Lost

Chapter Two

"Two," Fitz's father repeated numbly again, then adjusted his cloak around his shoulders. "Pardon me, I just wasn't expecting this. I'm Alden, Fitz's father."

"Hi," Sophie said. She looked like she wasn't sure if it was proper to call him Alden or not.

"Normally, I wouldn't have wanted Fitz to bring you here," Alden said heavily, "but I'm sure he's just as shocked at the news as I am. All this while, there's been more than one elf hiding among our midsts... Well, the humans' midsts, anyway."

"Wait... Elf?" Sophie asked.

Hadn't she already suspected she wasn't human? Still, being an elf wasn't Lily's first guess, either. She'd suspected there might be an underground organisation of metahumans, and they were metahumans, finally discovered. But... An elf? After everything they'd gone through, they were elves?

"Yes. An elf," Alden responded matter-of-factly.

But, realizing Fitz's eyes were on her, Sophie, even though she was feeling skeptical and terribly shocked, all she said was, "Oh."

Lily barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Imagining going that far for a boy. She would never.

"Well... I think we should move you to the Lost Cities immediately while we undergo further investigation," Alden began carefully.

"Move us to the who-what and why?!" Sophie blurted out.

"Sophie." Lily hissed, her voice warning. It was the first time she'd spoken since Alden had come.

"So... You're Sophie," Alden said, changing the subject, his eyes on Lily's sister. "And you are?"

"Lily Vanessa Foster." Lily met his eyes.

Alden nodded once. "I see."

"She's a Telepath, Dad!" Fitz said suddenly.

"Lily?" Alden asked, interested.

"No - Sophie. She's manifested!"

"Well, she is twelve. It's not terribly surprising," Alden answered, although he did look slightly worried.

"Twelve?" Sophie asked. "I started hearing thoughts when I was five. And Lily can feel emotions."

Did Sophie have to mention Lily? Lily sighed, feeling more shock, and more shock. It was so. Annoying.

"What am I feeling now?" Alden asked, reaching out his hand.

Lily jerked away. "Shocked."

"She didn't even touch you," Fitz said.

"Shock can be guessed," Fitz's mother finally spoke.

"But Sophie's abilities can't be. Sophie, what am I thinking now?" Alden asked.

Sophie closed her eyes, deeply concentrating. Why was she even bothering? The more they displayed their skills, the more these madcaps would want to abduct them. Elves? Outrageous. But...

Not entirely impossible.

"Can you give me a book explaining the Lost Cities?" Lily asked.

"We brought you to the most amazing place in the world and what you want is a book?" Fitz asked, looking kind of disgusted.

Good thing her heart didn't flutter for him like her sister's obviously did. Ugh.

"I'll show you to the library," Fitz's mother said kindly. "I'm Della, by the way."

Della. An interesting name. Lily smiled a little with gratitude and followed Della.

"Mom! Did Fitz take my butter blasts again?" a beautiful brunette stomped down the corridor, before taking in Lily.

"Huh. You have weird eyes," she said frankly.

"Biana!" Della scolded her. "Don't say that."

"No, it's fine. My eyes are kind of a weird shade of green," Lily agreed, because they were.

"It's not the shade, it's the color entirely," Biana said, "why don't you have blue eyes?"

"I don't know, I've never asked," Lily replied.

"Really? You've lived this long in the Lost Cities and never wondered why your eyes are different?" Biana asked.

"I don't live here," Lily managed.

"Even the neutral territories shouldn't have any green-eyed elves," Biana said, her eyes narrowing. "What are you, human?"

Biana was curious, not annoyed. But to someone else, she might've come off as an irritating prick. Not to Lily, though. She could read everyone like a book, and Biana wasn't as bad as some others.

"No, I'm an elf. But I've lived among humans," she said.

"Whoa, cool. So you've been to the Forbidden Cities? Are you an elf undercover?" Biana asked, interested.

"Biana, maybe you could tell Lily about the Lost Cities? She doesn't know much at all," Della said more kindly.

"Oh! Another person who doesn't even know anything. Okay, sure!"

Another person who doesn't even know anything? What did Biana mean by that? Anyway, Lily ended up following Biana to her bedroom.

"Sit there," Biana instructed, pointing to a stool in front of a dressing table.

"Huh? I thought you were educating me on the Lost Cities?" Lily asked, confused.

Biana shrugged. "We can do that later! First, makeovers!"

"Wait, wait, wait. Aren't you going to ask me what I want for my makeover first?" Lily asked.

"Nah. Gut instinct," Biana grinned.

"Uhhhh, well. Can you give me some faint eyeliner to give my eyes a blueish tinge?" Lily asked.

"OH MY GOSH, BLUE AND GREEN MAKES TE-AL!" Biana squealed. "I can make your eyes look like mine!!"

"Uhh, sure," Lily smiled awkwardly.

"We're gonna be besties, I promise," Biana grinned and started applying eyeliner.

Were all elves this overenthusiastic?