The Second Moonlark: A KotLC Fanfic

Chapter Thirteen (Lots of Serious Sounding Stuff! YIPPEEE!)

"You can't possibly get any more people?!" Sonia was outraged. She had given all of her intel to the Black Swan. She had sacrificed her personal safety for their gain. And Forkle- Magnate Leto right now- repaid her by refusing to send anyone besides the group on the mission.

"Relax. I have faith in you kids. Normally I would have sent more, but you don't need any support. Just be sure to bring earplugs, in case Keefe feels the need to use his ability." She glowered at him for a moment, then spun on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"How'd it go?" Keefe and Linh were waiting outside of the office. As her best friends in the group, they had vouched for her as trustworthy. She would have to pay them back soon.

"Not good. He wouldn't even send Coiffe, not that I would want him along. But, he did give me permission to bring all of you along, so I guess that's good."

"You guess?" Keefe made a hurt expression, putting his hand to his heart. Sonia laughed, then paused as they started walking down the corridor. She rubbed her wrists. Why were her hands aching so much lately?

"You know that Sophie is going to need to see you when she wakes up. Honestly, I think you're going to need to see her too." He nodded, staring into space.

"I just... I miss her so much." She gently rested her hand on his shoulder, wishing that her sister could be there to do it instead.

"There's nothing wrong with that."

And then Linh pulled them into the Leapmaster's light.

"How are we going to do this?" They were gathered in the round room in the Foxhole that she had insisted on using for strategy, since it was probably the safest place they had. Ruy, Linh, Tam, Keefe, Biana, Dex, and Fitz were clustered around the large circular table in the center, all staring apprehensively at the map of the base laid out in the center. It was marked up, with different colors for different dangers- Red for traps, gray for the leaders' rooms, et cetera. Sonia was kind of wishing that there was a more direct route to the Room of No Hope, but the best path was also the longest in the entire hideout. She rubbed her wrists.

"Simple. We're all going to memorize this map, and if anything goes south... Well, we'll just improvise. As soon as we get in that room, I'm going to the Whiteout. You'll know it when you see it. Keefe and Fitz, you're going to focus on getting to Sophie. Everyone else is going to focus on not dying, but it would also be nice if we could bring back a few prisoners as well." They tittered nervously. "As soon as you hear the word, 'Blackout', get low and cover your head. That's the signal for when the Whiteout's going down, and there may be shrapnel involved. Any questions?" Keefe immediately raised his hand.

"When is Sophie waking up." He said it more like a statement than a question, completely serious. She could still see the intensity in eyes that sprang up whenever he talked about Sophie- and looked at her, she imagined.

"As soon as possible. Fitz, you'll try and figure out if any-" she choked down a sob. "If anything is left. It should feel like Alvar's did. Find any warmth you can, and follow it. If she has memories left, which I think she should, then they'll be at the end of the trail." He nodded with his jaw clenched. He looked like he was going to try to take down the Neverseen on this mission, and she honestly didn't care if he did. Then she turned to Keefe.

"I know you don't like using your... Your abilities. But she needs you to. Gisela designed you to be one of the only ways to get anyone awake from that, so as soon as Fitz gives you the all clear, tell her to wake up. Before that, just try to remind her of who she is, because I don't think she knows." It was Keefe's turn to nod resolutely.

"I'll bring my sketchbooks. More memories could help, even if they aren't hers."

"Great." Then Dex jumped in, after studying the picture of the Whiteout she had drawn up. He was pointing at the wire nest towards the back.

"What's the power source?"

"Elysian crystals. That's the whole... connection between Elysian and Stellarlune. It's also why Gisela said that Elysian was the only way to fix Keefe. But most importantly, it's what's going to blow up." She reached into her satchel and pulled out a gadget, twirling it absentmindedly between her fingers. "This is what's going to set it off. Any more?" There wasn't. They continued talking strategy until far after dark, but at the end Sonia was elated.

She was going to get her sister back.

And while Keefe was an example that blood isn't everything, Sonia knew that sometimes it, and all of the bonds that went with it, were as important as the sun.