Relive

Discovery

Brant hacked a wheezing cough, covering his ruined mouth with a hand that was red and raw. "You brought a new person," he rasped when his throat had cleared.

She was in a room with a murderer.
She was in a room with a murderer.
She was in a room with a murderer.

Grady wrapped an arm across her shoulders and Sophie was surprised to feel that he was trembling. "Yes, this is Sophie. She lives with us at Havenfield, now."

Brant smiled, making his lip fold into the mottled lumps of flesh around it. He coughed again. "How very . . . unexpected." Before anyone could reply, he pointed to the satchel Edaline clutched against her stomach. "Is that for me?"

Edaline crossed the room to where Brant sat and placed the satchel in his lap. "You know I never forget."

Just beyond Grady and Edaline, Sophie saw the doorway to another room. There was what looked like a desk residing in the corner with a green lamp on top of it, along with various books and notes. She assumed that was what Brant did in his free time.

Sophie brought back her attention to the current conversation, wondering what she had missed.

"Sit," he ordered, motioning to the three empty chairs. "Tell me what's happened over the last year. Clearly, there have been some changes."

Sophie sank into a springy chair, surprised to discover it was actually comfortable.

"I've seen you before," he murmured, still studying Sophie.

"You have?" Panicked soared through her. She hadn't taken off her crest.

He nodded as his eyes traced every inch of her face, finally settling on her neck.

His metal tin of custard bursts clanged against the ground as he lunged for her.

Sophie shrieked and tried to block him, but he pinned her shoulders to her chair with one arm while his other hand tore at her cape.

"That's mine!" he shouted as Grady yanked him away and tossed him to the far side of the room.

Sophie made eye contact with a stunned Biana who was sneaking through the window of the office. Luckily, the chaos gave her just enough time to get in unnoticed.

With one eye on Brant, Sophie moved to the other side of the room. Her back was pressed against the wall next to the open office door which she quickly closed while Grady yelled at Brant.

"He stole my crest," she let out a shaky breath.

"Give it back," Grady demanded, reaching for it.

Brant remained on the ground, cackling. The crest was in his hand and he rocked back and forth whispering the word, "mine."

"He can have it," Sophie didn't need it.

"Perhaps we should leave..." Edaline started before Brant cut her off with a wail and the word "stay" that was said with such force it felt as if she had to.

Grady immediately launched into an update, covering as much as he could as quickly as possible. He told the story of why Sophie lived with them now and filled in details of past updates. He finished off his tale with the news of the new alicorn.

That caught Brant's attention.

"The timeline will be reset." he whispered, "It's a turning point. In our ever-changing world."

The words were very telling for someone who was supposedly insane.

"I'm tired now," Brant dropped to the floor and curled up.

Grady and Edaline immediately moved to the doors with Sophie shortly behind them.

"See you next year." Brant murmured, still on the hard, cold floor.

Her adoptive parents said nothing as they walked out the door.

———

Sophie was beginning to be get worried. Biana should have exited the house before she did, but she still hadn't heard from her. It was beginning to be too long.

She couldn't hail her, it was decided that she wouldn't carry her imparted in case it went off in Brant's house.

Instead, she was pacing in her bedroom, unsure of what to do next. Their plan was a terrible one in its own right, but they had to find evidence to stop Brant. They had too.

Her pacing was interrupted with a knock on her door. "Come in."

It wasn't Biana.

Instead it was Sandor with a blonde haired boy who looked annoyed at his presence.

"Go in, Mr. Sencen," Sandor gave him a light shove on the back before forcing him in.

"Geez, what's with Gigantor?" Keefe muttered as he flopped on Sophie's bed. "Man, Foster. What's with the nervous energy?"

She quickly explained how her day was, mentioning the charm she found and finishing with the whole "Brant stole her crest" ordeal.

"He took it?" Keefe looked at the bare spot that it used to rest. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'll get another, it's fine. Besides it was the only way Biana could sneak in without anyone knowing." She stopped pacing and joined him on the bed.

"And how did that go?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" she exclaimed, burying her head into the pillow. If something happened it was her fault. She let Biana do it. She should have said no.

Keefe squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, we don't know anything yet. She could be on her way over now."

"Or she couldn't be! We should go back."

"No." Keefe said firmly. "Not... yet."

Sophie didn't lift her head from the pillow. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes and she didn't want him to see. This was her fault and she knew it.

"Sophie," Keefe said softly, leaning over to her ear. "It's going to be fine. You have to trust me."

Something about the softness of his voice made her sit up and face him. "And if it isn't?"

He pulled her into his arms. "Then we will fix it."

The door swung open and a frazzled Biana walked in with Sandor short behind.

"I couldn't stop her, Miss Foster." Sandor's squeaky voice apologized.

"Guys. You'll never believe what I found." Biana produced a journal from her cape. "Read this."