The Moonlark

The Race Against Time

Hehe, y'all I'm sorry. I had to add the Ritz Cracker in the book. How can I ever forgive myself?! 😂😂😂
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    Fitz's connection to Sophie was faint, like trying to hear a whisper through a storm. But it was enough. Enough to know they still had a chance.

He blinked back the moisture in his eyes, focusing all his energy on that fragile thread that tethered him to Sophie. "Just hold on, Sophie. We're coming."

The others had met up at Havenfield, they consisted of the collective, council, all of Sophie's friends, Elwin of course, and Grady,  Edaline,  Alden, and Della.

Keefe was running his hand through his hair for the millionth time, he had so much guilt and frustration at himself for letting such a thing happen to his Foster. Biana stood next to him, worry etched on her face, her fingers were gripping the hilts of her knives so tightly her knuckles were white. Dex was hunched over with his gadget in his hands, tinkering with it every so often, but you could tell he was worried and frustrated. It was written all over his face. Everyone else was silently grieving.

Fitz didn't wait for permission to tell everyone what he found out.

"I found her," he said, his voice cutting through the tense silence.

Keefe straightened up immediately, hope flickering in his eyes, "You did? Where is she?"

"I don't know exactly where exactly, but I can sense her. She's definitely in pain, but she's holding on. I know it." Fitz's jaw clenched. "We don't have much time. The Neverseen are planning something, and if we wait any longer, it'll be too late."

Mr. Forkle turned, his gaze intense. "How are you certain?"

Fitz met his eyes with a steely glare. "I just know. We don't need to waste time on the details. We need to move."

Biana stepped forward, her expression fierce. "He's right. We can't sit around planning for days. If they have Sophie, we have to act now."

Dex nodded, already reprogramming his tracker. "I've been working on tracing the energy from the Neverseen's force fields. It's faint, but if Fitz's can keep the congate connection open with Sophie, it might be able to pinpoint an exact location."

Fitz focused, pushing his mind deeper into the mental connection with Sophie. He couldn't risk reaching to far—it might tip the Neverseen off. But if he could keep the link steady, just enough for Dex to get the location...

There.  A faint pulse.  A flicker of heat.

"I've got something," Dex said, his voice trembling with excitement. "It's coming from the Neutral Territories, near the border of Ravagog."

Keefe's face darkened. "Of course. They'd hide her somewhere surrounded by ogres."

"They think that'll stop us?" Tam scoffed. "Let's go."

Mr. Forkle raised a hand, silencing them. "We move quickly, but we move carefully. This could easily be a trap, and if the Neverseen sense us coming—".

They won't," Fitz said, cutting him off. "They don't know I've linked with Sophie. They think they've cut her off from everyone. We can catch them off guard."

The Collective exchanged glances before Mr. Forkle nodded. "Very well. Dex, finish your triangulation. Biana, Keefe- prepare for infiltration. Fitz, maintain that connection with Sophie. We leave in an hour."