Sophie has been living as a normal college student in the forbidden cities for the past three years. While Sophie has been struggling to keep her straight A's, her friends in the Lost Cities live in unrest, trying to find their friend and bring Soph...
The cold winds bit against her skin, and Biana rubbed her palms against her arms. Her gaze turned down, feeling the smooth metal of the panic switch. The rose pink gem in the center of the ring had a crack straight through the middle of it from when Sophie had bumped into her that day on the streets of New York.
Dex had replaced the band of the ring days ago, but when he had asked her if she wanted a different gem, she said no.
No, because it had always been the same gem. No, because this gem was a piece of her life before the Neverseen had taken her best friend. No, because the fracture through the middle of the gem was a reminder that she found Sophie once, she could find her again.
Mud streaked her clothes, her hair a wild mess from the brawl with the Neverseen. Biana heard someone approach her from behind, and for a second she suspected it could be a Neverseen member attempting to ambush her and her friends.
When they were first taken by the Neverseen at Maylee's house and arrived at the Neverseen base, the two groups were fighting over Sophie. And knowing what the Neverseen could do to Sophie was enough to keep the six of them—Keefe, Dex, Tam, Linh, Fitz, and herself—fighting.
But they were still just six teens with poor combat skills. And because of that, they lost Sophie. For what seemed like the hundredth time.
Once the Neverseen had Sophie, Fitz pressed his panic switch and members of the collective swarmed to their destination.
Thankfully, a little while after Sophie disappeared, the collective convinced Dex to give them the technology that his ring had so that if they were all in danger, the collective would know immediately.
A few Black Swan soldiers along with Squall and Wraith held off the Neverseen while Sandor, Grizel, Lovise, Woltzer and Ro hauled the group back to Raetia—a Black Swan base that had been established in the three years Sophie was missing.
It was unnerving to see the Neverseen play defensive after so many years of them attacking and being two steps ahead. There was no reason to attack when they already had Sophie. Once they weren't fighting for Sophie, they were fighting to keep Sophie. Biana knew it was a message.
We have your little moonlark.
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Sophie POV
Another recruit was sent flying across the training room as Sophie watched, knowing that could soon be her.
She fidgeted with the hem of her new attire. She wore a fitted black tunic over a pair of black leggings and knee high leather boots. The outfit was complete with a thick leather belt and long gloves that reached Sophie's biceps.
"Don't you think the gloves are a little excessive?" she questioned, glancing up at Alvar who stood next to her.
He shrugged, "I guess we've gotten used to them by now, but for someone just starting out? I'd probably agree." Sophie nodded, not wanting to take her eyes off the sparring in the case that she needed to dodge out of the way from the sidelines.
