Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

The Scroll (Edaline POV)

Grady and Edaline left early the next morning, leaving a quick note for Sophie that merely said 'gone out'. Then they leaped to Everglen. Alden was surprised to see them, but gave them a warm smile and ushered them into his office.

"Fitz told me about Sophie's incident the other day," he told them as he closed the door. "How are you holding up?"

Edaline covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back the sob threatening to overtake her. Grady immediately wrapped an arm around her, holding her closer.

Alden's face slowly fell as he looked at the pair of them.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about," Grady said quietly. Then he proceeded to explain the situation to Alden. Edaline had no idea how Alden was taking it, because she couldn't meet his eyes. She couldn't even look at him. She merely stared into Alden's massive aquarium, fighting tears as Grady carefully detailed why they'd decided to cancel Sophie's adoption proceedings.

"So...we really think it'll be best for everyone if we let her be placed with a family that can be what she needs," Grady finished at last.

The silence that followed was so heavy it was almost suffocating. Edaline stole a quick glance at Alden, and wished she hadn't.

She hated seeing the pain and disappointment and concern on his face.

She loves us.

It was those three words that kept resounding in her head again and again, no matter how much she tried to shove them away with logic.

Edaline and Grady were hardly thriving. They barely survived, so heavy was their grief. Sophie needed--deserved--more than that.

But she loves us.

She TOLD us she loves us.

And I think I love her, too.

But no matter how much those thoughts refused to go away, her fear of keeping Sophie outweighed them. It was too much. Having Sophie--as sweet as she was--was just too much.

"My friends..." Alden finally replied, his voice sounding thick. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Edaline took a shaky breath as she looked at Grady. He was watching her, and something in her face made him turn to Alden and say, "I'm afraid we are. We aren't enough for her. We can't be enough for her. But we wanted to talk to you before we went to Eternalia."

"We wanted you to be aware," Edaline finally whispered. "So that you could begin thinking of alternative solutions. Someone who would be up to the task of taking her in. Someone who can give her what she needs."

"I know it's hard," Alden said gently, "but sometimes healing is painful. Maybe she's exactly what you need--and maybe you're what she needs, too."

"We thought that, too, when we agreed to take her in," Grady told him. "But...we just can't. We can't go through this again. She almost died, Alden. Hopefully that won't happen again, but it opened our eyes to the fact that we are not ready to take on something this big. Better to give her up now before anyone gets hurt."

"It's far too late for that," Alden whispered. And those words cut straight to Edaline's heart, making her tears spill over at last.

"She can sense something is wrong, Alden," Grady told him as he pulled Edaline closer. His hands rubbed soft circles on her back as he continued. "Sophie. She seems worried about us. She knows we're struggling with what happened. We can't place that burden on her. She doesn't need to add worrying about her adoptive parents to her long list of struggles and obstacles. She has enough to deal with already. She needs a home that will offer her more stability."