Elysian (After Stellarlune)

36. Sophie's POV

Sophie woke up the next morning not feeling much better. She woke while it was still dark, cried for ten minutes as she thought of Havenfield, then got out of bed to find breakfast.

Still half asleep, Sophie found the kitchen and grabbed the first thing she saw: Mallowmelt.

Not a normal breakfast food, but these were not normal circumstances.

Right as she took a bite, Sophie thought of home. Havenfield.

She thought of sitting under the Panakes tree, enjoying the sights and sounds of her home.

Of playing with Wynn and Luna, chasing them around.

Of being in her room, alone with her thoughts, where the best and worst parts of her life had played out.

And now it was all gone.

Sophie found herself needing a hug. She debated going back to bed, but didn't want to wake her parents. She decided to go to Keefe; he was always comforting.

Sophie figured he had put Ella back in the room they'd been in yesterday to give her today, so Sophie went there. Up the stairs, through the door, only to find the room empty. No Keefe, no Ella, nothing.

Odd. Maybe Keefe had chosen another room. Already realizing the daunting task ahead of her, Sophie stepped out of the room and into the next one over. Still nothing.

After ten minutes of fruitless searching, Sophie was getting worried. After she'd checked the bedrooms, she started grasping at invisible straws.

The library?

The living room?

Still nothing.

Sophie checked every room in Everglen, except the occupied ones. And then she did check the occupied ones, waking everyone up and asking if they'd seen Keefe. Everyone said no, and started asking questions, but Sophie would just move onto another room.

Then, Sophie came to the last room in the whole house. She opened the door and shook her parents awake, frantic now. "Have you seen Keefe?!"

"N-no, I don't think so. Why?" Edaline asked, groggy.

Sophie's breathing quickened. Keefe was here, he had to be.

Then, the worst thought struck Sophie. Where are Sandor and Ro?!

So Sophie went through the house, screaming Keefe, Ro, and Sandor's names, hoping against hope for an answer.

Still nothing.

Sophie went back to Alden and Della's room. Both were sleeping soundly, having already forgotten Sophie's waking them up just ten minutes before.

Sophie, becoming desperate, dove into Alden's mind in lieu of trying to wake him up. She gave a singular shout in his head, and had him shooting upright in a heartbeat.

"Ah!" he yelled, then composed himself as he saw Sophie. "What is it?" Alden was annoyed now, but Sophie didn't care.

"It's Keefe. He's gone." Sophie felt tears well in her eyes at saying that.

Alden's face softened. "Sophie," he hesitated. "Are you sure Keefe didn't run away? He's done it numerous times before and-"

"No!" Sophie interrupted, raising her voice unintentionally. "He- I mean, he went out yesterday, to- to get Ella, but he took Sandor and Ro. He wouldn't have taken them if he was running away. He must've been t-taken. He had to have been."

Alden got out of bed and took Sophie's hand. Sophie resisted the urge to snatch it away; they couldn't waste time on niceties, they just needed to find Keefe.