Someone You Knew-After Stellarlune

Chapter 16

Hello :)

I'm sorry for not updating for a long period of time, I was seeing my family. 

I hate keeping you guys waiting.

So here's your chapter.

Sophie's grip on Keefe's hand tightened as her friends all listened to Alden hailing one of the Councilors.

When the call ended, the room went dead silent. 

Sophie and her friends had just light leaped to Everglen after discovering her "betrayal". At first the house was filled with chaos as Biana and Fitz ran around the house searching for Alden while the rest of Sophie's friends were busy yelling questions at her. 

"How could you betray us?"

"Why did you side with the Neverseen?"

"Since when were you the leak?"

Sophie vividly remembered their questions, sometimes having a photographic memory was a curse. She also remembered Keefe protecting her, stepping in front of her as the others tried to grab her. 

Just remembering the moment made her eyes water and her heart burn. She felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. There was no energy left on her arms and legs, she still felt tired sitting in Everglen's enormous couch. But the real pain came from her shoulder, where Marella had burned her. 

The burn was not severe and Sophie had faced worse. However, as she processed the thought of Marella attacking her, the pain on her shoulder increased. 

Sophie and Marella had a rocky friendship. Sophie had a huge fight with her due to a misunderstanding, thinking that Marella was jealous of Biana's manifesting. But that was not the case. Marella's sensitivity was caused by her mother's unstable conditions, which Sophie had been unaware at that time. Sophie wanted to properly apologize, but that was delayed by her banishment. She had thought that their friendship had been solved recently, but the burn in her shoulder proved her wrong. 

Keefe pulled her closer as her eyes filled with tears. 

Words could not described how thankful she was to have Keefe. He had defended her when it was nearly clear that she had betrayed the Black Swan and her friends. That was not the case of course, but the illusions of her and Lady Gisela on the Elysian island were vivid enough to fool everyone. 

But Keefe refused to believe that she was a traitor.  His trust on her was stronger than anything Sophie had seen. Stronger than their love, perhaps, if that was possible. Maybe that was because of everything they had gone through together, almost forcing them to trust each other. Or maybe it was because Sophie was everything he had right now, and acknowledging that she had "betrayed" him was too painful. 

"The Council will be coming soon." Alden told everyone in the room. He looked devastated and betrayed, struggling to process the idea that the girl he brought into the Lost cities would turn her back on him.

He scanned everyone's faces and his eyes briefly met Sophie's before he looked away. 

It felt like hours had passed when the Council finally arrived. Their elegant silver cape and circlets somehow made their presence more cruel and scary. 

"Thank you for contacting us about the issues, Lord Alden," Emery said with a unsettling smile on her face that made Sophie want to run away. "I would also like to thank our young regent Wylie, for your smart decision to bring Miss. Foster here."

He scowled when he said Sophie's name, as if her name was a disgrace.

Emery turned his attention to Sophie, he had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. "As for you, Miss. Foster, I have been notified about your actions. Your tribunal will be scheduled in a week. Before that, I need you to come with me to Lumenaria."