Survivor

Chapter 25

It took four hours for the poison to wear off. Four hours of Zeph running amuck through the fort wreaking havoc on anything that wasn't bolted to the ground. Eventually, Eden had trapped him in a force field that seemed to entertain him with all the glittery light. He had fallen asleep for the last hour but now he was stirring,
"Ugh... Did someone hit me over the head with a couch?" He groaned, shutting his eyes tighter against the blue light.
"You did fall off the banister," Sophie suggested with a shrug from her place against the wall.
"Why was I on the banister?" He asked rubbing his temples groggily.
"You are asking the wrong person, who knows what goes on in your head," Sophie said with a smirk. She was spending too much time with Keefe she decided as she caught herself with his trademark feature plastered on her face. Eden withdrew her shield and launched herself at Zeph as soon as he was on his feet. Holding his face in her hand she kissed him over and over.
"Zephyr don't you ever get shot again, do you hear me!" She said between kisses, he nodded vigorously, a little fear creeping into his eyes. Sophie laughed, admiring the couple. But she couldn't help but remember Keefe and how she wouldn't be able to see him for a whole month. Now in irreversible sulk mode, Sophie trudged up the stairs and face planted on her bed.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" She yelled, then flung the pillow across the room angrily. She wasn't mad at Zeph and Eden, it was just so... so unfair. She felt guilty even thinking about being mad at them for that. She really wanted to talk to Edaline now, but she had not had contact with anyone but Keefe for two years. Sure they had seen her swooping in to save the day from Neverseen attacks but no one really saw her except Keefe. They didn't see the struggling to save the day, the scars she had wracked up over time, and the people certainly didn't see her either. They saw a vigilante, someone who was taken, twisted up and spat back out into the cruel nature of her existence. It's not her fault, she doesn't understand what she's doing. Sophie understood fully well what she was doing, and it wasn't stopping until the Neverseen was gone. Lifting herself out of her wallowing she trudged over to the vanity attempting to brush the unruly mess of curls. Over the years her hair had grown out to just below her hips but you couldn't really tell as she always had it braided when on missions or in a messy sock bun when at the fort. She had to look especially good the next day so she took care when brushing out her hair, for once her life might really depend on looking nice.

The Next Evening

Eden bustled around her, applying makeup on her eyes and cheeks. Sophie was going solo at a gala tonight and they had some pretty good intel that an attack would be happening sometime during the party. Eden insisted Sophie only needed to change her eye color, she already looked so different from when everyone last saw her. Her face was a bit more angular, as she had lost the tiny bit of childlike fat that had clung to her bones, Her curves had grown a bit more accentuated and Eden was applying so much makeup it felt like her own mother wouldn't be able to recognize her. Sophie's eyes were now the light cyan she always chose and she had insisted upon a more natural makeup look. The dress, on the other hand, she had absolutely no say in, Eden had gone straight to Atlantis and picked it up and it showed. It was red wine red. It had an A-line neckline with off the shoulder sleeves and it was made out of what looked and felt like silk. It dipped a good way down her back as well, her hair was now an ash blonde instead of her usual honey-toned color and was twisted up in a half up half down style and fell in elegant waves around her shoulders.
"I feel too dressed up." Sophie complained, stomping her foot in annoyance, 'It's stuffy too." She added when Eden didn't respond, too focused on tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
"Soon enough you'll be crashing a party, hopefully, we're wrong about this but you never can be too sure." Eden sighed handing her the feathery white half cape. Sophie shrugged her arms through the little holes, careful not to smudge her makeup. Sophie did find comfort in the daggers strapped to her thigh, the little nail devices that delivered an electric shock while looking like a regular French manicure and the stiletto dagger shoved into her hair like a hairpin. With the cape tightly pressed around her, she held her crystal up to the light and leaped away.

Sophie appeared right outside a magnificent estate. People were already filing in the grand doors so she followed the crowd inside. She was ushered inside a room that looked like it was only for coats so she hung her cape up on one of the last remaining hooks. And casually walked into the main room, people were bustling about, laughing, talking and having a food time. Sophie, on the other hand, scanned the room for all possible entries and exits while making a note of anyone who might recognize her. Her heart sank to the floor as she recognized a few of the people in the crowd. Edaline and Grady were in deep conversation with Alden and Della in one corner of the room while Fitz and Biana were side by side and looking out into the crowd. Before she could move a muscle a shock of blonde hair and ice-blue eyes caught her eye, she was about to have a panic attack before she realized it wasn't Keefe, but Lord Cassius standing in the middle of the room. She took a deep breath and continued farther into the room. Her mission tonight was to watch out for any potential threats, not socialize with her family. Nevertheless, she found herself drifting towards them when she was lost in thought. As she was making a perimeter sweep around the crowd a hand caught her arm, depending on who it was she could either stab them or play it off with simple charm. Turning she found herself face to face with two pairs of teal eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry you're not who we thought you were," Biana said blushing a bit, Fitz stared at her eyes looking a bit unconvinced. Sophie gave them a radiant smile with a hint of Keefe's smirk and replied in a lilting accent.
"No problem at all." She made an effort to be as outgoing as possible in stark contrast to her usual behavior.
"I'm Eden, Eden Kingsley ." Sophie continued with another radiant smile. Fitz seemed to relax a bit now, and upon realizing his hand was still clamped over her own he promptly released it and stepped back a bit sheepishly.
"Biana and Fitz Vacker," Biana replied, with a matching smile. Sophie really didn't know what to do with the conversation now, if she revealed anything too personal they would know. She began to panic until an arm hooked around one of hers.
"Ah Fitz, Biana, I see you've met my girlfriend!" Keefe exclaimed happily. Fitz looked about as shocked as Sophie. If Keefe was here and there was an attack... She decided right then and there it wasn't going to happen.
"I thought you wanted to be a Councillor or a hermit because Sophie was gone," Fitz said with a raised eyebrow. It seemed the rest of her friends had moved on without her or they were just very good at hiding their emotions.
"I can't stay single forever, especially after finding this one," Keefe replied with a loving look in Sophie's direction. Before they could respond Keefe continued, "Anyway, will you join me on the balcony?" He asked her and she practically shouted "yes" at him.

Once on the open-air balcony, and the doors safely closed behind them Sophie launched herself at Keefe kissing him deeply, her hands in his hair which was super soft.
"It's only been one day Foster!" He laughed, but she didn't laugh with him.
"Keefe everyone here is in danger, we received intel about an attack tonight. You can't be here!" She whispered breathlessly, her lips still a mere inches from his.
"You're sure?" He asked urgently, his sense of humor suddenly vanishing, he instinctively hugged her a bit closer. Before she could reply a loud gasp came from inside followed by a few terrified screams. They flung the doors open and amongst the party guests stood about a dozen Neverseen members. She had gravely underestimated their numbers. Immediately she unhooked the back of her dress just at her waist, leaving the bodice but revealing a pair of black leggings beneath the skirt. No way was she fighting in that dress. She stepped forward in front of the crowd, leaving Keefe behind and facing the hooded figures head-on.
"Hello, little Moonlark."