Stellarlune - KotLC Book 9

Chapter 3 - Sophie

Grady walked downstairs with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Sophie?" He asked. His face looked like there was something wrong, but it was probably just because he felt that Sophie made the wrong choice about the warehouse.

"Yeah?" Sophie raised an eyebrow.

He wrung his hands together. "You...just came home?"

Sophie reluctantly nodded.

"You came straight through the doors and here?"

"Yes...?"

"Okay. Just...wanted to know."

Sophie raised an eyebrow at Grady, but if he saw it, he didn't comment, instead heading to the kitchen. 

"Ooooooooooookay then," Sophie shrugged off her cape and suspicions as she prepared herself to tell Edaline about her day.

Edaline came downstairs and sat down next to Sophie.

"So? Did you get the caches?"

"Yes."

"Did you get anything else?"

"Yes."

Edaline blinked at her. "Did you do anything else?" 

"Yes."

Edaline frowned. "Are you just going to keep on replying with one-word answers."

"Maybe."

Edaline sighed. "Something happened."

Not a question. A statement. Which Sophie could also reply with one word.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Sophie took in a deep breath and explained everything, holding onto the tiny hope that Edaline would respect her decision. But that hope vanished when she saw the look on Edaline's face.

"I wanted to retaliate." Sophie mumbled. "I wanted to make the Neverseen pay for what they did to Mr. Forkle, and Kenric, and Keefe, and everyone else who was effected. I thought I made the right decision." 

She waited for Edaline to contradict or reprimand her, but instead Edaline just caressed Sophie's hand and said the words that she had needed to hear ever since she came back, that Mr. Forkle somewhat said, that a certain boy who had temporarily boycotted talking would've said to her.

"You made the right decision Sophie. You don't need to worry. I'm with you."

Tears sprang to Sophie's eyes and she enveloped Edaline in a hug. "Thanks," she whispered.

"Anytime." Edaline murmured back. 

The two of them stayed like that for a moment before Sophie pulled back. "I'm gonna go up to my room."

Edaline gave her a warm smile. "I'll send up a tray of food for you. And if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you."

Sophie climbed up the stairs. "Thanks Mom."

Edaline's smile grew bigger. "Anytime."

Sophie opened the door to her room, and the first thing she noticed was Iggy, who was a mixture of mermaid colors with tiger strips decorating his back. She instantly decided that this was her favorite Iggy look. But suspicion tugged at her insides. Why didn't Grady or Edaline tell her that Dex came over? And why did Dex keep Iggy's cage on her bed?

They probably just forgot, she convinced herself and headed to the bed to move Iggy back to his regular spot. And then she saw a letter addressed to...

her.

"Dex left me a note?" 

He'd never done that before. 

She frowned and unfolded the note and saw the first sentence: To the Misterious Miss F!

And her frown deepened. Keefe was the only one who called her that. And he was at Elwin's, trying to make sense of his weird new power. So when did he leave the letter here? And why?

Sophie knew that it was pointless speculating why there was a note on her bed from the boy who'd basically shunned her, and that all of the answers to her questions would be inside of the letter.

And she began to read.