The Truth

Taken

Desperate, she sent out a telepathic call.

"Grady? Edaline? Fitz!" She transmitted, and almost instantly she felt Fitz open his mind to hers.

"Sophie? Where are you? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fitz, I'm at Havenfield, but Grady and Edaline aren't there or they can't hear me... I'm fading again and I don't have my cure." She felt his mind flash back to the time when he had found her and Dex after they had been captured...

"Sophie, just hold on," he said. "I'm coming." Sophie sank to the ground, trying to keep ahold of reality. She could practically hear the light calling her to come, to fly around forever, and she wanted so, so much to listen. Then, Fitz glittered into sight. He rushed over and bent down, holding her hand.

"Sophie! What should I do?" he asked, and Sophie could see the terror in his eyes. She knew that he could remember all too well the last time that had had found her, faded and almost dead.

"Get my... fade fuel. By Vertina... " Sophie said weakly. Fitz dashed off towards the house, but Sophie knew that she would be gone by the time he got back. She wished that she were a Conjurer...

Then, Sophie thought of something that she hadn't before. She might actually be a Conjurer, because Mr. Forkle had given her many abilities, and she was sure that there were some that he hadn't unlocked.

She decided it was worth a shot. She focused all of her enhanced concentration on her vials, knowing exactly where they were.

Sophie snapped her fingers the way she had seen Edaline do it, and imagined the vials pulled through the void. With a loud pop, they appeared. Sophie clutched her head against a splitting headache she assumed was from conjuring the vials.

She wanted to jump for joy at succeeding, but instead she grabbed the fade fuel. She squirted it in her face, and breathed in, feeling stronger with every deep breath.

Sophie stood up shakily, and walked into her house.

"Fitz?" she called. He was probably panicking, because having conjured up the vials, they weren't on her dresser anymore. She walked up to her room, and found Fitz tearing open her closet. Drawers had been pulled open, and Vertina had turned herself on even though Fitz was out of range and was yelling at him.

"Fitz?" Sophie asked cautiously. Vertina stopped yelling. Fitz turned around, and on his face was a look of desperation and fear, fear that after all they they had been through together, Sophie would fade away, and be gone. Upon seeing her, he looked confused and then happy. He ran up to her and hugged her so tight she could barely breathe.

"Sophie! How are you alive? The vials- I couldn't find them... I thought you would die," he said.

Sophie smiled. "Well, surprise! I'm a Conjurer now!"

Fitz's mouth fell open. "But how? Usually you would need training and things before you could make something appear on command..."

Sophie shrugged. "I'm guessing adrenaline rush, because I just found out. Let me try again..." She snapped her fingers, thinking of Ella who was sitting on her bed by the pillow. Nothing happened, except her headache grew stronger. Sophie swayed, feeling tired and woozy.

Fitz caught her before she could collapse again.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked. "We should take you to Elwin and let him give you a check-up."

Sophie nodded, and she half walked, half was carried to the Leapmaster. They were just about to step into the light when Fitz stopped them. "Sorry, Sophie," he said. "You can't light leap right now. I'll hail Elwin and he can come here."