Keeper of the Lost Cities: Truth or Dare

Chapter 8

A/N: I'm soooo sorry for the super long wait... whoops... it's been way over a week! I'll try to publish faster since I lost so many weeks. Thank you guys so much for all the comments and support! Enjoy chapter 8!

  When Sophie opened her eyes, she let out the breath she'd been holding. It stretched into a sigh. What they'd leaped to was an empty, burnt room with ash and cinders smeared everywhere.

  "Well, guess this is another dead end," Biana sighed.

  "My guess is that this is one of the hideouts that was connected to the lodestar symbol," Fitz said, pointing to the floor, where Sophie could see a faint outline of a shadowprint. "The Councillors said that the Neverseen had cleaned everything up quickly with fire."

  Keefe said,"I but Fintan had that starstone in his cloak because this used to be an important hideout."

  "Yeah," Sophie agreed. She patted her pockets. "I don't have my home crystal," she said. "I left it in my bag. Does anyone else have theirs?"

  Biana held up her pendant. "Yup! Let's get out of here." Everyone locked hands as the light carried them back to Everglen.

  Fitz slapped his forehead. "I completely forgot about Mom and Dad! Do you think we should tell them about what happened?"

  "No, I think that if we do, they'll never let us go outside again," Biana said.

  "Yeah," Sophie agreed. "I guess we'll have to try to sneak past them. Let's act like nothing happened."

  Suprisingly, Sophie, Fitz, Biana, and Keefe made it back to Biana's room without being spotted. Apparently, Della was still cleaning up from dinner and Alden was doing "officail work" in his office.

  "So, wanna keep playing truth or dare?" Fitz asked.

  "Yeah," Biana said. Just then her imparter rang. Dex's face appeared on the screen. "Yeah?" Biana said.

  "What did you want to ask me when you called earlier?" Dex asked. "The triplets took over for me. My dad is attempting to teach them how to work in the shop." He rolled his eyes. "So far they've burned three holes in the lab equipment and exploded five exilers."

  "I wanted to know if you could sleep over at Everglen tonight. It sounds like you need rescued," she said.

  Dex brightened. "Okay, do you want me to come over right now?" His face falshed away as soon as Biana answered, "Sure!"

  "Looks like Dex will be joining us after all!" Biana said.

  Right after she said that, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Biana said. She ran out of her room, Leaving Sophie, Fitz, and Keefe alone.

  "Dude," Keefe said, "don't tell them I'm behind here. I'm gonna scare them."

  Keefe jumped out when they walked in. Biana screamed and Dex jumped so high he almost touched the door frame. Once they got over the shock, everyone started laughing. "That... was... the... best... scare... ever!" Keefe said between laughs.

  Once everyone had composed themselves, Biana said, "Who is going to go first?" When Dex gave her a confused look, she explained, "We're  playing truth or dare."

  "I have a better idea," Keefe said. "Let's play Base Quest in the dark!"

  "Oh, I'm so in!" Fitz said.

  "Let's do it!" Biana said. "Last one out has to be a quester!" People trampled over each other as they scrambled to get out the door first. Once everyone was out, Biana said between breaths, "Who... was... out... last?"

  "I don't know,"Sophie said.

  "I think we all got out at the same time," Dex said.

  "Me too," Keefe agreed. "I want Foster on my team!"

  "How about we play boys against girls?" Biana asked. "It's fair, because Sophie has a lot of abilities." She flashed a smile at Sophie.

"Fine, but she isn't allowed to inflict," Keefe teased. 

"Why would i ever inflict on you guys?" Sophie asked.

 Keefe shrugged. "Just laying out the rules."

"What team is going to be the questers?" Fitz asked.

 "I think that Foster only quested a few times," Keefe said. "I think it's time we had a chance to try and kick her butt!"

 Biana smiled. "Where's your base?"

 They whispered together for a little before Fitz said, "That big Pure over there." He pointed behind the house to where a hazy outline of a Pure stood among some other trees. The Pure would be hard to get to without levitating, because smaller trees with silver berries that glowed in the moonlight cluttered the ground under the tree.  

  "Okay," Sophie said. "Come on, Biana." She and Biana ran into the woods to work out a plan. 

 "I don't think they could've picked a harder base for us to try and get to," Biana grumbled. Then she said, "How about you go to the right of the house to get to the tree and I go to the left?" Biana suggested.

 "Okay," Sophie agreed. "I'll keep tabs on them and transmit their locations to you. That way you can steer clear of them."  

  Biana agreed. Sophie ran off to the right and Biana went to the left. Sophie opened her mind and listened for the boys' thoughts. Sophie found Fitz first, since she was the most used to the feel of his mind. He was by the Pure, guarding the base. Keefe was to the left of the house, almost where Biana was.

  Biana, Keefe is just ahead of you! He's by the really big tree that you can barely see!" She spread out her mental shadow, listening for Dex's thoughts. She heard him near the lake, right where she was headed. But then she heard him move away. She channeled some extra energy into her legs and ran forward, closing in on the base.