cascade | kotlc

12. Intricate Setups and that Tracker on Keefe

 "That's anticlimatic," June murmured as they showed up on a deserted island after five- five- consecutive leaps using quintessence, and the Black Swan weren't even here. "Are they just trolling us at this point?"

"Maybe we're early," Keefe said, plopping down in the soft sand as Sandor went to patrol the trees. "I bet they'll be here any minute."

June snorted. "Not likely."

Sophie made her way to the shore, grabbing one of the smooth stones from the beach and hurling it into the water as hard as she could, followed by another and another.

"You should be skipping them," Keefe told her as he came up behind her.

"Yeah, I'm really good at that," June said, grabbing a wide, flat rock in her palm and flicking her wrist. The stone skipped and skipped and skipped and skipped even more, so much it flew past the horizon while still bouncing on the water.

"Cheater," Keefe grumbled. "There's no way you actually managed to do that. You're cheating."

"You can't prove it," June pointed out. "So I'm not cheating. Innocent until proven guilty."

Keefe laughed. "See how much more fun it is when you relax?" he asked Sophie.

"How am I supposed to relax, Keefe? Look at this place, it's a deserted island."

"We'll be fine, sis," June reassured her. "Nothing's getting past me. Or Sandor. Man, I can't wait until I get a gun. I'll be able to dish out some heavy damage."

"I'm still not sure how I feel about that," Sophie told her. "Guns are- well, really dangerous."

"But can you deny that we need that extra power?"

Sophie remained quiet.

"Something's wrong," she murmured. "I don't think they're coming."

"But why would they go to all the trouble of giving us these?" Keefe asked, pointing to the five glowing bottles dangling from her neck.

"Who knows? Maybe they needed to get rid of them because they're illegal and they knew I would just get in trouble."

"Seriously, Sophie, I think you're just panicking right now," June said soothingly. "There's no reason to worry. We'll all be safe. Nothing bad's going to happen. And also Keefe got invited, so it's definitely a meeting, because if it's part of their plan to get you in trouble or something, why would he be along?"

"Way to make me feel needed," Keefe told her.

"You know I'm right, though."

"What if this whole thing was a distraction?" Sophie whispered. "A trick to get us all away from something. What if they're trying to get to Silveny?"

June rolled her eyes. "She's not even with us. Seriously, sis, calm down, nothing's going to happen. We're safe. The Black Swan won't risk your life."

"They would and they did," Sophie muttered. "Do you not remember what happened last time?"

"Fine," June conceded. "But they won't allow you to get attacked by the Neverseen, that's for certain."

"How do you know?"

"I asked."

Sophie sighed and pulled out her home crystal, holding it up to the light.

No beam came out.

"Okay, that's not good," June said. "Perhaps... no, this can't be right. Nobody can get out of here, nobody. You can't get out without lightleaping... oh, wait, I'm stupid. They have dwarves. Shit."