KOTLC After Stellarlune-A Sokeefe Story

Restoration

The moment they reappeared back at Aeternum, Mr. Forkle and Granite came out to help get an unconscious Kenric settled into the prepared guest room. Meanwhile, Dex got to work removing Peter Delaney from human records, Biana at his side.

"I think," Fitz said to Granite, "that for Kenric's sake and for mine and Sophie's, we would benefit from having Tiergan here. If anyone can guide us through trying to restore Kenric's memories, it's our Telepathy mentor. Plus I'm not sure waking up to random Black Swan figures is the best thing for him."

"That does make sense," Granite agreed.

Within minutes, Tiergan was striding into the living room. "Are you ready for what lies ahead?" He asked Sophie and Fitz.

"I don't know," Sophie admitted. "This is new territory. We've done memory breaks and mind healings, but restoring washed memories?"

"I wish I could better prepare you," Tiergan told them. "But so much of what we do as telepaths is searching and figuring it out. I really think the issue will be finding the right trigger. Just try to remind him of who he is and with any luck, it will all come rushing back. Gethen would have left a sure way to restore those memories in case the Neverseen needed them."

"So we have to figure out what Gethen's trigger was?"

"Not necessarily. That would be one way, but not the only way to trigger the washed memories. You could probably more easily figure out your own."

"We can do this," Fitz whispered, to himself as much as to Sophie.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "That'll be Elwin," Mr. Forkle told them. Keefe went to let him in. "We also contacted Livvy, but after some deliberation we decided it might be better if Elwin came alone. He can handle it, and we don't want to overwhelm Kenric. Especially since he always knew Elwin better."

"It isn't a joke?" Elwin asked, walking up to them. "You're really telling me Kenric is alive?"

"He is. Would you like to see him?" Sophie asked.

"I won't believe it until I see it, so yes."

"I'll lead the way," Tiergan told him. "You three head in when you're ready."

Fitz walked over to Linh. "It's late," he whispered. "You should probably go back to your room and get some rest. But, can I hail you tomorrow?"

Linh smiled sweetly. "I'm glad it's the weekend," she whispered back. "I'll be waiting to hear from you." She swiftly kissed his cheek, blushing slightly, before slipping quietly outside and leaping back to Foxfire.

Fitz turned, grinning, and caught Sophie and Keefe watching him. Now it was his turn to blush. "Can I help you?"

Sophie laughed. "Sorry. It's just so cute."

"We ready for this?" Keefe asked. "I'll be there to send breezes if you need them, but this is really up to the two of you."

"Ready as we'll ever be," Sophie told him. She was determined to make this work. She owed it to Kenric. He sacrificed himself to save Fitz, Oralie and herself. Then he was left at the hands of the Neverseen because no one believed he could have possibly survived.

They all owed it to him to undo that horrible mistake.

So they entered the guest room.

"He's still sedated, but the work you'll be doing in his mind will likely wake him once his memories are all restored," Tiergan told them. "Then begins another long process of helping him come to terms with what he's been through and filling him in on what has happened these last few years. It will be quite overwhelming for him."

"But worth it," Sophie said determinedly. She turned on her enhancing ability and placed her Cognate rings on her thumbs before taking Fitz's hand.

Sophie and Fitz pushed their way into Kenric's mind with ease. Full of memories of the last few years, of work and home and watching TV, of countless women flirting with him with no success.

They tried calling his name, they tried calling Oralie's name. They searched for shattered memories but they weren't dealing with a few shattered or erased memories, they were dealing with his entire life and personality being washed away.

What do you think the trigger is? Fitz asked her.

I don't know, Sophie responded. Should I try inflicting positive emotions, see if it triggers anything?

Maybe, Fitz told her. His life here had to have been more happy and fulfilling, so that might be the trick. Or actually...hmm. What if we transmitted memories?

I haven't tried that yet, Sophie mused.

You should be the one to do it, your photographic memory would recall it more clearly.

Okay, Sophie agreed. She thought for a moment. The memory that came to mind was the last one Kenric and Oralie shared. In Oblivimyre, right before Fintan called down the Everblaze that nearly ruined everything.

Oralie cradling Kenric's cheek after he got a headache and him telling her she made everything better.

It was such an intimate moment, and they had briefly forgotten that others were watching.

Sophie replayed that moment in her mind, and shared it with Kenric.

I think it's working! Fitz told her as thoughts and memories started swirling and changing.

I see it! It was a rush like they'd never seen before. Different from healing Alden or Prentice's minds, since Kenric's hadn't been shattered. It was more like being pulled from a dry desert and plunged quite suddenly into a vast ocean.

Then all at once, the rush stopped and an overwhelming shock took its place.

That's when they knew they had been successful and withdrew from his mind.

Kenric was awake, wild eyed. Once Sophie and Fitz removed their hands from his temples and backed away, he sat bolt upright in the bed, breathing hard and looking around the room.

Silence. Sophie, Fitz, Keefe, Elwin, Tiergan and Mr. Forkle were all in the room, and all unsure whether or not they should speak.

Kenric's eyes fixed on Sophie, and widened even further.