KOTLC Deleted Scenes

Keeper Summer Week #5- Meeting Forkle in Italy

Second Deleted Scene from Neverseen

This conversation also used to be part of the scene where Sophie and her friends finally catch up with Mr. Forkle in Italy, but I cut it for the same reasons I cut the previous scene: It was slowing the pacing and not really revealing important information. I love showing how the elvin world's problems are spilling into the human world, but I'd already accomplished that with other things that happened in Florence, so this was redundant and needed to be trimmed.

—Shannon

Don't worry—we were able to get Gethen to safety," Mr. Forkle assured them. "But our stronghold has been destroyed. As has the human landmark we'd used to disguise it."

"Which landmark?" Sophie asked.

"I believe they call it the Sphinx. I've honestly never understood what humans were thinking with that bizarre thing. But it's gone now. Along with the pyramid we'd used for a decoy."

"That's...I..." All of Sophie's words felt too impossible. "I didn't even know those could burn."

"Sadly, anything can burn with the right kind of fire."

"So it was Brant?" she asked.

"We never saw the arsonist. But the flames were Everblaze. Luckily, we learned from the Council's mistake and keep a supply of frissyn on hand. Still, this cannot keep happening!"

Keefe snorted. "You think? Are you ready to listen to me now?"

"Actually, Mr. Sencen, we are. We've voted to try your plan—with a few key amendments."

Mr. Forkle went over the details, but Sophie could only half listen. She was too busy trying to imagine Egypt without the Sphinx and one of the pyramids. "The humans must be freaking out," she murmured.

"Buildings can be replaced, Miss Foster."

"History can't. Those buildings were landmarks."

"Landmarks we helped them build."

Sophie sighed, remembering a lesson from her elvin history session on how the elves helped humans build the pyramids—back when the Human Assistance Program was still in effect.

"The fact of the matter is, Sophie, we all share this planet," Mr. Forkle reminded her. "And unfortunately, that means that some- times others will suffer for our problems. But we, in turn, suffer for theirs. We've even had to build sanctuaries to protect all of the species that humans are destroying—and find means to clean their pollution out of our water and air."

"I still think you should move your hideouts away from human areas," she mumbled.

"Sadly, that is not an option. Besides, you must remember that these hideouts have existed for decades. The Neverseen are only destroying them now because we have their Telepath. If we learn how they are tracking him, the attacks will stop."