Keeper of the Lost Secrets

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: Sophie Makes Me Tell Her Some Illegal Business

"Can I talk to you?" Sophie asked, walking up to me on a very random, run of the mill day. Which had me instantly worried. She was more sulky than usual, but her voice was laced with urgency. I nodded.

"Yeah, what's up?" I glanced around, and upon seeing the usual stream of Foxfire students, I grabbed her arm gently and guided her to a particularly shaded corner. She was breathing fast and hard, which was never a good sign.

She seemed dazed, eyes rolling around her head before focussing right back on me. I was tempted to call Elwin but decided that I didn't want to evoke the wrath of a twelve-year-old child.

"Do you know what your dad is investigating right now?" She asked, voice hushed.

I scratched my neck. "He's always investigating a ton of things. Why?"

She stumbled on the spot but caught her own balance. "Well, your dad came over to Havenfield yesterday and begged Grady for help. He was really, really begging. Please Fitz, do you know anything?"

I tried to suppress all the fears that flashed through my mind. They were the usual worst-case scenarios, the kind that would never happen like, what if a war against another species is on the brim? What if there's a terrorist organisation out to get my friends and me? What if the people I love get tangled up with said terrorist organisation and makes some objectively bad decisions under the guise it's all going to turn out, only for their plans to miraculously fail and leave them in depression? But of course, these were purely hypotheticals, and are just a product of my agile mind, and not at all our perfect society.

"I'm sure there is no reason to worry," I parroted, because there usually never was. Sophie shook her head, scowling at me.

"You aren't listening. Something is bad. Please, Fitz, if you know anything, just tell me."

I bit my lip hard. "Fine. It's something to do with a fire. And I only know because he comes home smelling like smoke. I just hope he's being careful out there. . ."

The hard lines in Sophie's face softened with my answer. "Well, he did send you to find me, didn't he? He must trust you with some official matters, at least, right?"

I looked down at the ground. "That was an exception. Mostly because it was highly, highly illegal. Besides, I'm about your age and he needed that to find you. You probably wouldn't want an old creepy man following you around, asking you if you were an elf."

Sophie cringed hard. "Absolutely not. I'd call the cops."

I bit my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Cops, such a funny word. "Exactly. He didn't really have a choice that one time. But this whatever this is, is clearly different."

Any sign of joy on her face disappeared. "So, you have no idea?"

My face betrayed me for a moment. I felt hot in the cheeks, and my heart sped up just a bit. I've never been a good liar. Sophie picked up on this immediately and glared.

You can trust me, she said into my mind. My eyes widened as her voice bounced around in my head. I rubbed my temples.

"I always forget about that." I mumbled.

Please, she transmitted. If it's affecting Grady and Edaline, it's big, Fitz. And I should know about these things.

My shook my head. "I shouldn't do this."

Please, Sophie said again. I blew out a breath.

"Concentrate." I said, still bitter that I couldn't read her mind. She nodded, scrunching up her face as she read my thoughts. I tried to keep them as clear as I could, but they were still fractured at the ends.

I heard him talking to Alvar. It isn't one fire out in the wilderness, it is hundreds of them, and it's happening in the Forbidden Cities. All of them started on the same day. And the fires are fluorescent yellow, which is really weird, but the council thinks it's a human arsonist with chemicals. My dad doesn't share those beliefs. I'm pretty sure that he's doing this without the council's permission. I thought, Sophie breathed hard.

Are they near my family? Sophie thought. I shook my head.

Probably not. My dad was assigned to keep an eye on them. In case their memories came back. But then again, I'm not sure what cities all of this is happening in.

Do you know what the Black Swan is up to? Sophie asked. I shook my head.

Absolutely no idea. I swear! And besides, I've already said far too much. You can't tell anyone what I told you. I wasn't even supposed to know. Anyone at all. Promise?

I promise, Sophie said, and it sounded sincere enough for me to believe. I sighed.

"Now can we head to lunch?" I said, my stomach crying for cafeteria sludge. She shook her head.

"You can do that. I need to figure things out." Sophie muttered to herself.

"Seriously, you need food." I sighed. "But fine, whatever you want. But make sure none of it traces back to me, okay?"

She nodded slowly. I blew out a breath and ran my hands through my hair, turning it up in spikes.

I was mentally exhausted by the time I sat down to eat, but I couldn't down the food, despite my hunger. Keefe noticed this immediately, and it's not like Keefe to not point out what he notices. In that sense, he is a toddler.

"What's wrong?" Keefe asked the moment he sat down, which was next to me, by the way. "And don't even hide it. There's something wrong."

I turned away. "I told Sophie some stuff that I probably shouldn't have."

Keefe's eyes widened impossibly. "Did... did you tell her about us?"

It was my turn to be shocked. "Oh, no, no, no, absolutely not. I would never do that, I know the risks with that." I shook my head. "I meant the kind of stuff my dad works on that I'm not supposed to know about.

He laughed. "Oh. Okay, there's a silver lining there at least. Also, don't worry, Foster isn't stupid, and while she might be a sulk, she cares about you tons."

There was an edge to his voice at the last phrase and I blushed. "Shut up."

"I'm just speaking facts."

"Also," I said, nearly flicking my food. "We're still on for that... hang out, right? Tonight at six?

"Absolutely."