Reborn

Rescue

"Go, go, go!" Sophie took off towards Biana.

"How did you know I was here?" Biana matched her speed and Sophie grabbed her hand.

"No time, just levitate."

"What?"

"Listen to me!" Sophie was already a few inches off the ground. Biana followed, even less steady than Sophie. The guy with the gruff voice had friends, many of them. They had all joined their leader. It wasn't long until they took off the ground too.

"When I say drop, drop!" Sophie forced herself to levitate faster.

"What? No! Are you crazy?"

"Drop!"

Biana didn't, but Sophie's weight made her start to plummet.

And with a loud crack of the void opening, Biana's screaming was silenced. They both dropped into the darkness and within a few second, were thrown back out of it into the middle of Havenfield.

Keefe tapped his watch. "Took you long enough, Foster."

Biana was out cold.

Sophie leaned over and pressed her fingers into Biana's temples to read her thoughts. Inside Biana's mind was such a mess that Sophie had to pull away.

"Good news is her mind can't make sense of what I just did." Sophie let out a sigh of relief.

"Look at you being all mysterious." Keefe took her hand and helped her up.

"I think I lost all that mysteriousness considering I still have all my memories from the last time I did this." She had a hard time getting on her feet, but she finally did it.

"Hey, I have them too. It just means we have to fix everything together." Keefe shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"That's so daunting. But it's settled, we'll say we found her at the cave." Sophie leaned on Keefe for support. "Can you call Elwin?"

Keefe pulled out his Imparter and Biana finally drifted off.

———

Sophie and Keefe waited at Havenfield for the call that Biana was okay. It had been a day of painful anticipation. They had found out that Elwin had to put her in some sort of coma in order to let her body recover from the trauma.

"I should have found her quicker." Sophie placed her head in her hands.

"You didn't know where she was." Keefe tried to reassure her. He joined her on the fancy sofa in the Havenfield family room.

"But I should have. I was there. I should have found it quicker." She curled up in a ball and shook her head.

"You were drugged! Stop beating yourself up." Keefe pulled her into a hug.

"What's that?" Sophie broke away to look out the window. "Is that a goblin with... Alden?"

"Gigantor?" Keefe questioned and followed her gaze. "Foster- it's him. Isnt this when you met him the first time?"

Alden knocked on the door and Sophie immediately answered.

"Miss Foster, Id like you to meet Sandor. He's your bodyguard."

"Hi." She wasn't sure what to say.

"Dude- you're like ginormous! Can I call you gigantor?" Keefe immediately butt in.

"I'd prefer if you didn't-"

"Then it's settle!" Keefe grinned. "You live up to your nickname."

Sandor crossed his arms at the blonde boy. His fierce gaze and looming stature having no effect on Keefe.

"Sophie, Keefe, Id like to talk to you for a minute alone." Alden glanced at Sandor who immediately backed out the doorway and into the yard. Alden came in and closed the door behind him.

"I wanted to thank you for finding my daughter in the cave. We are in the process of finding the kidnappers and trust me, rarely anything is hidden from us."

"No offense, but it doesn't seem like it's that hard. The Black Swan hid me for twelve years—and you only found me when they led you to me. The kidnappers hid Biana and you had no idea where. I think it's easier to hide here than in human cities. At least they have security cameras and detectives and police."

Alden sighed. "I see why you might feel that way, but you have to understand, Sophie. Humans have those measures in place because conspiracies and arson and kidnapping are common. Those are unheard of here. Or they used to be."

"Used to be." Sophie echoed. "It's no longer that way. Things have to be implemented or else the elves won't be around for very long."

Alden paused to look out the window, taking in all her words. "That's fair. You're pretty wise for being 12."

"Oh, you have no idea." Sophie muttered.

Alden's imparter filled the silence, someone was trying to contact him. He looked at them before walking into the next room.

Sophie and Keefe stayed silent, trying to hear his words. It only took a few moments until he stepped back in the room. "She's awake."

"She is?" Sophie felt relief wash over her. "Can we see her?"

Alden frowned. "Well, actually. She requested you specifically. Both of you."

———

"You may go in." Elwin opened the door from them. Even after being kidnapped, Biana still managed to be one of the most gorgeous girls alive.

"Hey." She said to her worried friends.

"Are you feeling okay?" Sophie moved to her bed side and Keefe was quick to follow. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Biana ordered a small smile. "Elwin said I could leave in a few days."

"That's good." Keefe answered, feeling weird since he hadn't said anything yet.

"That's not why I wanted you guys in here." Biana pulled herself up. "I wanted to tell you. Both of you."

They held their breath as Biana recomposed herself.

"I remember. Everything."