before and put her head in her hands. How did the Council know they were still looking for Keefe? How did they know that they'd talked to him?

Unless it was an inside job – but no one would ever betray her like that. Or...would they?

When Sophie realized that everyone was looking at her, she stood up and turned to Tam. "You heard all of...that, right?"

Tam grimaced and avoided her gaze. "Um...yeah, pretty much."

"Are you going to tell Fitz?"

"To be honest, Sophie," he said carefully, "I'm not entirely sure if he has his eyes on you anymore."

Sophie's eyes widened. She'd never really considered that.

But it still made her chest tighten.

"Um, setting that aside," Biana half-smiled, trying to light the mood, "What do we do now?"

Sophie sat back down again, not answering.

She felt so lost.

So alone.

So...disoriented.

And then suddenly, without realizing it, she'd fallen into a sea of thoughts and feelings and consciousness.

Out of all the people in the mind-web, there was one calling to her from the very end, so she sorted through the mess to make her way to that particular calling.

It was a familiar voice.

A weak voice.

Alvar's voice.

Sophie eyes snapped open and she found herself at the door of the Havenfield mansion. "Alvar needs our help – I've got to go!"

***

The Healing Centre wasn't very bright.

On the contrary, it was more like a swirling galaxy; the ceiling was scattered with stars and it was a deep shade of indigo, the walls matching the dark pigmentation. It seemed enchanted.

Sophie's eyes took a while to adjust to the darkness, but when they finally did she saw Alvar convulsing in his bed, Elwin muttering things under his breath as he searched the shelves madly for the right elixir.

"Elwin! Is Alvar okay?" Sophie said, rushing over to Elwin.

"He hasn't been okay at all, actually," Elwin admitted, locating his prize. "I think I'm going to have to transfer him to my house so I can keep an eye on him at all times. Is everything good with you?"

"I just heard Alvar's voice calling to me in his mind. He must be suffering or something," Sophie said. She watched Elwin pour the elixir into Alvar's mouth, and saw him still with the potion in his systems.

"That must be the understatement of the century," Elwin said, facing Sophie and rubbing the dark circles under his eyes. "Do you mind helping me get him to my house? He's not strong enough to light leap – I figured you could help with that."

"Of course," Sophie murmured, as Elwin snapped his fingers to restore the light in the room.

"Just take his hand and I'll lift the crystal. Make sure you keep your minds connected, and keep your full concentration on both of you."

Elwin and Sophie held each of Alvar's hands, which were cold and clammy and slick with sweat, and Sophie closed her eyes to find Alvar's consciousness. His thoughts were incoherent now.

Anchoring her mind to his, the trio leaped away, and appeared in Splendor Plains.

Alvar was motionless now, which was useful because it meant Elwin could levitate him all the way to another bedroom.

Sophie had the chance to glimpse various rooms – and was surprised to find Elwin's house much different to what she was expecting.

It wasn't the mishmash of colors and shades and light that she'd thought it would be, but it was instead pure white, boxy walls and big, open rooms. The windows were made of stained glass, but that was pretty much the only colors Sophie could find.

"This was where Keefe stayed," Elwin said, and they continued through the house, Alvar floating along in front of them. "He didn't leave anything behind."

"Oh." Sophie wasn't sure why this made her feel so disappointed.

The room where they finally set Alvar down was the same as the other rooms, just a little bit smaller. Elwin snapped his fingers to make the room galaxy-like again, similar to the effects he'd put on the Healing Centre.

Alvar didn't make a sound or make any movements, even in his bed. Elwin let Sophie leave on the condition that she be careful and try to stay out of trouble.

Little did he know that was literally impossible for Sophie Foster.

When Sophie leaped back to Havenfield all her friends were gone. She flopped down on a couch and just watched the breeze make the branches on the Panakes sway gently.

The quiet solace was exactly what she needed after the day she'd had, but it didn't stay very long.

Mr Forkles's voice was in her head now. Sophie, please come to my office immediately. I think the Black Swan may have a new recruit.

A new recruit?

Yes, Miss Foster. Jensi Babblos.

WC: 1124 words