Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Better Off (Edaline POV)

Sophie avoided Grady and Edaline all weekend.

Or maybe Edaline was avoiding her. She really wasn't sure which.

She was really struggling.

And she didn't know what to do about it.

She just knew she was terrified of something happening to Sophie.

And that somehow also made her terrified of getting any closer to Sophie.

At least Sophie was staying inside, where it was safe.

But then the weekend ended and she went back to school. And that afternoon, Edaline's heart stalled when she rounded a bend and found Sophie standing, still in her Foxfire uniform, outside Verdi's enclosure.

"What are you doing out here?" Edaline shouted angrily.

  Sophie spun around, took one look at Edaline, and backed up a step. "I'm reading Verdi's mind for homework. I think she wants to eat the verminion, so you might want to keep her away from him."

"I thought I made it clear that you're not supposed to be outside," Edaline reminded her.

"I have to be allowed outside sometime."

  "If I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it," Edaline snapped.

  "But I'm fine," Sophie argued. "You have to stop acting like everything could kill me!"

Edaline felt the color drain from her face and dropped her gaze. "You're right," she whispered, trying to keep from crying in front of Sophie. She knew the poor girl had no idea why she and Grady were handling this so poorly. "I'm worrying too much."

  "I promise I'll be careful," Sophie said, her tone conciliatory now. "You don't have to worry."

  It took Edaline a long time to find her voice. She considered telling Sophie precisely why it was impossible not to worry, but the thought of discussing Jolie with her was just too much. It made Edaline tired just to think about it. "Yes. I do," she finally replied quietly. Then she turned and went inside without another word.

She fixed dinner while Grady finished up outside. As soon as the food was ready, she went upstairs and sank onto the armchair in their bedroom.

That was where Grady found her a few minutes later, her mind reeling with contradictory thoughts. If she didn't care about Sophie, she wouldn't be this upset.

But...sometimes caring about someone wasn't enough.

"Eda?" Grady knelt down beside her and took both of her hands in his own. "Are you okay?"

Edaline let out a sob as she shook her head. "I can't do this, Grady. I can't. She reminds me so much of Jolie. And then she almost died! And I just can't. It's too hard."

Grady's face paled. "What are you saying?"

Edaline dropped her gaze. It felt horrible to give voice to what she'd been thinking. But...Sophie needed more than Edaline was capable of giving her. She deserved more.

"I'm saying," Edaline whispered, staring at their clasped hands, "that I'm not sure we're the best fit for Sophie." She let the words hang there for several seconds, but as the silence continued to stretch, she couldn't bear it any longer and glanced up at Grady.

His eyes were screwed shut and Edaline hated herself for the pain she saw on his handsome, chiseled face. But as she watched, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. "You want to cancel her adoption?"

Edaline shrugged helplessly. "I don't know," she confessed. "I...I think so. I'm very fond of her, she's really very sweet, but...she needs stability. She needs someone who can help her find her way here in the Lost Cities, and provide a comfortable, cheerful home. Especially since she lost her entire world when she moved here. She doesn't need a mother who is too scared to let her live her life."