Broken

Rescue

"And just where do you think you're going, young lady?" Grady stood on the stairs Sophie had just descended, Sandor standing just behind him. Ro was waiting outside.

"I'm going to save Keefe. And before you can try to talk me out of i-"

"Go."

Sophie's speech screeched to a halt at the single word. "You...you mean you're okay with this?"

Edaline poked her head out from the kitchen. "Yes, Sophie. Go save your friend. We know how much he means to you."

"But be safe! Don't unnecessarily risk your life. Don't risk your life at all, actually. Stay as far away from the Neverseen as you can, and make sure you have at least two back up plans in case the first one fails. Don't forget to bring-"

"Grady," Edaline said softly, placing a gentle, calming hand on her husband's arm. "She's going to be okay."

Tears glistened in Sophie's eyes at the trust they were showing in her, and the love they were expressing in their own unique ways. "Thank you guys. I'll be back soon, and I won't come alone." They both nodded, understanding that she was referring to Keefe. She wasn't going to return without him.

They gave each other long, tight hugs before Sophie and Sandor exited the door, walking up to Ro on the porch outside. And together, hand-in-hand, the three of them jumped off of Havenfield's cliff and teleported to the place Sophie had never wanted to see again. Brant's old house.

The clearing was still burnt, the house looking as cold and empty as she remembered it being. She shuddered just thinking about it, her past with this house, with the pyrokinetic that used to live here.

With Ro behind her and Sandor at her side, she lifted a silver circlet to her head and braced for the pain. The ability restrictor was tight against her temples, the pain instantaneously pulsing through her head and fogging her brain. Her thoughts felt muddy, her mind overwhelmed. Sandor braced an arm around her back to keep her from falling over.

She bit her lip, tempted to tug at her eyelashes as she adjusted to the pain.

And then there was a flash, three cloaked figures appearing in the dark, burnt clearing. The white eye on their black sleeves was stark against the clearing, and it left Sophie cringing.

But it was the limp figure between two of them that left her stumbling, placing her full weight on Sandor.

For there Keefe was, eyes closed and shoulders slumped, hair going every which way. His skin was pale, and there was a large purple bruise along his cheek bone that left Sophie flooded with rage. The sight of him like this was enough to clear the fog from her mind, and he was her only priority as she turned her focus back to the task at hand: getting him back.

"So nice to see you've joined us." Gisela's voice rang across the clearing, standing in front of the two lackeys holding Keefe between them. Sophie found herself barely able to restrain herself from pouncing the wicked woman who seemed not the slightest bit remorseful about the state of her son behind her.

"What a lovely crown you have," a cool, mocking voice added. Gethen, standing at Keefe's right. Sophie added him to the list of people-she-would-make-suffer for what they had put Keefe through.

"Give us the boy," Ro snarled. Her words were like ice, yet pure fire was laced through them.

Lady Gisela made a swooping motion with her hands, and Gethen and the other cloaked figure dropped him, letting him fall to the ashy floor with a thud that left Sophie grinding her teeth in anger and concern.

Ro was running to the boy in a second, Sophie not a step behind her. She was halted by a flash of shadow looping around her wrists, dragging them behind her back and forcing her to fall to her knees. Ro was allowed to continue, however, and she reached Keefe without any hindrance. She scooped the boy up in her arms, hugging him tight against her chest before walking back to Sandor, her head held high.

And with that Sophie knew her mission was complete. Even if she didn't make it out of this clearing with him, Keefe was safe. That was all that mattered. But she wasn't ready to give up on herself quite yet.

"Sophie, Sophie, Sophie," Lady Gisela said, clicking her tongue in condescension. "Loyal to a fault."

Sophie lifted her head, her eyes sparking in defiance. "You think I'm leaving with you?" She let out a dark chuckle, shaking her head. Her plans didn't always work, but she knew this one would.

"I don't see how you could get out of this one, what with the pretty little circlet you have around your pretty little head."

Sophie met Lady Gisela's eyes. And she grinned a wicked grin.

She registered the slight caution that formed in her opponent's eyes moments before she slammed her hands backwards against the shadows restraining them. Her shoulders strained at the motion, but the solidity of the shadows was enough to activate the panic switch on the ring she had carefully placed on her finger that afternoon. The ring she had asked Dex to alter.

For as the switch clicked into place, the circlet around her head loosened, falling to the floor with a clatter.

And Sophie let all chaos break loose on the Neverseen standing in front of her.

Her mind was fogged, but no longer with the effects of the restrictor. No, it was fogged with pure rage, a rage that she used to fuel her power.

Her mind reached out toward Umber first, a pure wave of anger that left the woman crumbling onto the floor, writhing in place. Targeted inflicting, something the Neverseen wouldn't expect from her. Something they wouldn't be able to stop, not this time.

The shadows disappeared from her hands as Umber fell, no longer able to utilize her evil power in her current state.

Sophie let another surge of her anger push towards Gisela and Gethen, and they dropped to the floor like flies.

She was ready to unleash wave after wave upon them, make them suffer for what they had done, when a gentle hand was laid upon her shoulder. She turned to see Sandor, his face set in determination and concern. "I know you want them to pay, and they will. But right now we need to get Keefe home so we can take care of him."

Sophie swallowed, trying to let the boiling anger in her veins settle to a soft simmer as she turned to face her friend. Ro was crouched over him, her purple hair dangling in his face as she tried to shake him awake. The sight made Sophie's blazing anger cool into despair and concern, and she rushed to Keefe's side. Crouching on her knees, she grabbed his hand, holding it tight as she reached for Sandor with the other one. Ro, clutching Keefe's other hand, completed the end of the chain, and Sandor lifted a crystal toward the sun. He stepped into the reflection, carrying them home on a warm shaft of light.