Keeper of the Lost Cities: Life Turned Upside Down

Chapter 3

"Who is that?" Fitz asked, his voice low and laced with anger. I wondered what had happened. My question was answered when he saw Keefe glitter in view beside Linh. "HOW DARE YOU, KEEFE!!! YOU KISSED SOPHIE!!!!!" Fitz screamed at him, turning red from rage.

I gasped a little. I wondered how he knew about that because apparently Keefe was thinking the same thing because he asked, "How did you know about that? Did Biana tell you? Or Bangs Boy?" Keefe was as red as a tomato, from embarrassment or anger, I didn't know. Fitz reeled on the others in anger. "YOU KNEW!!! Why didn't you tell me!!! Sophie is mine! You know that! Oh and also to answer your question Keefe, no one told me! I saw right through the lie you guys made up and then when I asked Biana what had actually happened, she wouldn't tell me. So, I read her mind!" Biana looked shocked to say the least. I was too angry to even comprehend what had happened. I see Mr. Forkle tap the side of his head, signaling me to transmit to him.

(Mr. Forkle's Transmissions/Sophie's transmissions)

So...what is going on here? I thought we were going to be introducing Zaina to the group! Not...this!

I am terribly sorry, Ms. Foster. I did not know that this would happen.

No, I am sorry. I am angry at Fitz but I took it out on you. Can you also call me Ms. Zaina? Also, I am-

We were cut off from our conversation when we noticed everyone had stopped and started to stare at us.

Mr. Forkle cleared his throat and began. "Well, this was very interesting but I didn't bring you here to fight with each other. I am here to introduce you all to Ms. Zaina Modgell. She is going to be a part of your group as well will be guarding Edaline and Grady because the Neverseen might use them against Ms. Foster'' He was looking at all of them expectantly, as if waiting for a reaction.

"Okay... Hi Zaina, I am Biana and this is Dex, Fitz, Keefe, Marella, Maruca, Stina, Linh, Tam, and Wylie," Biana pointed at everyone as she was naming them.

"Well, will you be taking off your hood?" Keefe asked, politely. I looked at Mr. Forkle and he nodded. I slowly lowered my hood letting everyone see me. I used my Polyglot skills to change my voice.

"Hi! It's great to meet all of you. I already met Sophie before she left because I was the one giving her the details about her mission. She sounded like a nice girl. Now, let's go inside. I don't like the look of these clouds and it seems like it's going to rain. Let's go, let's go!" I replied to them in a high voice. "Oh and one more thing. Mr. and Mrs. Ruewen, is it alright if I stay with you until Sophie comes? I will need to be near you to protect you better," I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Of course! It would be a pleasure to have to have you here with us. I also have a place where you can sleep," Edaline said.

"Well, I have to go now but I will see everyone tomorrow. Ms. Zaina, you will be reviewing some information on what I need you to investigate tomorrow. Have a great night everyone," Mr. Forkle told us before he put his pathfinder up to the fading light and leaped away.

I chuckled nervously. "Well that was interesting! Let's go inside," I say. When everyone is in the living room, they all start staring at me again. Feeling self-conscious, I asked Edaline to take me to the room I will be staying in. So basically there is a room inside my closet that I didn't know about so I will be staying in there.

"So Zaina, if that is even your real name, why are you here? It seems kind of weird that when Sophie was here, you weren't here but the moment she leaves, you are. Isn't that suspicious?" Fitz asks me after I come back downstairs.

"Well, you see the Black Swan knows that Sophie is capable of protecting everyone she loves and even though Grady and Edaline can protect themselves too, we thought it best to have some extra safety precautions. Now does anyone have proper questions or can I go to sleep? I have a long day tomorrow," With that, I excused myself. I walk back upstairs to the closet in fury. How could Fitz act like that? He was being such a big jerk. At that moment I heard some crashing noises. I run down only to find Fitz being mesmerized by Grady.

"What's going on? Why is da-Mr. Ruewen using his power?" I was frantic for answers because it could have been anything and Grady doesn't use his power that much.

"Well, Fitzy here got super mad for some reason and tried to take his anger out on someone which ended up being Biana. Now Grady is using his ability to stop him from hurting her," Tam explained when he saw me. I then saw Biana cowering behind Edaline and Tam holding her while Grady stood above Fitz who was red from anger and fury. I felt some of the cognate trust that we had, break slowly. I gasped, realizing that if Fitz continued doing this, we won't be cognates anymore. A small part of me thought that it would be great if we weren't cognates anymore because I now knew that we weren't meant to be. I was broken out of my thoughts by Grady telling everyone to leave. I bit my lip, trying to keep all my frustrations in. 

After everyone leaves, I tell Edaline and Grady that I was going out to the Wanderling Forest. When they asked me why, I told them that I just wanted to visit my old Wanderling and would be back in a few hours. I leaped there just to be careful that no one would see me teleport. I walked towards my Wanderling. It looked frail and thin with not that many leaves or fruits. I went ahead towards Brant's old house. As I was walking, I heard a branch snap behind me. I spun around to see 5 Neverseen members. I saw Ruy, Gethen, Fintan, Vespera, and Gisela. I wondered how they were here because the Black Swan had locked them up but either way, I stood still, ready to inflict or mesmer at a moment's notice. Gethen stepped forward and motioned to Ruy. A blue forcefield sprung around me. I knew that if I touched it, I would get electrocuted. I stood there looking at them defiantly.

"Well? What do you want from me?" I ask them.

" Oh Sophie! You think that we don't know that you changed your appearance? Hon, we are not amateurs" Vespera said in a sickly sweet voice.

I quietly mumbled "switch" and read their reactions while I switched. They didn't even flinch.

"Now, we just want to talk and if you don't we will have to use...extreme measures. Which, personally, I don't want to because they take so long and really are dreadful" Gisela told me, smirking.

I glared and reached for a dagger.

Gisela sighed, "Always the hard way. Drop it, Ruy. Get her then," The next second the forcefield around me dropped, and as I waited for an attack, I felt someone put a sweet cloth over my nose and mouth. Before I pass out I see all of them with faces that almost look sad. Then all I see is darkness.

Author Note: Hey, chapter 3 is up. Hope you enjoyed. Also, sorry for the cliffhanger. 

Word Count (including author note and this): 1306