cascade | kotlc

LODESTAR

--- June POV ---

"Well," Fitz said, facing her as they stood in the chaos. The Midterm Celebrations were happening, and they were back in Foxfire.

"This feels wrong," she muttered, fingering her neck, almost expecting to feel a strand of beads looped around it. "After Exilium... I can't get used to this, you know?"

"I know." He popped a bubble overhead, releasing a box of Prattles he offered to her. She took it.

"By the way, I can't believe you have a bodyguard now," June teased, trying to lift the mood.

"Yeah." He ruffled his hair, looking awkward as he shuffled his feet. "Why don't you have one for yourself? I mean, you're a bigger target after what you've done to Fintan, and Ruy, and Brant, right?'

"They know I can defend myself," she pointed out. Her mind drifted back to Wildwood and the Neverseen's ambush.

She had tackled Brant through the flames, separating herself from the fire by removing all the oxygen around her. Brant wasn't so lucky, and she'd broken most of his important joints and left him unconscious against a rock.

But she spared his life.

Why?

"I don't know," she said, and Fitz glanced at her strangely.

"What?"

"Sorry. Didn't mean to say that aloud."

"Uh, okay." Fitz looked confused as June grabbed his arm and led him away. "Come on, let's go find my sister."

They waded through the crowd, occasionally popping bubbles as they looked for Sophie's locker. The prodigies around them chattered happily, and June wondered if they'd still be like this after they truly realized the danger they were in. If they'd still be able to keep hopeful, after...

No. Don't think about him. Keefe...

June tightened her grip on Fitz's arm.

"Oh, I think I saw her over there," he muttered as he turned around a corner and into an even more crowded hallway. "There you are! I was starting to think you'd ditched us."

Why would he leave her? After they were just starting to...

And to think she hoped they really would be something...

Why, Keefe? You know this would break her. What were you thinking?

Keefe, I really hope you know what you're doing...

"You okay?" Fitz asked. "I hope you're not worrying about your tests. There's no way you didn't pass."

June realized he was talking to both her and Sophie.

"Oh, um, yeah," she stammered. "Just a bit- uh, tired. Didn't get enough sleep, not after..."

It was technically true. Ever since Alvar and Keefe's betrayal, she couldn't stop dreaming of them in her mind. She replayed every conversation they'd ever had, and she doubted everything. Everything could've been used as leverage, and she needed to find out what exactly.

And not to mention Fintan's haunted face, and his scars.

His scars... black and white blotches, skin shattered and dented inwards, the huge crater in his forehead...

She had done that to him.

He's a criminal. He would've done the same to you if you ever gave him a chance to. He's evil.