Don't Move (Dex POV)

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A/N: Dex's POV of his and Sophie's kidnapping and rescue from the first book. Told in two chapters.

Dex was miserable.

He knew, deep down, that he owed Sophie a huge apology. Even after finding out she was going through something terrible, he had not been patient or understanding with her. He was struggling with jealousy because Sophie seemed to be getting closer to Biana Vacker. What was worse was her friendship with Fitz Vacker.

And her obvious crush on Fitz was worse still.

But here in the first test of their friendship—his first friendship—he was letting his jealousy and bitterness get the better of him.

But for some reason he was having trouble convincing himself to make amends.

He was pondering all of this as he slowly made his way toward the Leapmasters after study hall. But then he ran into Fitz, with Keefe Sencen by his side. They both looked pretty worried about something.

"Dex," Fitz said, sounding relieved. "I was hoping I'd find you."

Ugh.

Didn't he know Dex didn't want anything to do with him?

At least he'd gotten Dex's name right this time.

"What?" He asked, not taking much care to sound friendly.

"Listen, I know you and Sophie are good friends. She's...she's having a really hard time right now and..." Fitz dragged a hand down his face. "Someone just made it a whole lot worse. She wouldn't talk to me, she's mad at me, but I bet she would talk to you. Could you go check on her? I don't think she should be alone right now."

It must be bad if Fitz was deigning to talk to Dex about it.

But Sophie was mad at Dex too.

But something about the look on Fitz's face—and the quiet pleading in Keefe's eyes too—told Dex that he should at least try.

He needed to make amends with her anyway.

So he told Fitz he'd go right away, and got in line for the next available Leapmaster so he could leap to Havenfield.

Grady and Edaline were both out in the pastures, working but looking miserable.

Even more miserable than normal, which was saying something, because they'd been deeply unhappy his whole life.

He hardly knew what to say.

They were his aunt and uncle. He loved them very much. But he also knew that Sophie was hurting now because of them. He supposed it must have proved too much for them, but still.

She'd lost so much already.

He felt a flash of guilt as he reminded himself he'd been adding to her pain instead of helping her.

"Can I talk to Sophie?" He asked as he approached them.

Edaline turned her face away wordlessly. Grady heaved a long sigh and looked first at Edaline, then at Dex. He offered Dex a weary smile. "I'm glad you're here. She went down to the caves. She's..."

"I know," Dex mumbled. "That's why I'm here."

Then he made his way down to the caves, following the familiar path and thinking with a smile of all the chaos she'd been causing while trying to get a handle on alchemy. He automatically went to the cave they'd been using, but it was too dark to see anything.

"Sophie?" He called. "Are you in here? Fitz told me I should come find you."

But then even as he stepped further into the cave, her voice filled his mind, and he had no time to be surprised that she was a Telepath. She sounded panicked as she said two words that changed him forever: Run, Dex!

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