Moonlark's Love

Eight

The next morning Sophie woke up early and hailed Keefe, careful to be quiet so as not to alert Sandor. He was dressed and his hair was done. He either had gotten up really early, or he had never gone to sleep at all.

"Hey, Foster. Missed me too much to wait to talk to me?"

Sophie ignored him. "Keefe, I need you to come over–"

"Of course."

"Would you listen to me? Can you help me steal something from Sandor?"

"Like you have to ask."

"Keefe, this is really important."

His expression grew more concerned. "What is it?"

"It's a piece of paper. I can explain what it is later. But you need to get it quickly, because he's going to show it to the Black Swan, and he can't do that."

Keefe nodded. "Okay, but even if he doesn't have it, he can still tell them about it."

True. Sophie had forgotten about that. "I'm not sure about that part," she admitted.

"Don't worry, Foster, I got it."

While she was sure he had an idea, she wasn't certain that it would be any good. "What is it?"

"Don't worry about that."

"We've been over this, Keefe. I'm done with you not telling me things. We need to be a team, which means you can't keep secrets from me."

Keefe looked into her eyes through the screen, his intensity making her blush. "I know. I'm done with that too. I just have something to tell the Black Swan. I'll do it this morning. Trust me, Gigantor will forget about the paper. And I know I should tell you what it is, but I promise I'll tell you in a few hours. And, Sophie?"

He waited for her to meet his gaze.

"I promise this is the last time I'll keep something from you."

She nodded.

"I mean it. I'll tell you everything."

She nodded again, not able to speak without risking her voice cracking. If he really meant everything. . .

A few minutes later, Keefe arrived. Sophie wasn't sure how he got in, but she heard him greet Sandor in the hallway. She could hear her bodyguard's grumbles quite clearly through her walls. Moments later, Keefe entered her room, handing her a folded piece of pink paper.

"How did you. . . ?"

"I got pretty good at taking things from my parents."

Sophie decided not to press the topic any further. Instead, she explained her call with Amy last night.

"Are you sure it's her?" he asked after she had explained.

"I mean, it was her voice."

"Yeah, but my mom can mimic. And you didn't see her face. So, you don't really know anything for sure."

She hated that he had a good point. "Fine." She reached for her Imparter. "I'll hail her, to prove it's her."

At first the Imparter remained silent, the screen black. But finally Amy's voice filled the room.

"Sophie?"

"Hi. Amy?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"Good. Um, Amy? Can you see me?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I can't see you."

"Oh. Weird."

She said it as if it wasn't a big deal, but there was only one other person whose face Sophie couldn't see when she hailed them. There probably wasn't a connection, but she couldn't get the thought out of her mind.

"Maybe it's because I'm in the Forbidden Cities?" she suggested.

"Maybe. Anyway, I have to go."

"Okay, bye."

Sophie put the Imparter down on her bed. She couldn't stop thinking about what Keefe said. Also, she couldn't remember if she had ever told Amy that elves called the human cities the Forbidden Cities.