Elysian (After Stellarlune)

34. Sophie's POV

Keefe was amazing.

He'd stayed at Havenfield all day, helping Sophie browse through her recent memories, sorting through her feelings, being the Empath that he was.

There was no judgment, only understanding as Keefe had seen the things Sophie had been feeling of late. He also said that the constant working and stress may be getting to her, to which Sophie replied, "But I've done this before! When we searched for Nightfall, when we tried to find Elysian, all of it, I've done it numerous times already. So what's the problem now?"

"But doing it constantly; and as you get older, it's impacting your mental health. You just need to rest"

"What, are you a mental health expert now?" Sophie asked teasingly.

"Um... Oh! I remember seeing one of those on that show that I watched; the human one. They talk to you about how your mind is, right?"

"You don't have psychologists or therapists in the Lost Cities?" Sophie asked.

"No; I mean, we have healers, but they do everything. Elves don't feel that we need them, I guess."

"Even when your- our minds can break just from guilt?"

Sophie cringed at her slip. Talking about these human things, about the human way of life- it made Sophie feel human again. It made her feel like that scared 12-year-old girl, lightleaping with a complete stranger, thinking she was a normal human. Sophie wanted to say she envied that girl. The girl who didn't have to shoulder the burdens of an entire world. But that wasn't true. Sophie looked towards Keefe, and thought of all of her friends, her new family; and didn't miss her old life a single bit.

She was still staring as Keefe said, "What are you thinking about, Foster? 'Cause you're staring at me pretty intensely, and so I'm just wondering-"

BOOM!

Glass shattered around them, raining down in deadly shards as a ripple went through the very house itself, shaking its core.

Sophie didn't even have time to react before Sandor burst in, and had Sophie in his arms, on his way out, in seconds. Ro had done similarly with Keefe.

Sophie looked around in wide-eyed shock, and then looked at her boyfriend.

Are- are you all right?!

The transmission took all of Sophie's focus, her concentration shattered by the crumbling world around her. But she held the mental connection as Keefe replied, equally shaken, I think- I think so.

Sophie sighed, but her head jerked up as she had another thought.

My parents.

"My parents!" Sophie repeated aloud, shouting it to Sandor, repeating herself so that he could hear her over the chaos of the animals outside.

Sandor nodded, and there at the bottom of the stairs were Grady and Edaline, the former armed with a Melder, and the latter holding nothing. She probably had weapons stashed away for her to conjure up any second.

Both of Sophie's parents sagged with relief as Sandor reached the bottom step, making no indication that he was letting her down.

"Where do we go now?!" Sophie asked her guardians as they took in the area around them. Shattered glass, upturned furniture, and scattered objects had been thrown in every direction; the house was a minefield of dangerous obstacles.

"The Leapmaster!" Sandor shouted over the din, taking Sophie in his arms again. Grady and Edaline ran, and after a quick glance behind him to check that Ro and Keefe were safe, Sandor took off as well. Back up the stairs, and towards the Leapmaster 500.