Stellarlune - KOTLC Book 8.5 Fanfic

Chapter 36

 Everybody looked at Sophie with wide eyes and confusion.

"Tell us, Miss Foster, what do you mean, of having an idea," Mr. Forkle said, a twinkle entering into his eyes.

Sophie wasn't sure if this theory was right, but it was better to say it aloud, then keep it in. She supposed it might be humiliating if her theory was completely absurd, but she had gone through worse. Plus, her theory could be right. It would be terrible if they lost the supposed clue of the cot just because of her hesitance. Though what if the clue would lead to many more obstacles? Sophie wasn't sure if she was ready for that. But she had to go through it, as she had in the past. Technically she had a choice to be oblivious, but really, she didn't. Keefe was missing. So she swallowed down her bile and began to share her theory.

"You know how we were talking about how the Neverseen is focused on light, and magisdan? Right now I mean, with this situation."

"Yeah, they're obsessed," Fitz answered, as the others nodded along.

"Well, maybe this - this might sound weird, but what if they were manipulating light to affect magisdan, like Keefe's handcuffs... Didn't they glow bright? It might've been Lady Gisela's distraction or something, I'm not sure, but it could have been the handcuffs," Sophie finished.

Mr. Forkle rubbed his chin. "That is a valid theory."

"Yeah, but how would they manipulate light?" Dex asked.

"Vanishers."

"Flashers." Biana and Linh both exclaimed at the same time.

"I feel it may be Vanishers," Mr. Forkle took over. "Vanishers deceive light, while Flashers do not try as hard to do that. They just try to take limited control... Plus, the handcuffs were invisible."

"Alvar," Fitz snarled.

"Maybe then, the clue would be hidden, invisible I mean, since the whole act was supposed to be targeted towards that," Linh thought, snapping her fingers making small bursts of water obliviously.

"This... Makes sense. Though we need to prepare for all of the possibilities, while we can, and -"

"That's not gonna help at all," Tam interrupted. "I mean, we've already prepared for this situation the best we could."

"Yeah, why not find the clue now?" Biana added, crossing her arms.

"You kids don't understand, do you. We don't know how to find the clue. We know what we need to find the clue, but not the actual formula.

Though maybe they did. The situation reminded Sophie a lot of the Lodestar puzzle. When Wylie had been attacked, Tam had used his instincts with the help of Sophie's enhancing to find the reason how the Neverseen had gotten to their victim. Though Sophie remembered that they had been playing into the Neverseen's plan then. She hoped it wouldn't be the same this time.

"Because a Vanisher deceived the light, to affect the magisdan..." Sophie pondered. "Maybe our Vanisher could make the remnant of that action visible." Everybody's head snapped towards Biana. "I mean if you're fine with it," Sophie added.

Biana fell silent, twining her delicate fingers. "I'm fine with the plan. Though I'm worried that I won't be able to find the clue."

"Don't worry," Sophie assured her. "I think enhancing will do."

Nobody said anything afterwards, wondering what would happen next.

"Excellent idea," Mr. Forkle broke the long, suffocating silence. "However, I need to alert the rest of the Collective of the change of plans. At this point, we have to try, and learn."